1.18.2007
NZ'06 (Days 1-4)
Visiting New Zealand makes me think that there can be no other place on earth that can top her beauty. Honest, some of the pictures we took were so beautiful, we look like we photoshopped ourselves onto some wallpaper! I was probably the closest I can get to heaven when I was in NZ. =P If I ever get Alzheimer's, I hope that memories from this trip are few of the last to go!
29th November'06
Some backpackers will tell you that you can save some $$$ by staying overnight at the airport, right? IMHO, that doesn't save you much dollars, but might give you a sleepless night instead. Freaki, Yiling and I gave up trying to sleep by 4am and ended up playing silly card games till it was time to leave the airport for the train station.
30th November'06
What happened next? Of course we were all tired and drowsy from the previous sleepless night and fell asleep on and off on the scenic Trans Alpine train ride that took us from Christchurch to Greymouth through the Alps. What a waste... I didn't even know the exact moment I passed Arthur's Pass! *shakes head*
Some stop somewhere
See the mist? It was a cold and wet day, which was rather appropriate as we were journeying towards a town called Greymouth on the West Coast of South Island. The rainfall is so substantial in that area, it is sometimes called the 'Wet Coast'. They measure rainfall in metres!
We checked in at our first accomodation in NZ, the Noah's Ark.
Noah's Ark
This charming backpackers has rooms that have an animal theme each. We got the Sheep Room.
Here's what were on the walls:
Rugby!
I even had a sheepy pillow!
Ok, it has a rather baleful stare.
We then set off for our first real tour in NZ, to Punakaiki, best known for its Pancake Rocks along the West Coast, between Greymouth and Wesport.
Here's one taken on a bushwalk through a sub-tropical rainforest:
Tree getting strangled by other trees!
Our guide Brian commented that the 'V' sign we often flash in photos is a very 'Asian' thing, as is the way we take photos, which is normally "One, two, three...!" Snap. According to him, non-Asians just go "Smile!" and the picture is taken. Sometimes, they don't even say anything at all.
Brian did a really good job of making the trek very interesting, with his vivid descriptions and introductions. It's a pity I do not remember much details. There was this plant that has spiny leaves in its juvenile stage and then really juicy ones when mature. That is because the plant grows to a great height, and has no need to protect itself from land-dwelling animals then! It is speculated that the Moa, a flightless bird native to New Zealand, were able to reach the leaves. Unfortunately, the Moa was hunted to extinction by the Maori some 500 years ago. =(
We tried eating one of the stems he broke off another plant, and I liked it! (Aww I wish I took notes...It's sad how I have to refer to all of them as plants.)
We then went on a beach ramble, along one of the fiercest beaches I have ever seen.
This is one of the waves receding and new ones rushing in, and it shows how far the waves can reach on the beach!
Beach along West Coast, Tasman Sea
There is just nowhere that we could be completely safe. It was fun playing catch with the waves! Surfing? No way!
Same beach, from a different vantage point and angle
We did cross the span of that beach to get to the far end of it you see in the picture. Heh~
While posing for this picture, I told Yiling to warn me beforehand if waves were gonna crash over from behind me!
Can you recognise this tiny waterfall from one of the pictures above?
Highlight of the trip: Pancake Rocks!
Pancake Rocks
This is a heavily eroded limestone area and the sea bursts through some vertical blowholes during high tides. We were not there during high tide but it was raining rather heavily intermittently and the winds were really strong, so we got to see the blowholes in action! I say it was a good trade-off. =P
Blowhole
It must look really spectacular during high tides! This looks like... a poof.
Wet from the rain
Three Sisters? Not
Surge pool
Brian told us that if somebody did fall in, he wouldn't drown. He would get smashed to death.
Sea spray!
Us and our wonderful tour guide Brian
Brian was disbelieving when we told him we spent the previous night at the airport, and declared it amazing that we were not falling asleep on him! Nah... How could we!
If you guys ever go to New Zealand's South Island, do stop by Greymouth on the West Coast, and go for one of these tours with KeaTours!
We were so tired, all three of us were in bed by 10pm that night. In fact, Yiling dozed off at 9pm, when it was still dusk! (The sun set at around 9.30pm)
1st December'06
On the morning of the glacier hike, our tour guide Nick took us to various random places between Greymouth and Fox Glacier, introducing more about the West Coast to us.
Guy Menzies Memorial Site
Nick took us to this memorial site of an aviator, Guy Menzies. He made the first solo trans-Tasman flight from Sydney, Australia to West Coast, New Zealand. Bad weather forced him to make an upside down crash-landing, thus the picture above.
Aussies and Kiwis are naturally fond of making digs at each other. After telling us the story, he added that Guy was "Aussie, obviously, a Kiwi wouldn't land a plane like that."
Cursed lake
Here's a lake that is considered cursed by the Maori, because they lost a terrible war on its waters many many years ago. Beautiful Southern Alps in the background...
The highlight of the day was the Glacier Hike up Franz Josef Glacier! Till now I declare that it was the most exciting thing I did in New Zealand.
Franz Josef Glacier
It is unique because it descends from the Southern Alps to just about 200m above sea level. This photo was taken from the valley floor by Yiling. I was a little too traumatised by my heavy boots that made me severely underestimate the effective size of my feet. Didn't take much photos as I was too busy trying not to trip and fall over my own feet.
Guess how high the cave ceiling is from the floor?
Now can you tell how high it is?
After a rather long tramp through the valley, we finally reached the foot of the glacier and were taught how to wear talons onto our boots. The talons dig into the ice to provide a better grip. Still, I had trouble slip-sliding along the ice on our hike!
As we were not feeling very confident, we sorted ourselves into the "Slowest" aka "A-gong and A-mah" group. Well, at least we were sort of leading the group. (I'd be too embarrassed to say it if we took up the rear.)
These two sisters were behind me for the initial part of the hike. Not long after the first flight of steep stairs, I heard "Next time, we'll just climb a, cheesy little glacier, that is, not so steep." coming from behind me.
Hahahaa!
Turned out they are from Australia! Canberra and Wollongong, to be exact.
Here's our guide Jason, pick-axing the ice to cut smooth steps for us. He was hilarious, asking us "So Team Singapore, how good is your English?" To which I responded, "Well, it is our first language!"
I'm amused at how Chinese are amazed at the fact that we speak Mandarin and how Caucasians are amazed at the fact that we speak English.
Here's how good the guides are. With their talons, they do not need steps, they just walk their way up ice walls.
I cannot possibly look any dumpier. (I think.)
Halfway through the hike, Freaki turned around and asked, "Can you believe we're doing this?" I lifted my head, surveyed our surroundings, and told her very honestly, "No."
The group ahead of us, while going up.
Valley floor
Took this picture from the highest point I reached on the glacier. I almost couldn't believe that I tramped through all of that to reach where I was!
The group ahead of us, while going down.
The going down was even more harrowing than going up! I can't count the number of times I nearly slipped and regained my balance. Gosh! If I had not caught myself in time all those times, I'd probably have rolled down and squashed all the others below me, I guess. Scaaaarrryyyy...
This was taken after the whole thing, see my happy face?
We spent a lot of time browsing through the souvenir store at Franz Josef. Found some interesting stuff, such as black and white postcards depicting ladies wearing skirts and tea hats climbing the glacier. Our jaws simply dropped. If I did that I'd probably tear holes in my skirts with my talons, trip and fall to my death in the most undignified manner.
By the time we started looking for dinner, it was 9pm! We had to settle for pizza and beer at a pub, the only affordable establishment open at that time.
Pizza and kiwi pint
The pizza was good, the beer too. But the cheese and beer tasted weird together. Why do people have pizza with beer?
We bumped into Jason at the pub, which, apparently is a favourite hang-out of the glacier guides. We learned that Jason has been a guide for almost all crazy and extreme activities found in New Zealand! His current dream is to hitchhike his way from Darwin to China.
I dumbly asked, "By car??"
So intelligent.
When we got back to Franz Josef YHA Freaki and I found a piano in the lounge! It had been such a loooooong time since I touched a real piano! *ecstatic* Unfortunately there were no pianos in the YHAs that we stayed at subsequently. =(
2nd December'06
The whole of that day was spent travelling on a coach from Franz Josef to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Freaki and I had Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, i.e. very painful thighs and buttocks! There were many restroom and scenic stops along the way, and it was such a chore getting up and down the coach! Many of the stops were breathtaking, though.
Knight's Point lookout:
Left view
Right view
Water shots are always so amazing.
Place where we stopped at for lunch:
Pics taken on the coach:
When we finally reached Queenstown after 8 hours of coach ride, it was 4+pm.
We saw this cute bird!
It is a classic New Zealand bird. Why? It was lousy at flying. I mean it. Freaki and I nearly fell on the ground laughing when we witnessed its attempt at aviation. Totally cannot make it!
It lifted like 1/2 a metre off the ground, maybe.
"Since my flight seems to amuse you to no end, I shall stay right here and not move at all!"
"Hmph!!"
On a sadder note, it was such a defenseless bird, it allowed me to get within 1 metre of it to take those pictures you see above. How can it protect itself like that? No wonder New Zealand birds need so much protection to keep from dying out!
Footnote: My jiujiu says it is a sick bird. That's why it ruffled all its feathers, looked so round, flew so badly, and allowed us so close to take those photos. It was too tired! =(
We stayed at Lakefront YHA, Queenstown. Check out the awesome photos of Lake Wakatipu, which was just across the road from the YHA.
Lake Wakatipu at city centre, Queenstown
This last photo was taken with great difficulty, because Yiling had trouble getting her butt onto that breakwater. Haha!Labels: christchurch, franz josef, greymouth, new zealand, queenstown, travel
