Monday, February 07, 2005
Skydiving the South Island
Well some of you may have thought that the top sporting event in NZ right now was the world rugby 7's tournament - but you would be very wrong. Clearly, the sporting highlight right now in NZ is the world speed log chopping contest. Each contestant gets a big log and the first to chop it in half is the winner - mmmm - who said the Kiwis weren't sophisticated?!
And so onto the South Island where for the the majority of our time there we found a piece of summer and made the most of it as you can never tell how long it will last here.
We took the very scenic ferry from Wellington to Picton through the Marlborough Sounds which was all very picturesque and atomospheric with a little mist gathered around the hills and mountains. We moved swiftly onto Renwick for a couple of days to enjoy some of the infamous Marlborough vineyards. First stop was, of course, Cloudy Bay and from there we cycled around the area for a day enjoying a great tapas lunch and several tasting sessions. The area is famous for its sharp, zingy Sav Blancs and although these may be a bit harsh for a beginner, they definitely grow on you and I found them to be quite delicious be the end of the day.
Time for another NZ Great Wak, so we were bound for the Abel Tasman National Park which is a stunning area of the north South Island, not too far from Nelson. We spent 3 days kayaking and walking around the park - camping at little beach campsites and listening to the sea lap the shores at night. The weather was as good as it could possibly be with clear blue skies showing the park at its best with emerald green seas and golden sandy beaches - some totally deserted. We saw a penguin and several playful seal pups who came to check out our kayak. For me - this was the best bit of NZ so far - beautiful beaches, great weather and lovely temperate rainforest to walk through with some spectacular places to camp. The only downside was the wretched sandflies which seem to plague much of NZ and are far worse than mozzies. It is a pretty big deterrant to the outdoor life and they even get past our extra strong repellent.
Next stop was Arthur's Pass which is about a third of the way down the South Island in the middle of the Southern Alps that run the length of the island. The drive down from the north along the west coast was really good - huge white-crested waves crashing onto the weather beaten rocks and beaches - all very wild and windy. We stopped at the Pancake Rocks which are a series of cliffs shaped like stakes of pancakes piled on top of each other - quite strange. From Arthur's Pass itself we did a good walk through the rain up to a glaciar and managed to see some of the mountain peaks even with the cloud. It's and area of boulder-filled rivers, forest, glaciars, snowy mountains and lakes with a multitude of walks for everyone.
We stopped off in the jade-carving area of NZ - Hokitika - for a night just to reduce the travel time and had an opportunity most people probably miss to see some of the lovely countryside around this area. Turquoise rivers, tranquil lakes, forests and waterfalls galore.
Then onto the glaciars - Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciar. There are around 3,000 glaciars in NZ, but these 2 are the most famous because you can go and walk on them pretty easily. We checked them both out and spent a day walking on Fox Glaciar itself, investigating a few ice caves and crevasses. It was great to get out on the actual glaciar and see some of the wonderful formations close-up which is something we had not done before. The glaciars themselves are pretty unimpressive compared to those we saw in South America and we probably would have been best off seeing these first, but they are still a good day out.
Now for the adrenalin-junkie bit of the trip - had to do all this stuff before I get too old and scared to do it. We chilled out in Wanaka for a few days (a more chilled out version of Queenstown - much more peaceful) taking in the great views of the Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. The best bit was our skydive from 15,000 ft over the lake and mountains. What a place to do it - but barely enough time to savour it all really. We both did tandem jumps so there is really nothing to get scared about as you have some guy strapped to your back who hopefully knows what he is doing! Once the aircraft reached 15,000ft we moved to the edge pf the plane door with my legs hanging out and having to pose for a photo before my tandem guy shoved us out of the plane. Then the most bizarre sensation of tumbing over and over and seeing plane on a couple of rolls seeming to get very small as we fell earthbound. Then the stabiliser was out and we freefell for about 45 secs before the parachute opened and we floated gently to earth for about 5mins whilst taking a few photos of the cracking scenery. I totally loved this experience and if it was cheaper I would definitely do it again.
In Wanaka we also checked out our second great cinema of NZ - this one was Cinema Paradiso and all seats are sofas or armchairs (with a couple in a Morris Minor). There is an interval in all films for home-made ice cream or dinner - a good idea to get people talking about the film and anticipating the end. The film was Team America - guess it's already been out in the UK - but worth a watch for the first half anyway - goes off a lot at the end, but the first hour is pretty funny.
Between Wanaka and Queenstown are the Otago vineyards famous for their Pinot Noirs, so we clearly had to stop off, sample and buy a few for the onward journey.
The heart of adrenalin country is Queenstown which was really different to what I had imagined. Quite a big place that is absolutely swarming with tourists and coaches - there is even a Louis Vuitton shop there and several fancy restaurants. I had expected backpackers galore but they were almost drowned out by Japanese tourists and big spenders. We decided to head out for some white water body boarding - basically you ride your body board down a white water river. Going over the rapids is quite exciting and the challenge of getting a breath whilst being thrown underwater and up and over rapids waves is hilarious - so much so that I think I drank most of the river.
The new bungy phenomenon in Queenstown is the Canyon Swing where you throw yourself off a ledge into a canyon, freefall for 60m then carry on for another 30m and on into one enormous swing towards the bottom and other end of the canyon. Now this was far more scary than a skydive. Firstly - I had to physically throw myself off. Secondly - the ground is close enough to see very clearly. Thirdly - it was just me - no nice tandem guy to help out. Thankfully I didn't see how far you fall before I jumped (I was later shocked by the distance that other people fell). I took my time on the ledge and almost didn't do it, and spent a long time looking down - a big no-no. But after deciding it might be fun and I certainly couldn't face Nick banging on about the time I chickened out - I jumped - my legs madly scrambling around like a cartoon character who has just fallen off a ledge. I barely remember the jump as I think your brain tries to shut off somewhat - but it was OK - not so much that I wanted to do it again and definitely scary enough for me.
Oh for some peace and tranquility! Thankfully we were Fiordland-bound and found some great places to stay and some gorgeous scenery to boot. The highlight of our Fiordland trip was our 2 dives in Milford Sound - some of the most beautiful diving I have ever done. Yes, the water was cold - but we had good wetsuits, lots of soup and a very sunny day - so we really didn't feel it. If you want to enjoy Milford Sound away from the huge boatloads of tourists - you have to learn to dive. We had about 3 times as long on the Sounds as all the other tourists had, we were in a very small boat so could see a lot of nooks and crannies that no one else gets to see, and we saw the best bit - underwater! Huge crayfish, wonderfully coloured, strange-shaped sponges, 5 metre high black coral trees, blue cod and loads more. Fiordland attracts about 7 metres of rain per annum and all this fresh water pours out on top of the saltwater to create very unique diving conditions. The freshwater layer is less dense so sits on top of the saltwater, then you dive through a mixed layer which is a little disconcerting as you can barely see anything, then into the saltwater later which is much darker and greener than normal seawater. The darkness creates conditions that you would normally have to dive 40-80 metres to see, but can be seen here at 18 metres. So we saw the huge black coral trees and red coral that would normally be impossible. A wonderful experience with a superb dive company who really inspired me.
After a few good walks around some local lakes, mountains, white water rivers we made our way along the Southern Scenic Route for yet more gorgeous scenery. The route takes you to The Catlins - a less frequently visited part of the South Island but well worth a few days. People told us it was like the west coast of Ireland - lots of gorgeous but very sultry beaches with the sea spray and mists and low clouds enveloping nearby headlands. Dense rainforest, rolling hills, many sealions and a few penguins.
And finally onto the city scene - the South Island is so underpopulated that it was odd to be back in the cities again. We spent a couple of days in Dunedin (Gaelic for Edinburgh) which was pleasant enough and wierd to see some vaguely historic building in New Zealand. They tend to over the top about anything that is more than 100 years old here - it's a bit like the US in that respect. Then our last stop was Christchurch - a very English looking city - with a River Avon, punting, lovely parks and some very English churches. Ahhh - how nice. By far the nicest city in NZ, and if I thought there was a chance of earning a living here, I could be quite tempted to move here. I haven't really felt that excited by the thought of moving to NZ, but living in the South Island near the city of Christchurch would definitely be the thing to do.
I have enjoyed New Zealand very much. The South Island is so much nicer than the North Island that I am not sure I would bother going back to the North Island. The North is nice, but not that staggering. Most of the South Island is just suprememly scenic and well worth 4 weeks of travel.
A few things surprised me about NZ:
1. I knew there were only 4 million people here, but spending 4 weeks travelling round the South Island was blissful with all the space and freedom that just cannot be found in England. We have seen big areas like this in SA, but the South Island is so much more accessible.
2. The newspapers here are truly poor - it has made me appreciate our press so much. The "world" section in any paper is only about 2 pages worth, and all weekend papers get the bulk of their stories form UK papers - are there no NZ journalists?
3. It is really small-town stuff sometimes - in a very lovely way though - the top headlines on the local news radio being about various cats that have gone missing.
4. There really are a lot of sheep here - 10 times as many as people.
5. A Kiwi told us the South Island was like 7 countries in one - I didn't believe him until we saw it - we saw US Pacific coastine, Hawiian tropical beaches, the Irish west coast, Norwegian fjords, the Alps, Scottish lochs and a little piece of England in Christchurch.
6. The views from all the roads in the South Island are some of the most stunning I have seen and driving was a real pleasure, although it takes a long time to get anywhere. Basically estimate how long you think it will take to get somewhere based on distance, then double it - allowing for random sheep crossings, various road laying trucks, cyclists, tractors and very windy, hilly roads.
7. The bus drivers here are the friendliest people on the planet - when they wish you goodbye and a great day - they really seem to mean it, asking what you are off to do next etc. London bus drivers - take note!
It has been refreshing in some ways to travel around a developed country with the ease of a car and clean, safe hostels, but I really miss the excitement and adventure and learning experience of South America. NZ is beautiful, but it doesn't get into the soul like a lot of places we visited in SA.
Now we head to the wonderful outback of Oz for a few sweltering days before some partying in Sydney.
And so onto the South Island where for the the majority of our time there we found a piece of summer and made the most of it as you can never tell how long it will last here.
We took the very scenic ferry from Wellington to Picton through the Marlborough Sounds which was all very picturesque and atomospheric with a little mist gathered around the hills and mountains. We moved swiftly onto Renwick for a couple of days to enjoy some of the infamous Marlborough vineyards. First stop was, of course, Cloudy Bay and from there we cycled around the area for a day enjoying a great tapas lunch and several tasting sessions. The area is famous for its sharp, zingy Sav Blancs and although these may be a bit harsh for a beginner, they definitely grow on you and I found them to be quite delicious be the end of the day.
Time for another NZ Great Wak, so we were bound for the Abel Tasman National Park which is a stunning area of the north South Island, not too far from Nelson. We spent 3 days kayaking and walking around the park - camping at little beach campsites and listening to the sea lap the shores at night. The weather was as good as it could possibly be with clear blue skies showing the park at its best with emerald green seas and golden sandy beaches - some totally deserted. We saw a penguin and several playful seal pups who came to check out our kayak. For me - this was the best bit of NZ so far - beautiful beaches, great weather and lovely temperate rainforest to walk through with some spectacular places to camp. The only downside was the wretched sandflies which seem to plague much of NZ and are far worse than mozzies. It is a pretty big deterrant to the outdoor life and they even get past our extra strong repellent.
Next stop was Arthur's Pass which is about a third of the way down the South Island in the middle of the Southern Alps that run the length of the island. The drive down from the north along the west coast was really good - huge white-crested waves crashing onto the weather beaten rocks and beaches - all very wild and windy. We stopped at the Pancake Rocks which are a series of cliffs shaped like stakes of pancakes piled on top of each other - quite strange. From Arthur's Pass itself we did a good walk through the rain up to a glaciar and managed to see some of the mountain peaks even with the cloud. It's and area of boulder-filled rivers, forest, glaciars, snowy mountains and lakes with a multitude of walks for everyone.
We stopped off in the jade-carving area of NZ - Hokitika - for a night just to reduce the travel time and had an opportunity most people probably miss to see some of the lovely countryside around this area. Turquoise rivers, tranquil lakes, forests and waterfalls galore.
Then onto the glaciars - Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciar. There are around 3,000 glaciars in NZ, but these 2 are the most famous because you can go and walk on them pretty easily. We checked them both out and spent a day walking on Fox Glaciar itself, investigating a few ice caves and crevasses. It was great to get out on the actual glaciar and see some of the wonderful formations close-up which is something we had not done before. The glaciars themselves are pretty unimpressive compared to those we saw in South America and we probably would have been best off seeing these first, but they are still a good day out.
Now for the adrenalin-junkie bit of the trip - had to do all this stuff before I get too old and scared to do it. We chilled out in Wanaka for a few days (a more chilled out version of Queenstown - much more peaceful) taking in the great views of the Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. The best bit was our skydive from 15,000 ft over the lake and mountains. What a place to do it - but barely enough time to savour it all really. We both did tandem jumps so there is really nothing to get scared about as you have some guy strapped to your back who hopefully knows what he is doing! Once the aircraft reached 15,000ft we moved to the edge pf the plane door with my legs hanging out and having to pose for a photo before my tandem guy shoved us out of the plane. Then the most bizarre sensation of tumbing over and over and seeing plane on a couple of rolls seeming to get very small as we fell earthbound. Then the stabiliser was out and we freefell for about 45 secs before the parachute opened and we floated gently to earth for about 5mins whilst taking a few photos of the cracking scenery. I totally loved this experience and if it was cheaper I would definitely do it again.
In Wanaka we also checked out our second great cinema of NZ - this one was Cinema Paradiso and all seats are sofas or armchairs (with a couple in a Morris Minor). There is an interval in all films for home-made ice cream or dinner - a good idea to get people talking about the film and anticipating the end. The film was Team America - guess it's already been out in the UK - but worth a watch for the first half anyway - goes off a lot at the end, but the first hour is pretty funny.
Between Wanaka and Queenstown are the Otago vineyards famous for their Pinot Noirs, so we clearly had to stop off, sample and buy a few for the onward journey.
The heart of adrenalin country is Queenstown which was really different to what I had imagined. Quite a big place that is absolutely swarming with tourists and coaches - there is even a Louis Vuitton shop there and several fancy restaurants. I had expected backpackers galore but they were almost drowned out by Japanese tourists and big spenders. We decided to head out for some white water body boarding - basically you ride your body board down a white water river. Going over the rapids is quite exciting and the challenge of getting a breath whilst being thrown underwater and up and over rapids waves is hilarious - so much so that I think I drank most of the river.
The new bungy phenomenon in Queenstown is the Canyon Swing where you throw yourself off a ledge into a canyon, freefall for 60m then carry on for another 30m and on into one enormous swing towards the bottom and other end of the canyon. Now this was far more scary than a skydive. Firstly - I had to physically throw myself off. Secondly - the ground is close enough to see very clearly. Thirdly - it was just me - no nice tandem guy to help out. Thankfully I didn't see how far you fall before I jumped (I was later shocked by the distance that other people fell). I took my time on the ledge and almost didn't do it, and spent a long time looking down - a big no-no. But after deciding it might be fun and I certainly couldn't face Nick banging on about the time I chickened out - I jumped - my legs madly scrambling around like a cartoon character who has just fallen off a ledge. I barely remember the jump as I think your brain tries to shut off somewhat - but it was OK - not so much that I wanted to do it again and definitely scary enough for me.
Oh for some peace and tranquility! Thankfully we were Fiordland-bound and found some great places to stay and some gorgeous scenery to boot. The highlight of our Fiordland trip was our 2 dives in Milford Sound - some of the most beautiful diving I have ever done. Yes, the water was cold - but we had good wetsuits, lots of soup and a very sunny day - so we really didn't feel it. If you want to enjoy Milford Sound away from the huge boatloads of tourists - you have to learn to dive. We had about 3 times as long on the Sounds as all the other tourists had, we were in a very small boat so could see a lot of nooks and crannies that no one else gets to see, and we saw the best bit - underwater! Huge crayfish, wonderfully coloured, strange-shaped sponges, 5 metre high black coral trees, blue cod and loads more. Fiordland attracts about 7 metres of rain per annum and all this fresh water pours out on top of the saltwater to create very unique diving conditions. The freshwater layer is less dense so sits on top of the saltwater, then you dive through a mixed layer which is a little disconcerting as you can barely see anything, then into the saltwater later which is much darker and greener than normal seawater. The darkness creates conditions that you would normally have to dive 40-80 metres to see, but can be seen here at 18 metres. So we saw the huge black coral trees and red coral that would normally be impossible. A wonderful experience with a superb dive company who really inspired me.
After a few good walks around some local lakes, mountains, white water rivers we made our way along the Southern Scenic Route for yet more gorgeous scenery. The route takes you to The Catlins - a less frequently visited part of the South Island but well worth a few days. People told us it was like the west coast of Ireland - lots of gorgeous but very sultry beaches with the sea spray and mists and low clouds enveloping nearby headlands. Dense rainforest, rolling hills, many sealions and a few penguins.
And finally onto the city scene - the South Island is so underpopulated that it was odd to be back in the cities again. We spent a couple of days in Dunedin (Gaelic for Edinburgh) which was pleasant enough and wierd to see some vaguely historic building in New Zealand. They tend to over the top about anything that is more than 100 years old here - it's a bit like the US in that respect. Then our last stop was Christchurch - a very English looking city - with a River Avon, punting, lovely parks and some very English churches. Ahhh - how nice. By far the nicest city in NZ, and if I thought there was a chance of earning a living here, I could be quite tempted to move here. I haven't really felt that excited by the thought of moving to NZ, but living in the South Island near the city of Christchurch would definitely be the thing to do.
I have enjoyed New Zealand very much. The South Island is so much nicer than the North Island that I am not sure I would bother going back to the North Island. The North is nice, but not that staggering. Most of the South Island is just suprememly scenic and well worth 4 weeks of travel.
A few things surprised me about NZ:
1. I knew there were only 4 million people here, but spending 4 weeks travelling round the South Island was blissful with all the space and freedom that just cannot be found in England. We have seen big areas like this in SA, but the South Island is so much more accessible.
2. The newspapers here are truly poor - it has made me appreciate our press so much. The "world" section in any paper is only about 2 pages worth, and all weekend papers get the bulk of their stories form UK papers - are there no NZ journalists?
3. It is really small-town stuff sometimes - in a very lovely way though - the top headlines on the local news radio being about various cats that have gone missing.
4. There really are a lot of sheep here - 10 times as many as people.
5. A Kiwi told us the South Island was like 7 countries in one - I didn't believe him until we saw it - we saw US Pacific coastine, Hawiian tropical beaches, the Irish west coast, Norwegian fjords, the Alps, Scottish lochs and a little piece of England in Christchurch.
6. The views from all the roads in the South Island are some of the most stunning I have seen and driving was a real pleasure, although it takes a long time to get anywhere. Basically estimate how long you think it will take to get somewhere based on distance, then double it - allowing for random sheep crossings, various road laying trucks, cyclists, tractors and very windy, hilly roads.
7. The bus drivers here are the friendliest people on the planet - when they wish you goodbye and a great day - they really seem to mean it, asking what you are off to do next etc. London bus drivers - take note!
It has been refreshing in some ways to travel around a developed country with the ease of a car and clean, safe hostels, but I really miss the excitement and adventure and learning experience of South America. NZ is beautiful, but it doesn't get into the soul like a lot of places we visited in SA.
Now we head to the wonderful outback of Oz for a few sweltering days before some partying in Sydney.
