So here I am in the Galapagos. The flight over wasn´t too bad, a little delayed and the person who was supposed to meet me at the airport and get me through check-in didn´t arrive. But I managed to figure things out by myself and got on the plane without too much fuss.
At the other end there were two other girls also heading to the same biological station for the voluntary work. Brenda, a kiwi, and Shannon, a yank. We chatted in the truck on the way about where we´d come from, how long we were staying etc. Nice girls. When we arrived we met some of the rest of the team, mostly German speaking though their English (and Spanish) is pretty good, and were taken to the room that we would be sharing. Shannon´s unpacking made me laugh as she´d bought everything and the kitchen sink. But I´ve already borrowed her spare watch as mine packed up on me (my second one so far).
That afternoon we got acquainted with where things were, had a briefing from the station coordinator (translated for us by one of the German girls from Spanish to English) and then went into the forest to pick some oranges for the week´s juice. The station is pretty basic, as I expected, but comfortable enough. There´s one shower with hot water though it comes out at a trickle, the beds are reasonable and the mosquito nets are pretty good. Which is a lifesaver as there are plenty of little bloodsuckers around to make your life hell. Especially when it rains, which is does frequently. They all hide inside and drive you mad. But everyone keeps each other going.
We went to a little bar down the road on our first night as Wednesday´s are usually the day for a little light relief. For which I was grateful as otherwise there isn´t that much to do in the evening after an early dinner except play cards or go to bed early. And it was good to get to know everyone a bit better over a beer or two.
The next day was our first proper day of work and after breakfast we were taken to Galapaguera, the national park, to dig holes and plant scalesia trees (endemic to the Galapagos) all morning. It was hard work but rewarding to see the areas on the opposite hills that had been cleared and reforested. Mora (or blackberry bushes as we know them) are the biggest pest here and spread like wildfire, taking over all the vegetation.
Later that morning, after our work was done, we were taken to the giant tortoise sanctuary to see them with our own eyes and take some photos - a reward for our hard work. Then we had the afternoon off so I settled into a hammock and read some of my book, fighting to keep the mozzies at bay. A quiet and early night followed, ready for the next day.
Friday´s are a day off, as is the rest of the weekend, and unbeknown to me before arriving on the island, everyone heads into the capital city for the weekend. I say ´city´ but really it is a teeny tiny town by the airport on San Cristobal. We checked in first thing and then the workers took us to the beach to snorkel with sealions, turtles and lots of fish in a nearby bay. It was pretty freezing cold but after I´d stopped hyperventilating and the ice cream headache from the low temperatures went away it was actually quite ok swimming around and checking out the marine wildlife. The beach was covered with snoozing sealions. They are everywhere in town too, draped over the local swings and slides, walkways, boats and platforms out to sea.
After an afternoon siesta we went for a walk around town and then headed out for dinner in the evening. A few drinks in the local bars followed and finally got to bed about 1.30am. A good night. This morning we headed to another beach on the other side of town to chill out with more sealions and turtles. It´s nice to experience some warmer weather and feel like you are on holiday again with some beach action.
All in all the islands are living up to expectations so far. Next week working the whole time is going to be a physical and mental challenge but that will be my only full week so I´m sure I´ll survive. The mud and rain can get you down a bit but it´s not forever so perfectly bearable.
As I´ve incurred a few unexpected costs lately (whoever said travelling could be cheap!?) it looks like I might be flying home soon after I finish here in the Galapagos. Shame to be heading home earlier than expected and not have done all the things I´d hoped in South America but I´ve had such an incredible journey I really can´t complain or be disappointed. I think after this I will be ready to come home too. The constant moving around and adapting to new environments can get tiring after a while and I´d rather return home on a high than drag it out to the point of being unhappy with where I am. So it looks like I´ll be home towards the beginning of October. You lucky things!!
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Garden party
Well it's been a great few days at the Secret Garden hostel in Quito. I've not stayed anywhere quite so fantastically friendly. Met some wicked people, including someone from the Audit Commission weirdly enough. Girl on the bunk below me in the dorm, I found out after a couple of days, was an auditor in Northern and London region. Such a small world but then I suppose with so many of us being made redundant the percentage of people who headed off round the world was perhaps higher than average!
Maybe people are more friendly in South America because there's safety in numbers and the language barriers, we shall have to see. Have a lot of new friends on Facebook and some people to possibly catch up with further along the line of travelling {if I get very far that is, more dosh is being eaten up at far too rapid a rate, I thought it was supposed to be cheap here!!}.
So what have I been up to since I've been here apart from partying? Went for a wander round the old town with a guy from the hostel, Darren. We'd been warned quite heavily by the staff not to wander round on our own, take taxis and not take out anything valuable. After Buenos Aires and my brush with another mugging I wasn't taking any chances. We visited a few of the old sites, went in a few churches, grabbed a locally flavoured bite to eat and did a bit of shopping round a black market shopping centre. That night everyone hung out on the rooftop terrace soaking up the views and the local booze.
A great guy Dan turned up at the hostel and kept us all entertained. We stayed up talking in the dorm and kept getting busted by the overzealous security guard. It was like being at boarding school or something. Slightly nuts but did make us laugh.
Next morning was an early start to go to the Otovalo markets a couple of hours from Quito. First we went to the animal market where all sorts of creatures were offered up by the locals. Kittens, puppies, pigs, ducks, calves, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs. Dread to think what was going to happen to them all. I overhead one American woman wanting to take a $15 puppy home to the US. Got some fantastic photos of some of the indigenous people though. Such amazing faces and most of them in traditional dress.
Next we went to the regular Saturday market, mostly selling souvenirs but also some food, clothes and other bits and pieces. More interesting people watching and having a laugh with Darren as he bought a luminous green cyclops woolly hat. I bought a couple of presents (ah you'll have to wait and see if you're a lucky recipient) and a little pair of earrings for myself.
Then it was time for lunch in the nearby town of Cotacachi and a visit to the Peguche waterfall. Then back to Quito for a crazy night out with a big crowd from the hostel. I managed to stay out all night and not get to bed until about 7am but it had been a mission to stay up and see the sunrise at some point on my trip. Shame the sunrise wasn't more impressive! No fabulous colours or dramatic effects, or maybe I was too tired by that point to appreciate it.
Spent most of the next day knackered and trying to recover so missed a trip to the Ecuator. Will have to see if I can fit that in before I leave Ecuador. It was a quiet day and night all round with everyone feeling the after effects of the night before. To make up for it the next day I headed out to the cable car to go up to the volcano overlooking Quito with Cath and Camilla. Quito as at a pretty high altitude so the cable car took us up to a height of 4,100 metres. Just a short walk and we were getting pretty out of breath very quickly so didn't go too far. In need of acclimatisation to climb the volcano itself. Some of the lads did it the other day stupidly with no warm clothes or supplies in a blizzard. They made it but only just!
Yesterday I checked out of the hostel and moved to a hotel across the city to start my trip to the Galapagos. There didn't seem to be anyone else staying here as it was very quiet but people have been coming and going. Nothing like the hostel though I have been enjoying my own room, TV and bathroom. Luxurious compared to what I've been used to over the last few months. I had such a great night's sleep. Today I went for a briefing about volunteering. Think I'd underestimated quite how remote and tough it was going to be. Had to go out afterwards and spend more than I'd like on supplies like wellies, sleeping bag, mosquito head net etc. I hope it's not too rustic living out in the hills on the islands. I seem to be the only person heading over there at this time so I'm hoping there's a good group to hook up with already there.
It's been a challenge so far getting by on my own without speaking any Spanish. Lots of people here are having lessons and I hope I might be able to do that after my two weeks or at least try and learn as much as I can while I'm here. I had to abandon a taxi earlier as the driver and myself just couldn't communicate with each other. A simple matter of me pronouncing something in more of a French accent than a Spanish one. I hate feeling so useless.
There's no internet at the research station that I'll be working at so this may be my last post for a little while. Over and out.
Maybe people are more friendly in South America because there's safety in numbers and the language barriers, we shall have to see. Have a lot of new friends on Facebook and some people to possibly catch up with further along the line of travelling {if I get very far that is, more dosh is being eaten up at far too rapid a rate, I thought it was supposed to be cheap here!!}.
So what have I been up to since I've been here apart from partying? Went for a wander round the old town with a guy from the hostel, Darren. We'd been warned quite heavily by the staff not to wander round on our own, take taxis and not take out anything valuable. After Buenos Aires and my brush with another mugging I wasn't taking any chances. We visited a few of the old sites, went in a few churches, grabbed a locally flavoured bite to eat and did a bit of shopping round a black market shopping centre. That night everyone hung out on the rooftop terrace soaking up the views and the local booze.
A great guy Dan turned up at the hostel and kept us all entertained. We stayed up talking in the dorm and kept getting busted by the overzealous security guard. It was like being at boarding school or something. Slightly nuts but did make us laugh.
Next morning was an early start to go to the Otovalo markets a couple of hours from Quito. First we went to the animal market where all sorts of creatures were offered up by the locals. Kittens, puppies, pigs, ducks, calves, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs. Dread to think what was going to happen to them all. I overhead one American woman wanting to take a $15 puppy home to the US. Got some fantastic photos of some of the indigenous people though. Such amazing faces and most of them in traditional dress.
Next we went to the regular Saturday market, mostly selling souvenirs but also some food, clothes and other bits and pieces. More interesting people watching and having a laugh with Darren as he bought a luminous green cyclops woolly hat. I bought a couple of presents (ah you'll have to wait and see if you're a lucky recipient) and a little pair of earrings for myself.
Then it was time for lunch in the nearby town of Cotacachi and a visit to the Peguche waterfall. Then back to Quito for a crazy night out with a big crowd from the hostel. I managed to stay out all night and not get to bed until about 7am but it had been a mission to stay up and see the sunrise at some point on my trip. Shame the sunrise wasn't more impressive! No fabulous colours or dramatic effects, or maybe I was too tired by that point to appreciate it.
Spent most of the next day knackered and trying to recover so missed a trip to the Ecuator. Will have to see if I can fit that in before I leave Ecuador. It was a quiet day and night all round with everyone feeling the after effects of the night before. To make up for it the next day I headed out to the cable car to go up to the volcano overlooking Quito with Cath and Camilla. Quito as at a pretty high altitude so the cable car took us up to a height of 4,100 metres. Just a short walk and we were getting pretty out of breath very quickly so didn't go too far. In need of acclimatisation to climb the volcano itself. Some of the lads did it the other day stupidly with no warm clothes or supplies in a blizzard. They made it but only just!
Yesterday I checked out of the hostel and moved to a hotel across the city to start my trip to the Galapagos. There didn't seem to be anyone else staying here as it was very quiet but people have been coming and going. Nothing like the hostel though I have been enjoying my own room, TV and bathroom. Luxurious compared to what I've been used to over the last few months. I had such a great night's sleep. Today I went for a briefing about volunteering. Think I'd underestimated quite how remote and tough it was going to be. Had to go out afterwards and spend more than I'd like on supplies like wellies, sleeping bag, mosquito head net etc. I hope it's not too rustic living out in the hills on the islands. I seem to be the only person heading over there at this time so I'm hoping there's a good group to hook up with already there.
It's been a challenge so far getting by on my own without speaking any Spanish. Lots of people here are having lessons and I hope I might be able to do that after my two weeks or at least try and learn as much as I can while I'm here. I had to abandon a taxi earlier as the driver and myself just couldn't communicate with each other. A simple matter of me pronouncing something in more of a French accent than a Spanish one. I hate feeling so useless.
There's no internet at the research station that I'll be working at so this may be my last post for a little while. Over and out.
Friday, 16 September 2011
An elaborate ruse
So South America and I didn´t get off to the greatest of starts! It was an easy morning packing up my stuff and sorting my belongings out back in Auckland. Then I went back to the cinema to see Tree of Life on bargain Tuesday. Strange film, wasn´t sure about it at first, a bit overstylised and arty with lots of long, lingering shots etc. But I got into it eventually and quite enjoyed it in the end.
Then it was off to the airport to catch my flight. It´s a while since I´ve got a long haul flight without your own tv screen and I nearly panicked when I got on the plane thinking what on earth I was going to do to occupy myself for the 12-hour duration. But I chatted to the Aussie next to me and then watched some films on the big screen for everyone (though the sound was appalling). That´s what you get on a cheap flight I guess. Didn´t get much sleep though so I was pretty exhausted when I arrived in Buenos Aires.
I didn´t take to the city at first, which surprised me as I was so looking forward to going there. I caught a private bus into the city and then transferred to a taxi to find my hostel. I´d booked a place described as ´cool´ in the area of Palermo. With hindsight it would have been better staying closer to the centre as I had such a limited amount of time. Plus the hostel was really quiet with hardly anyone staying there. I had a dorm room all to myself, which under different circumstances would have been fantastic but on this occasion I really wanted to meet people to venture out into the city with. But it did at least mean that I could go straight to bed when I got there and catch up on my sleep and potter around when I woke up at 4am.
Waking so early meant that I was up and out to explore with plenty of time to cram in as much as possible. I walked to the nearest metro station and caught a train into the city centre with the commuters. The train was rammed, haven´t experienced that for a while. I wandered around for a while to find the Plaza de Mayo, the heart of the city. I was a bit nervous about flashing my camera around and I sensibly carried my rucksack on my front, aware of the perils of travelling in South America. So I stopped, took some photos and then put the camera straight back in my bag.
But this is where things took a slight turn for the worse. A couple of women approached me outside the government buildings trying to tell me in Spanish that I had something on my back. It seemed that someone had sprayed shaving foam all over my back (luckily I had my waterproof jacket on). So I took my rucksack off and put it at my feet while they helped me wipe it off. But then a third person tapped me urgently on the shoulder and distracted me pointing to something in the sky. I knew something was up and had a horrible feeling that when I turned back my bag would be gone. Which it was. I saw a man walking off in the distance so started shouting and running after him. I nearly stopped and gave up as I couldn´t quite see what he was carrying in his hands. I looked back at the women who shrugged their shoulders but looked somewhat apologetic. This somehow renewed my strength and I shouted some more and ran after him further. At this point, thankfully, he decided I was making too much of scene and dropped the bag and walked off.
By this time a couple of very kind people had stopped to help me and although we couldn´t understand each other, the lady wiped off the rest of the shaving foam and the older guy called over a policeman. The policeman and I couldn´t understand each other either so I gave up and went on my way. I was a bit shaken up but determined not to let it ruin my time there.
I took refuge in a cafe and figured out what to do next, so grateful that I still had all my belongings. Only that morning I´d wondered what on earth I´d do if I lost everything to a mugger or pickpocket! But things started looking up after I wandered down the main shopping streets (nothing like a bit of window shopping to perk me up) and decided to spend the afternoon on a bike tour of the city.
I´m so glad I did as this is when I started to fall in love with the real Buenos Aires. It was a nice group that set off on our bikes together, some English people on a Gap Adventures tour and a couple of Dutch girls. We cycled through a few of the main squares and saw the regeneration of the dock areas, very similar to many other European cities. Then we spent some time in La Boca, home of the famous football team and some very vibrant and colourful streets.
After the tour the Dutch girls and I wandered round to find a tango show and dinner to entertain ourselves for the evening. We ended up walking for ages and found this little bar in my guide book that wasn´t opening for another hour or so. So we refreshed ourselves in the quaint little cafe over the road, very atmospheric and old-fashioned. Just how I pictured the city to be. We were the only ones in the bar later apart from a guy from Hong Kong but that didn´t matter as the musicians started playing and the dancers came on to show us how the tango is really danced in the city that it originated from. It was amazing to watch and we got so excited about witnessing such a spectacle. After a few dances I got to try my hand at a few steps with the male dancer. I wasn´t too bad!
We tucked into a few glasses of my longed for Malbec and had a nice meal (not the steak I was after but ah well you can´t have everything now can you). I headed back to the hostel to grab a few hours´ sleep before heading back to the airport for two more flights taking me up to Quito, my new home for a while.
More exhausting flights later (I felt like I was on the brink of losing it by the time I got to Quito, I´d had so little sleep) and I took to Quito straight away. There´s a stunning view of the city from my fabulous hostel that came highly recommended online. The staff are great, mostly English so no language barriers here, and the residents are great fun and so easy to talk to. We had dinner and a pub quiz on the rooftop terrace last night, a great introduction.
Hoping to head out and explore the city later and then figure out what to do with the next few days before I join my group and start my volunteering in the Galapagos.
Then it was off to the airport to catch my flight. It´s a while since I´ve got a long haul flight without your own tv screen and I nearly panicked when I got on the plane thinking what on earth I was going to do to occupy myself for the 12-hour duration. But I chatted to the Aussie next to me and then watched some films on the big screen for everyone (though the sound was appalling). That´s what you get on a cheap flight I guess. Didn´t get much sleep though so I was pretty exhausted when I arrived in Buenos Aires.
I didn´t take to the city at first, which surprised me as I was so looking forward to going there. I caught a private bus into the city and then transferred to a taxi to find my hostel. I´d booked a place described as ´cool´ in the area of Palermo. With hindsight it would have been better staying closer to the centre as I had such a limited amount of time. Plus the hostel was really quiet with hardly anyone staying there. I had a dorm room all to myself, which under different circumstances would have been fantastic but on this occasion I really wanted to meet people to venture out into the city with. But it did at least mean that I could go straight to bed when I got there and catch up on my sleep and potter around when I woke up at 4am.
Waking so early meant that I was up and out to explore with plenty of time to cram in as much as possible. I walked to the nearest metro station and caught a train into the city centre with the commuters. The train was rammed, haven´t experienced that for a while. I wandered around for a while to find the Plaza de Mayo, the heart of the city. I was a bit nervous about flashing my camera around and I sensibly carried my rucksack on my front, aware of the perils of travelling in South America. So I stopped, took some photos and then put the camera straight back in my bag.
But this is where things took a slight turn for the worse. A couple of women approached me outside the government buildings trying to tell me in Spanish that I had something on my back. It seemed that someone had sprayed shaving foam all over my back (luckily I had my waterproof jacket on). So I took my rucksack off and put it at my feet while they helped me wipe it off. But then a third person tapped me urgently on the shoulder and distracted me pointing to something in the sky. I knew something was up and had a horrible feeling that when I turned back my bag would be gone. Which it was. I saw a man walking off in the distance so started shouting and running after him. I nearly stopped and gave up as I couldn´t quite see what he was carrying in his hands. I looked back at the women who shrugged their shoulders but looked somewhat apologetic. This somehow renewed my strength and I shouted some more and ran after him further. At this point, thankfully, he decided I was making too much of scene and dropped the bag and walked off.
By this time a couple of very kind people had stopped to help me and although we couldn´t understand each other, the lady wiped off the rest of the shaving foam and the older guy called over a policeman. The policeman and I couldn´t understand each other either so I gave up and went on my way. I was a bit shaken up but determined not to let it ruin my time there.
I took refuge in a cafe and figured out what to do next, so grateful that I still had all my belongings. Only that morning I´d wondered what on earth I´d do if I lost everything to a mugger or pickpocket! But things started looking up after I wandered down the main shopping streets (nothing like a bit of window shopping to perk me up) and decided to spend the afternoon on a bike tour of the city.
I´m so glad I did as this is when I started to fall in love with the real Buenos Aires. It was a nice group that set off on our bikes together, some English people on a Gap Adventures tour and a couple of Dutch girls. We cycled through a few of the main squares and saw the regeneration of the dock areas, very similar to many other European cities. Then we spent some time in La Boca, home of the famous football team and some very vibrant and colourful streets.
After the tour the Dutch girls and I wandered round to find a tango show and dinner to entertain ourselves for the evening. We ended up walking for ages and found this little bar in my guide book that wasn´t opening for another hour or so. So we refreshed ourselves in the quaint little cafe over the road, very atmospheric and old-fashioned. Just how I pictured the city to be. We were the only ones in the bar later apart from a guy from Hong Kong but that didn´t matter as the musicians started playing and the dancers came on to show us how the tango is really danced in the city that it originated from. It was amazing to watch and we got so excited about witnessing such a spectacle. After a few dances I got to try my hand at a few steps with the male dancer. I wasn´t too bad!
We tucked into a few glasses of my longed for Malbec and had a nice meal (not the steak I was after but ah well you can´t have everything now can you). I headed back to the hostel to grab a few hours´ sleep before heading back to the airport for two more flights taking me up to Quito, my new home for a while.
More exhausting flights later (I felt like I was on the brink of losing it by the time I got to Quito, I´d had so little sleep) and I took to Quito straight away. There´s a stunning view of the city from my fabulous hostel that came highly recommended online. The staff are great, mostly English so no language barriers here, and the residents are great fun and so easy to talk to. We had dinner and a pub quiz on the rooftop terrace last night, a great introduction.
Hoping to head out and explore the city later and then figure out what to do with the next few days before I join my group and start my volunteering in the Galapagos.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Waiting game
Here I am back in Auckland after another short flight from Christchurch on Sunday. Andrew and Ruth very kindly put me up again when I got back from Kaikoura and cooked me a delicious dinner. Ruth had to dash off to do a night shift at the hospital so Andrew and I settled in to watch the England game and another after that. Was exhausted knowing I had an early start in the morning.
An easy flight back up to Auckland although I felt sorry for the little kid sitting next to me. Her mother clearly had a short fuse and spent some of the time very upset about something (I didn't like to pry so just gave her a bit of privacy) but kept chastising her kid for anything and everything she did or didn't do.
Felt a bit frustrated when I got back to the hostel here in the city as I didn't really know what to do for the rest of the day. I've kind of done all the sightseeing things that I wanted to do so it's felt like I'm just killing time for a couple of days before I fly out. The weather has been pretty rubbish raining most of the time too although the sun seems to be shining today. So I had a lazy afternoon finishing my book and then headed off to the cinema in the evening to keep myself entertained. Saw 'The Help' which was quite a sweet film.
Yesterday I did some shopping for a few bits and pieces I need while I can buy them in a Westernised country and then paid a visit to the newly reopened art gallery (it wasn't finished when I was here before). A stunning building with lots of open spaces and light streaming in the large glass windows with an interesting collection of modern New Zealand art, as well as some older stuff that I'm never that bothered about! Although the Maori portraits were worth a look.
Last night Nikki and Neal took me out for a farewell dinner to a restaurant that we tried to go to before but was too busy with a quiz night. Lovely to see them again and catch up. I was reacquainted with all the summer stuff that I'd left with them and did wonder how I was going to fit it all back in my rucksack! But this morning's packing has managed to squeeze all that I should possibly need in. Rucksack weighs a tonne though. Can't really figure out what the weather is going to be like until I get there so covering all bases on the clothing front.
Few bits and bobs to do today and then I might take myself back to the cinema to occupy myself until I need to get to the airport. Buenos Aires beckons. Going to have to cram it all in when I get there as I'm not there for long but a tango lesson, steak and a glass of Malbec are definitely on the cards.
An easy flight back up to Auckland although I felt sorry for the little kid sitting next to me. Her mother clearly had a short fuse and spent some of the time very upset about something (I didn't like to pry so just gave her a bit of privacy) but kept chastising her kid for anything and everything she did or didn't do.
Felt a bit frustrated when I got back to the hostel here in the city as I didn't really know what to do for the rest of the day. I've kind of done all the sightseeing things that I wanted to do so it's felt like I'm just killing time for a couple of days before I fly out. The weather has been pretty rubbish raining most of the time too although the sun seems to be shining today. So I had a lazy afternoon finishing my book and then headed off to the cinema in the evening to keep myself entertained. Saw 'The Help' which was quite a sweet film.
Yesterday I did some shopping for a few bits and pieces I need while I can buy them in a Westernised country and then paid a visit to the newly reopened art gallery (it wasn't finished when I was here before). A stunning building with lots of open spaces and light streaming in the large glass windows with an interesting collection of modern New Zealand art, as well as some older stuff that I'm never that bothered about! Although the Maori portraits were worth a look.
Last night Nikki and Neal took me out for a farewell dinner to a restaurant that we tried to go to before but was too busy with a quiz night. Lovely to see them again and catch up. I was reacquainted with all the summer stuff that I'd left with them and did wonder how I was going to fit it all back in my rucksack! But this morning's packing has managed to squeeze all that I should possibly need in. Rucksack weighs a tonne though. Can't really figure out what the weather is going to be like until I get there so covering all bases on the clothing front.
Few bits and bobs to do today and then I might take myself back to the cinema to occupy myself until I need to get to the airport. Buenos Aires beckons. Going to have to cram it all in when I get there as I'm not there for long but a tango lesson, steak and a glass of Malbec are definitely on the cards.
Friday, 9 September 2011
Fever pitch
Just watched the All Blacks play the opening game of the Rugby World Cup. It's pretty awesome to be here in New Zealand as it all kicks off though would have been even better to be in Auckland to see the opening ceremony or all the events round the city. Looked pretty spectacular on the TV but would have cost me a fortune so maybe I'm better off here in Kaikoura after all!
So the last time I posted online I was holed up in the dead-end town of Invercargill. The only thing it's good for is a route to Stewart Island, the southern-most tip of New Zealand with nothing else between you and Antarctica. But I didn't have enough time to pay a visit with the way the buses worked out unfortunately so most of us were stuck in the industrial town that only seemed to have the fastest Indian (cast your minds back to the actual event or the Anthony Hopkins film a few years ago) as a tourist attraction to visit. As I was still recovering from the excesses of Queenstown I refrained from going out and just tucked myself up in the TV room with a heater and the first Lord of the Rings film. It was good to see some of the places that I've visited on the big screen (well, small screen really it was just a crappy TV in a hostel after all).
But I've missed out another interesting place on my travels - Gunn's Camp. We headed there after Queenstown and boy was it a different story. We were out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a ridiculous number of sandflies to keep us company and no mains electricity. It is apparently the last remaining workers' camp in New Zealand and it is like being transported back to the 1930s. The site houses a little museum as monument to the work that went on tunnelling through from Te Anau to Milford Sound through the Homer Tunnel.
We had a coal stove to keep us warm at night but of course we didn't manage to keep the fire going and woke up absolutely freezing cold. As it was an early start none of us braved the showers - you might as well have just been outside what warmth the thin walls brought you. But it was kind of quaint and cute in its own special way. But I'm glad we only stayed one night. Much more impressive in the summer I'm sure but I think you might get eaten alive by the sandflies.
We moved on to Dunedin after that but not before we'd stopped at a few blustery, chilly places to take some pics and hide out hoping to spot a yellow-eyed penguin or two. We were in luck as one solitary little fellow came waddling up the beach and headed for a sheltered spot not too far from the hide. Some of the others had given up by this point having already waited for over 40 minutes but I'm glad I persevered. We weren't so lucky with the sealions earlier in the day but I guess these wildlife experiences can't be guaranteed.
Shortly after arriving in Dunedin, a bit of a university town although the students were on holiday at the time, we headed off to the Speight's brewery for a tour of the retro site and a spot of sampling the famous ale. It was great to see the place so untouched for so many years despite fires and many other breweries folding over the years. We were joined by a rugby team on tour from Wellington who were all dressed up in bad taste clothes that they managed to pick up from who-knows-where.
Having felt a bit older than the rest of the crowd it was entertaining to hear the others' disdain at feeling so old in a bar/club full of what seemed like 16-year-olds. I chuckled to myself at the thought of them feeling ancient.
The next day we headed off to Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest peak. When I started reading what to do in the country way back in February before I left I really wanted to climb the mountain but I think it's best left to the proper mountaineers. Also I couldn't get any extra time there to do any longer walks as the buses behind ours were all fully booked for a while. So I settled for a short walk when we arrived to see the glacier and get a better look of the peak (unfortunately shrouded in a bit too much cloud). The hostel was probably the best we'd stayed in, more like a proper hotel. We settled in for a quietish night playing cards and knocking back a few cheeky wines.
The following day we drove to a few stunning lakes and then went snow tubing on what little snow was left in the area. It was great feeling like a kid again heading up the slope with a big tube and as the guys looking after the place abandoned us for a few gos we all joined up and went down in threes and fours (which they probably wouldn't have let us do), picking up a good bit of thrilling speed as we went.
That night we stayed in another pretty good place in Rangitata (apart from the communal showers, something we've not come across before). The hostel owner had made us a huge, sticky chocolate pudding and our driver bought some cream so we indulged ourselves on our final night together with those of us remaining from the original group before separating later the next day in Christchurch. Most cards ensued with our bellies full.
It was good to catch up with some friends in Christchurch, Ruth and Andrew who I met on the cycling trip in Thailand. Ruth picked me up in her Porsche Boxster which felt like a huge departure from my previous modes of transport. I even had the luxury of taking it for a spin later that day as we headed out to the epicentre of the earthquake, Lyttleton.
At first you can kid yourself that Christchurch is just a normal city or that it's doing a good job of picking itself up after the devastation it's suffered over the last year. But then you start to notice driving around the cracks in the pavements, how terrible the roads are, the houses that have simply slid off the cliff faces and the shipping containers that are the only barrier between you and the subsiding cliffs. Many a garden wall is propped up by lines of wooden supports and loose tiles are lined up along half-missing roofs. But the people are soldiering on and shops, cafes and businesses have sprung up in makeshift premises outside the city centre.
It's hard to imagine quite how terrifying it must have been though, with Ruth and Andrew describing how they clung to each other in the doorway of the first earthquake last September and how Andrew struggled to get himself out to the garden when the big one struck in February. And then had to go to the hospital where Ruth works to check if she was ok. As I lay in my makeshift bed in the lounge last night I wondered how I would react should any such tremors occur while I'm here.
As Andrew is an experienced climber, he took me out to Arthur's Pass the other day to do a very full-on climb/walk up Avalanche Peak. Having struggled with my fitness on a few shorter walks lately I wasn't sure how I'd fare doing something more energetic. But I surprised myself by steaming up the first part (Andrew may not have thought so but it was quicker than I expected my pace to be up such an ascent) until we reached the top of the treeline, with me sweating buckets despite the snow and chilly breeze. We had amazing views as we trekked up, at times waist-deep in snow with our ice axes should we slip. I've not done anything quite so technical before but I put my trust in someone who knew what they were doing. I did doubt myself at times and tried not to look either side of me when perched vicariously on a narrow ridge.
We were joined by the odd Kea or two, the only alpine parrot in the world. Very inquisitive and known to rip off bits of rubber from vehicles in car parks. But it had the most amazing feathers under its wingspan when it takes off.
Following our energetic day, the next day was spent mostly chilling out in front of the tv, with a short walk to the supermarket to give Ruth a bit of peace and quiet while studying. Today I headed off on my last stretch on the Stray bus to Kaikoura for the whale watching that I promised myself when I didn't go in Australia. Another rough boat ride with me feeling pretty queasy at times but we saw two sperm whale and got some good shots of their tales flipping up as they dove into the depths of the sea.
Tomorrow it's back to Christchurch before I fly back up to Auckland for a couple of days. Then, unbelievably it seems at the moment, I fly off to South America for the final phase of my trip. How has it come around so quickly? Been thinking about home more as reality seems ebbing ever closer...
So the last time I posted online I was holed up in the dead-end town of Invercargill. The only thing it's good for is a route to Stewart Island, the southern-most tip of New Zealand with nothing else between you and Antarctica. But I didn't have enough time to pay a visit with the way the buses worked out unfortunately so most of us were stuck in the industrial town that only seemed to have the fastest Indian (cast your minds back to the actual event or the Anthony Hopkins film a few years ago) as a tourist attraction to visit. As I was still recovering from the excesses of Queenstown I refrained from going out and just tucked myself up in the TV room with a heater and the first Lord of the Rings film. It was good to see some of the places that I've visited on the big screen (well, small screen really it was just a crappy TV in a hostel after all).
But I've missed out another interesting place on my travels - Gunn's Camp. We headed there after Queenstown and boy was it a different story. We were out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a ridiculous number of sandflies to keep us company and no mains electricity. It is apparently the last remaining workers' camp in New Zealand and it is like being transported back to the 1930s. The site houses a little museum as monument to the work that went on tunnelling through from Te Anau to Milford Sound through the Homer Tunnel.
We had a coal stove to keep us warm at night but of course we didn't manage to keep the fire going and woke up absolutely freezing cold. As it was an early start none of us braved the showers - you might as well have just been outside what warmth the thin walls brought you. But it was kind of quaint and cute in its own special way. But I'm glad we only stayed one night. Much more impressive in the summer I'm sure but I think you might get eaten alive by the sandflies.
We moved on to Dunedin after that but not before we'd stopped at a few blustery, chilly places to take some pics and hide out hoping to spot a yellow-eyed penguin or two. We were in luck as one solitary little fellow came waddling up the beach and headed for a sheltered spot not too far from the hide. Some of the others had given up by this point having already waited for over 40 minutes but I'm glad I persevered. We weren't so lucky with the sealions earlier in the day but I guess these wildlife experiences can't be guaranteed.
Shortly after arriving in Dunedin, a bit of a university town although the students were on holiday at the time, we headed off to the Speight's brewery for a tour of the retro site and a spot of sampling the famous ale. It was great to see the place so untouched for so many years despite fires and many other breweries folding over the years. We were joined by a rugby team on tour from Wellington who were all dressed up in bad taste clothes that they managed to pick up from who-knows-where.
Having felt a bit older than the rest of the crowd it was entertaining to hear the others' disdain at feeling so old in a bar/club full of what seemed like 16-year-olds. I chuckled to myself at the thought of them feeling ancient.
The next day we headed off to Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest peak. When I started reading what to do in the country way back in February before I left I really wanted to climb the mountain but I think it's best left to the proper mountaineers. Also I couldn't get any extra time there to do any longer walks as the buses behind ours were all fully booked for a while. So I settled for a short walk when we arrived to see the glacier and get a better look of the peak (unfortunately shrouded in a bit too much cloud). The hostel was probably the best we'd stayed in, more like a proper hotel. We settled in for a quietish night playing cards and knocking back a few cheeky wines.
The following day we drove to a few stunning lakes and then went snow tubing on what little snow was left in the area. It was great feeling like a kid again heading up the slope with a big tube and as the guys looking after the place abandoned us for a few gos we all joined up and went down in threes and fours (which they probably wouldn't have let us do), picking up a good bit of thrilling speed as we went.
That night we stayed in another pretty good place in Rangitata (apart from the communal showers, something we've not come across before). The hostel owner had made us a huge, sticky chocolate pudding and our driver bought some cream so we indulged ourselves on our final night together with those of us remaining from the original group before separating later the next day in Christchurch. Most cards ensued with our bellies full.
It was good to catch up with some friends in Christchurch, Ruth and Andrew who I met on the cycling trip in Thailand. Ruth picked me up in her Porsche Boxster which felt like a huge departure from my previous modes of transport. I even had the luxury of taking it for a spin later that day as we headed out to the epicentre of the earthquake, Lyttleton.
At first you can kid yourself that Christchurch is just a normal city or that it's doing a good job of picking itself up after the devastation it's suffered over the last year. But then you start to notice driving around the cracks in the pavements, how terrible the roads are, the houses that have simply slid off the cliff faces and the shipping containers that are the only barrier between you and the subsiding cliffs. Many a garden wall is propped up by lines of wooden supports and loose tiles are lined up along half-missing roofs. But the people are soldiering on and shops, cafes and businesses have sprung up in makeshift premises outside the city centre.
It's hard to imagine quite how terrifying it must have been though, with Ruth and Andrew describing how they clung to each other in the doorway of the first earthquake last September and how Andrew struggled to get himself out to the garden when the big one struck in February. And then had to go to the hospital where Ruth works to check if she was ok. As I lay in my makeshift bed in the lounge last night I wondered how I would react should any such tremors occur while I'm here.
As Andrew is an experienced climber, he took me out to Arthur's Pass the other day to do a very full-on climb/walk up Avalanche Peak. Having struggled with my fitness on a few shorter walks lately I wasn't sure how I'd fare doing something more energetic. But I surprised myself by steaming up the first part (Andrew may not have thought so but it was quicker than I expected my pace to be up such an ascent) until we reached the top of the treeline, with me sweating buckets despite the snow and chilly breeze. We had amazing views as we trekked up, at times waist-deep in snow with our ice axes should we slip. I've not done anything quite so technical before but I put my trust in someone who knew what they were doing. I did doubt myself at times and tried not to look either side of me when perched vicariously on a narrow ridge.
We were joined by the odd Kea or two, the only alpine parrot in the world. Very inquisitive and known to rip off bits of rubber from vehicles in car parks. But it had the most amazing feathers under its wingspan when it takes off.
Following our energetic day, the next day was spent mostly chilling out in front of the tv, with a short walk to the supermarket to give Ruth a bit of peace and quiet while studying. Today I headed off on my last stretch on the Stray bus to Kaikoura for the whale watching that I promised myself when I didn't go in Australia. Another rough boat ride with me feeling pretty queasy at times but we saw two sperm whale and got some good shots of their tales flipping up as they dove into the depths of the sea.
Tomorrow it's back to Christchurch before I fly back up to Auckland for a couple of days. Then, unbelievably it seems at the moment, I fly off to South America for the final phase of my trip. How has it come around so quickly? Been thinking about home more as reality seems ebbing ever closer...
Friday, 2 September 2011
Broken. In need of fixing.
So Queenstown was pretty much the party place I thought it was going to be. It was so good to be in one place for a few days, the longest I've spent anywhere since Auckland when I first arrived. And to spend it with a bunch of people has been fun. Although we were spread out in different hostels we kept in touch through texts and bumping into each other in such a small town.
I think I'm a bit broken now though! Too many late nights and pub crawls. I've picked up Hannah's lurgy, one of the girls I was sharing a room with and now have a lovely sore throat and a few aches and pains. But hopefully a bit of paracetomol and a couple of early nights will fix that and I'll be right as rain in no time. No time to dwell on being ill after all.
So what else did I get up to in Queenstown apart from partying I'm sure you're wondering? A few of the girls and I went up in the cable car to take in the amazing views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. The photos look positively unreal, as if you're standing in front of some fake backdrop. Then we had a laugh doing a few luge runs down the mountainside, trying to race each other and get a group photo taken near the finish line. It reminded me of being a kid in the little cars we used to ride on the beach somewhere in Devon (was it Woollacombe?). Except this was a bit quicker on the old downhill run.
The next day Kate and I went on a walk to Frankton about 9km around Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown. Although the town (or is it the top of the mountains, I'm not sure) is over 1500 metres above sea level, the bottom of the lake is below sea level so it's pretty deep in places. But everywhere you go in New Zealand the water is so clear.
Later we met up with Hannah and Micki and caught the bus over to Arrowtown, a beautifully quaint little place reminiscent of a wild west town. It was a goldmining town originally and looks like it with all the little shops and buildings. A great place to stop for lunch or a beer in the warmth of the sunshine. We did lots of cooing about how cute it was and all the photo opportunities.
That night we went on an organised pub crawl as it was meant to be cheap drinks and a bit of food thrown in. The things you'll do when money is tight and you want to have fun eh! It was a good laugh and Hannah and I won a dance off at our third or fourth bar. I was pretty chuffed that I could show these youngsters a few crazy retro moves. I think I surprised a few people! I did a bit like I'd gone back to school when by the end of the evening most of the group had pulled some random stranger. There were a few sore heads the next morning but I felt surprisingly sprightly. So after wandering round the shops and the lake to take a few more photos I headed to the information centre to book some kind of activity that would occupy my time for the afternoon.
I had left it a bit too late to go skiing, not having sorted out any gear hire or lift pass or anything but I spotted a leaflet for snow shoeing and thought that would be the next best thing. Some fresh air, a trip up the mountain and some stunning views to make the most of the area and its beauty. So what is snow shoeing you may ask? It had the rest of my group stumped but it is what it seems really, walking in the snow with something a bit more useful on your feet than tennis rackets. Kind of a cross between a crampon and a mini ski. It was a small group with our lovely kiwi guide and two French-speaking women from New Caledonia (I had to ask where that was as I was unsure).
We headed up to the Remarkables snow fields and walked up the slopes until we managed to get off piste and headed for a frozen lake where they filmed a scene from Lord of the Rings (you can't go too far in New Zealand without going somewhere near a scene from the film). We then explored some little snow caves that some school kids had built and slept in a week or so ago. Then when we headed back down in the bitterly icy winds the snow field was closed and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was beautiful and I'm so glad I did it, although I did wish that I'd sorted out some skiing and given it a go again.
After another night out to say goodbye to the rest of the group it was time to head off on the bus again with about half the previous volume of travellers. Nice to be in a smaller group for a while and get to know some of them a bit better. We headed off to Fiordland for a boat trip in the Milford Sound, something I was looking forward to. But I think all the late nights caught up with all of us and we were a bit underwhelmed or maybe it was just the cold weather encouraging us to head below deck for the free tea and coffee. But we did see penguins, dolphins and seals on the way back to the dock. The waterfalls and mountains were stunning, as was the drive from Queenstown where was a lot of snow along the way.
I felt a little overwhelmed by the huge busloads of tourists (mostly Asian) as soon as we hit the road to Milford Sound and I felt like I was back in China, the last place that felt so crazy busy with people. Everywhere else has been pretty quiet in the winter. So it was odd to be surrounded.
I think I'm a bit broken now though! Too many late nights and pub crawls. I've picked up Hannah's lurgy, one of the girls I was sharing a room with and now have a lovely sore throat and a few aches and pains. But hopefully a bit of paracetomol and a couple of early nights will fix that and I'll be right as rain in no time. No time to dwell on being ill after all.
So what else did I get up to in Queenstown apart from partying I'm sure you're wondering? A few of the girls and I went up in the cable car to take in the amazing views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. The photos look positively unreal, as if you're standing in front of some fake backdrop. Then we had a laugh doing a few luge runs down the mountainside, trying to race each other and get a group photo taken near the finish line. It reminded me of being a kid in the little cars we used to ride on the beach somewhere in Devon (was it Woollacombe?). Except this was a bit quicker on the old downhill run.
The next day Kate and I went on a walk to Frankton about 9km around Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown. Although the town (or is it the top of the mountains, I'm not sure) is over 1500 metres above sea level, the bottom of the lake is below sea level so it's pretty deep in places. But everywhere you go in New Zealand the water is so clear.
Later we met up with Hannah and Micki and caught the bus over to Arrowtown, a beautifully quaint little place reminiscent of a wild west town. It was a goldmining town originally and looks like it with all the little shops and buildings. A great place to stop for lunch or a beer in the warmth of the sunshine. We did lots of cooing about how cute it was and all the photo opportunities.
That night we went on an organised pub crawl as it was meant to be cheap drinks and a bit of food thrown in. The things you'll do when money is tight and you want to have fun eh! It was a good laugh and Hannah and I won a dance off at our third or fourth bar. I was pretty chuffed that I could show these youngsters a few crazy retro moves. I think I surprised a few people! I did a bit like I'd gone back to school when by the end of the evening most of the group had pulled some random stranger. There were a few sore heads the next morning but I felt surprisingly sprightly. So after wandering round the shops and the lake to take a few more photos I headed to the information centre to book some kind of activity that would occupy my time for the afternoon.
I had left it a bit too late to go skiing, not having sorted out any gear hire or lift pass or anything but I spotted a leaflet for snow shoeing and thought that would be the next best thing. Some fresh air, a trip up the mountain and some stunning views to make the most of the area and its beauty. So what is snow shoeing you may ask? It had the rest of my group stumped but it is what it seems really, walking in the snow with something a bit more useful on your feet than tennis rackets. Kind of a cross between a crampon and a mini ski. It was a small group with our lovely kiwi guide and two French-speaking women from New Caledonia (I had to ask where that was as I was unsure).
We headed up to the Remarkables snow fields and walked up the slopes until we managed to get off piste and headed for a frozen lake where they filmed a scene from Lord of the Rings (you can't go too far in New Zealand without going somewhere near a scene from the film). We then explored some little snow caves that some school kids had built and slept in a week or so ago. Then when we headed back down in the bitterly icy winds the snow field was closed and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was beautiful and I'm so glad I did it, although I did wish that I'd sorted out some skiing and given it a go again.
After another night out to say goodbye to the rest of the group it was time to head off on the bus again with about half the previous volume of travellers. Nice to be in a smaller group for a while and get to know some of them a bit better. We headed off to Fiordland for a boat trip in the Milford Sound, something I was looking forward to. But I think all the late nights caught up with all of us and we were a bit underwhelmed or maybe it was just the cold weather encouraging us to head below deck for the free tea and coffee. But we did see penguins, dolphins and seals on the way back to the dock. The waterfalls and mountains were stunning, as was the drive from Queenstown where was a lot of snow along the way.
I felt a little overwhelmed by the huge busloads of tourists (mostly Asian) as soon as we hit the road to Milford Sound and I felt like I was back in China, the last place that felt so crazy busy with people. Everywhere else has been pretty quiet in the winter. So it was odd to be surrounded.
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