Picton - Kaikoura - Geraldine - Mt Cook

Renee and I have now successfully ferried our way across the Pacific to the South Island. We spent our first 2 night within the inlets of Marlborough Sound near Picton. The scenery is incredible with green mountains plunging into the clear inlet waters below. We drove to the northern most point of the island and enjoyed lunch on the beach. We also hiked a small portion of the Queen Charlotte Trek for one afternoon.

Next stop was Kaikoura, which is one of the main tourist destinations on the South Island. On a recommendation from Tim and Julie (Renee’s good looking siblings) we splurged on a wild Dolphin “Encounter” (Swim). We suited up at 6 AM in full wet suits with snorkel gear, and were dropped off in the ocean in front of a Dolphin Pod on the move. They don’t feed or attract the dolphins in any way, then they just swim directly past you on their way to where they are going. The tour agency says that the Dolphins will more likely linger around you if you make “Eeek Eeek Eeek!!!” noises into your snorkel. I am not sure if it actually works but extremely entertaining to hear from the boat all the Crazies in the water thinking they are speaking Dolphin!? Anyway, it was incredible as they swim by in the dozens within 3 ft directly below and all around you. At times they would quickly circle around you at high speed as if they were a puppy trying to play.

In Kaikoura we also viewed a Lavender Farm, Flea Market, Seal Colonies, and tried some fresh Mussels. That night at the campground we had our first campsite theft. Upon returning from a very short walk around the perimeter of the campsite, we found One slice of ham, 4 slices of Salami, and ½ block of chedder all to be stolen out of our cooler – nothing more. We were relieved that was all that was stolen but yet extremely pissed our cheese was stolen, because we never buy cheese, it's so darn expensive! Later that night we found the culprit, it was a medium sized fat, out of shape dog who had waddled up to us, then using his nose wedged the lid off our cooler looking for more snacks – Busted!

We made a quick stop in Geraldine, where we enjoyed a warm fire huddled under some spruce trees out of the rain. From there we drove to Mt. Cook, the highest mountain in all of the south Pacific. We embarked on a windy 3 hour hike to the tip of 20 km long glacier meandering down the mountain. Prior to going to bed we luckly checked the weather forecast finding our area under a wind warning of 120 km/hr wind gusts. We decided against putting up the car-tent-extension choosing to sleep in the car with the hatch closed and all of our equipment anchored under rocks. We went to bed with approximately 15 tents set-up around us. The wind hit hard during the night feeling like our car was going to be thrown onto its roof. Sure enough only 2 tents made it through the night, the rest were collapsed and/or gone, with the occupants sleeping in their cars and in the cooking shelter.

Next stop is Oamaru.

COLIN

Rotorua to Wellington

 

We have made our way all the way down to Wellington! From Rotorua we made our way down to Turangi where we stayed at our first free camp ground.  After meticulously setting up our little camp and having diner we noticed that the crowd that gather around the free camp ground are a little different than those we've seen at others.  For starters one van pulled up piled full of people and we can only imagine they were stoned as they parked their camper at the most peculiar angle halfway up a hill.  Another couple of boys were drunk and took an hour to set up a tent and parked their car so it almost blocked the road out.  And finally a pair of Russians next to us were hitting the liquor hard from their brown paper bags.  We were extremely entertained as we watch everyone attempt to set up camp; at the same time felt a little square in comparison as we sipped out tea by the fire.

Our plan was to hike the famous Tongariro Crossing but the weather report for the hike involved gale force winds and snow so we decided to motor to the South Island and hope for better weather on our way back North. Despite the rather crappy weather we made the best of our time in Turangi by visiting the very interesting National Trout Centre; took a dip in a private thermal pool (which was excellent timing as we were in rather desperate need of a bath) and drove down the Whanganui River which played an important part in New Zealand's history as a passage to the north before sophisticated road systems were built. 

We are currently in Wellington and  have spent the last two nights here in a hostel taking advantage of some creature comforts like laundry machines and showers.  We drove to the top of Mt Victoria for some excellent views of the city and then the better part of the day at The Te Papa Museum which was extremely impressive.  We spent several hours there and required a coffee break to refuel to make sure we saw it all!  Today we catch the ferry to the South Island!  We have clean cloths, have showered and the weather forecast looks great...South Island here we come!

R

Auckland to Rotorua

We now have 4 nights of camping under our belt. We had a few lessons to learn but we got everything streamlined now. So far the ground at the campsites has been very uneven, resulting in me getting kicked by my wife because I am always rolling on to her side of the bed. We now have rocks and sticks to drive up on for levelling.

Our journey so far has taken us from Auckland to Cormandel to Whangamata to Rotorua. The country is very green and lush as the locals say the spring and summer has been extremely wet and cool. We have been on several nice walks (hikes to come later) up streambeds, around small lakes and through a giant redwood forest. Strangely, thousands of giant redwoods were transplanted to the Rotorua region in 1901 from California as part of an experiment. These towering trees make for some great walking paths. Also near Rotorua we visited a Maori Village (Aboriginal) located directly on top of a thermal hot spot. There was boiling water seeping up through the roads and sidewalks all around the homes. They use the water to cook with and heat their homes.

Another place which seemed a bit out of place for us was Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. At first glance they looked like places you would see in Hawaii or Mexico, very tropical.  

 

We are really enjoying cooking and eating outdoors compared to packed hostel kitchens. To start off the trip we have enjoyed chickpea curry, local fish from the market, beef and cabbage stew, and lots of pancakes and fruit. For those of you wondering, yes we ARE eating lots of kiwis while in New Zealand (The Fruit that is -Not the people….)          COLIN

New Zealand!

We made it to New Zealand! New Zealand is having a cool summer but we find the temperature quite nice after the humid heat of Argentina. Colin and I both suffered some jet lag but that was a minor inconvenience compared to remembering which way to look when crossing the street, we both wonder how many tourists get hit by cars in their first few days of visiting a country that drives on the opposite side of the road!?  Speaking English has been a funny adjustment as we still say ‘buenos dias’ for hello and ‘gracias’ for thank you.   

We have been in Auckland for the past 3 days and have mostly seen the inside of its many shops as we stocked up for a camping adventure!  We found a micro camper (station wagon big enough to sleep in) which we will spend the next 6 weeks in touring around both the North and South Island.  We have a place to sleep, food to eat and a good road atlas, what more do you need?!  We plan to stay in very simple campgrounds and may not have access to internet on a regular basis, so our posts may be a little less frequent (this is mainly a note for our dear mothers...no search party neededJ)

R

Summary of South America!!!

-We have now been in South America for 3 full months (90 days) and are off to New Zealand:

-During our 90 days we had incredible weather....86 great days - only 4 rain days!

-The 4 countries Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina are all completely different both in geography and culture. Central Chile was the only place we would say was liveable for us. (No Mom - we are not moving to Chile)

-All four countries have crazy bus and taxi drivers, same as everywhere else in the world.

-During the entire trip our greatest nemesis was poorly maintained sidewalks and gigantic piles of dog poo covering the surface of those sidewalks. Cities, towns, villages - doesn`t matter, dogs like sidewalks.

-Unlike the western world, these countries do not sell ANY beer or wine from their neighboring countries. Chile has some of the best wine in the world, but there is no chance in hell you an find a bottle of Chilean wine in Argentina, or Peruvian beer in Bolivia.

-For food specialties Peru does Chicken, Bolivia does meat pastries (Saltines), Chile does wine and fruit, and Argentina does Beef.

Looking back Renee and I were lucky to see some of the most amazing places on the planet. 

-The largest salt flats in the world

-One of the 7 wonders of the world - Machu Picchu

-Descended and Ascended the 2nd deepest canyon in the world (same day)

-Visited the largest collection of waterfalls in one location (275) and the 2nd largest waterfall in the world  (by daily volume) 

-Hiked in the shadows of some of the largest volcanoes in the world

-Of course, many many more

We will miss South America but are very excited about New Zealand (We have safely arrived). 

COLIN (updated pictures for last two posts below)

The pros and cons of travelling by the seat of your pants....

There are both advantages and disadvantages to being a care free traveller making plans as you go.  The potentail downside is when checking into your flight to New Zealand you are asked for your New Zealand exit flight information.  Explaining we have nothing booked and will do all that from NZ the flight staff just shrugs telling us they need to enter our information into the computer to check us in...crap.

The advantage of having few plans is when the same airline says they have overbooked their flight and offers transfering you to the next flight two days down the road in business class you can easily say 'yes'. Both of which happened to us on the same night.

Being midnight and having taken an expensive taxi out to the airport Colin and I ran through the rain to different terminals looking for an internet cafe to quickly book a flight.  At the cafe the internet was painfully slow and their printer was not working.  We figured we might as well take the next flight so we could book our flight at our own pace.  So back through the rain we ran, all our bags in tow.

The attendant who was helping us was not the sharpest tool in the shed and as she tried to process our request she squinted at the screen shaking her head while flipping though a small note book for some apparently essential information. At one point she left for a concerning amount of time but when she returned she had everything taken care of. We just spent the last two days on the airlines dime in one of Buenos Aires top Hotels with three course meals included.  The best part was the huge comfy bed and we caught up on all the sleep we lost over the last 5 days.

It was nice to be a little spoiled but we are ready to get on with our trip to New Zealand!!!!

Summary of Argentina

Renee and I have now concluded our Argentina portion of the trip. A few points are below:

-We were caught off guard upon arriving in Argentina at how developed the country was. Day to day life here is similar to North America.

-Because Canada is so large, we lose perspective of how large other countries are. Argentina is one of those countries - it`s Huge.

-Argentina is a breeding ground for mosquitos. In one hostel in Cordoba Renee and I woke up in the morning to find 82 mosquito bites covering our bodies. They are tiny little buggers, so you dont really feel them bite, you just get the nice itchy bump to let you know they had paid you a visit. As I type this right now, I have 22 bites on me. (had a long bus ride to count).

-In Argentina they do Beef....beef everything, all the time, and they do it well.

-In 2002 Argentina declared bankrupcy causing economic turmoil. Inflation hit 34% last year causing the population to exchange their Pesos for $USD as quickly as possible. I tried to exchange my remaining Pesos for $USD today, however the line-ups at the banks and currency exchanges were 100`s of people long trying to also get $USD. The people have lost confidence in their own currency.

-Middle aged woman feel they have a right to butt to the front of the line-up for anything that requires a line-up. Very frustrating, but that is the way it is

Ballpark costs:

1. Hostel/Hotel $15 USD/person
2. Meal for 2 including drinks $20
3. Bottle of water (Free – Tapwater is safe)
4. Beer $1.00
5. 8 hour bus ride (Average Bus) $40

Colin

Last few days in Buenos Aries, Argentina!

Yesterday we arrived back in Buenos Aries after another long sleepless bus ride but both of us were in high spirits, happy with our decision to go to the falls.  Before leaving for the falls we had gone on a search for a slightly nicer hostel for our last few days in BA, as ours was nice but a little tattered and torn.  We visited a few and were greeted with way too eager smiles and an atmosphere that reminded us more of summer camp with rules posted everywhere and planned activities causing us to turn back and book in our same hostel. Sometime I guess you just need a little perspective and we are now very happy in our endearing little hostel with its quirks and sign on the fridge reading ‘do not open fridge without shoes on’.

Tired as we were after our bus ride we got little rest during the day as BA is currently experiencing a heat wave (45 C with the humidity!).  This accompanied with a power outage killing the only fan in our room sent us looking for refuge in air-conditioned internet cafes and stores to escape the heat. 

As a final hurrah to the South American leg of our trip Colin and I took in a late night Tango show.  It was fantastic, set in an old theatre house with hundreds of bottles of wine lining the walls.  It was a little pricey but we were given a complimentary bottle of champagne and were blown away by the very intricate, not to mention sexy, dance moves, live music and elaborate costumes.  I couldn’t take my eyes off their feet and could have watched for hours more.  We both agreed it was a great way to close off this leg of the trip.

The night brought no relief from the heat as it was still a balmy 35 C at 2am.  Luckily for me the combination of pure exhaustion and half a bottle of champagne allowed me to sleep through the night. Tonight we leave for New Zealand and will spend our day packing and running errands.  We are both sad to say goodbye but are extremely excited for our next adventure!

Renee

Iguazu Falls, Argentina!

Colin and I are on the last couple days in South America and had a decision to make.  From Buenos Aires (B.A) we could take a 20 hr bus to the far norteast corner of the counrty to see some large waterfalls or stay in the BA area for the remainder of our trip.  We heard the falls were beautiful and have been wanting to go since we arrived but feared the 20 hr bus ride there and back might just be too much.  After much back and forth, we decided to bite the bullet and head for the falls!

The trip didn’t start out great.  On the way to the bus terminal my beloved sandals broke, to some that may not sound like a big deal but I bought them for our wedding and they have been my shoe of chioce this entire trip...rest in peace dear shoes.  At the massive B.A bus terminal we paced back and forth along the 70 gates waiting for our bus which showed up two hours late smelling heavily of the obviously full on board bathroom.  All the buses we have been on thus far have fed us meals and snack, provided us with blanket and pillow and have played movies during daylight hours.  This bus did not feed us, and expecting food Colin and I did not pack much with us, blankets were for first class only and the AC was blasting, so little sleep was had by either.  And while the speakers on the bus worked, the actual TV screnes did not but they play the movie anyways at an unnecessary loud volume. All that being said it was still ten times better than any Greyhound experience I have ever had.

When we arrived the next day in Puerta Iguazu we were excited to get some rest.  The hostel we booked didn’t inform us they were currently undergoing major renovations and through the dust, tarps and piles of brick we could see the potential.  For the time being they stuck us in what we can only imagine was the former shed with a make shift bathroom crawling with mold.  Colin decided to get some rest and threw back the covers of his bunk sending a rain of dirt to the floor.  We were both really hoping the falls were worth all this.

The airconditioner in our room did produce some cool air but not quite enough to keep ten bodies cool and thus it was another sleepless night.  We dragged our tired bodies to the bus terminal and took the short ride to the park.  Arriving at the actual falls we soon realised that all we had been through was a small price to pay as for the most amazing waterfalls streched before us.  They reminded me of how I imagined South America when I was taught about it in grade school or watching movies like FernGully!

There are 275 waterfalls in total and if all that impressive water isn’t enough it’s surrounded by lush greenery and wildlife.  We were early and the first on many trails which allowed us to see some neat wildlife including 2 foot long black and white lizards and whole colonies of birds and butterflies.  We spend 6 hours in the park and couldn’t get enough of them. At one viewing platform, almost under the fall, I was taking it all in and thought this can’t be more perfect and looked down and saw a perfect rainbow in the falls mist...are you kidding me!  The last fall we visited is called ‘Devils Throat` and the vewing platform sits right on the very top, as you look at the impressive amount of water cascading down it almost made you dizzy.  If not for the midday heat (39 degrees-without humidity) we would have stayed and watched for hours.  Tired and completly satisfied we headed back to our new clean hostel, wringed out our drenched shirts (i wish i could say it was from the falls but must confess it was sweat) and cooled off by plunging in the pool.  Totally worth the trip.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

We just arrived in the gigantic city of Buenos Aires yesterday (23 hour bus ride from Bariloche). The bus was non-stop through the night covering 1700 km, same distance as Vancouver to Regina. It was a beast.

 

Upon arrival, we jumped on their extensive metro subway system, with our 4 backpacks and bag of food in hand. There was a lot of staring in our direction to say the least, as we certainly looked out of place. Both of us being over 6 ft tall doesn´t help, but the good part is nobody would try to pick-pocket us because they know the 200 other people on the train are all looking at us, way too many witnesses….

Today we put on about 15 km of foot miles touring the city using the subway to leapfrog through the city. There is significantly more character in BA than there was in Santiago. There is no downtown, just endless bustling city in all directions, as far as you can see.

Tonight we took in another Asado (BBQ) put on by the hostel on the roof. They LOVE their beef, ranking #1 in the world for per capita beef consumption. I find it funny that they prefer the big slabs flanks, briskets etc, and pass on the t-bones and rib-eyes. (Fine by me, then I get all the Premium meat - If they laid off the wine maybe they would realize their  mistake, all well, their loss ).

COLIN