I fear I have left it way too long to update this blog. There is just so much going on over here that the minute I stop running around I fall asleep almost instantly. Having so much to do also means that there is a lot to write about so I am having to be very selective and only writing about the most superb moments. One of which was a small town called Bulls that we passed through after leaving Tongariro. It was unforgetabull - get it?! For some unknown reason the town is obsessed with bulls and so likes to get the word into anything and everything. We stopped at the I site where it is 'park-a-bull', 'inform-a-bull'. The bins all ask you to be 'respons-a-bull', if you need the police you can go to the 'const-a-bull station', and the estate agents advertise 'No Bull'. They even have a sign post directing you to Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, just in case your bull is feeling lonely. Like I said anything and everything.
From there we hit Wellington where you can do an amazing Lord of the Rings tour and pretend to be a hobbit :-) . Oh yeah, I was a happy little geek that day. The national museum, Te Papa, is also amazing. It's got some amazing displays, including the worlds largest squid, and there is a lot of interactive displays so silly children like me don't get too bored :-) . Also, it's free, bonus. In the evenings I got to enjoy another stray family meal, a few drinks around town, a free mini circus in the rain, and midnight projections on the side of the museum.
Next stop, after a horribly long, rough, and cold, ferry crossing was Abel Tasman national park. The start of our south island trip, and what a start it was. The north island is beautiful, but the south island is just more dramatic. Larger lakes, beaches, mountains, open spaces, etc. Since i'm once again running low on money we decided to avoid paying for trips and just went for a relaxed walk through the rain forest and found a lovely little beach to chill out on for the afternoon. Then in the evening we were treated to another free barbeque, followed by drinking around the fire, and finally retiring to our tents. Yes. Tents. No nice warm hostel rooms tonight. We thought we'd get back to nature a bit (and save money) and freeze our bums off. It was good fun though, and it made us way more appreciative of all the dorm rooms we usually stay in.
The next big stop from here is Franz Joseph however that is a very long drive so stray stops half way in Greymouth. It's a tiny town, with not a lot happening. So it's the last place you'd expect to have an awesome and crazy night. Then again, travelling has taught me to expect the unexpected. The bar in our hostel had a deal on drinks IF you came dressed in bin bags :-) . Everyone looked amazing (that is everyone that took part :-P ) and needless to say there were a lot of drinks consumed. There was also an outing to another bar in town, a skate park, a good old bit of lamp post climbing, and finally a raging hangover as punishment.
On top of the hangover this is where stray failed :-( . A simple mix up with paperwork and the people at stray decided I never got on the bus on the south island and so cancelled all further bookings and gave my seat to someone else. Leaving me a little stranded and with a strict travelling schedule to keep to. Great. The solution... hitch hiking with a canadian guy who was also abandoned by stray. It is here then that I leave you. I am in Franz Joseph waiting for the stray bus to arrive (apparently getting lifts off three different people is quicker than getting the bus), HA :-D .
From there we hit Wellington where you can do an amazing Lord of the Rings tour and pretend to be a hobbit :-) . Oh yeah, I was a happy little geek that day. The national museum, Te Papa, is also amazing. It's got some amazing displays, including the worlds largest squid, and there is a lot of interactive displays so silly children like me don't get too bored :-) . Also, it's free, bonus. In the evenings I got to enjoy another stray family meal, a few drinks around town, a free mini circus in the rain, and midnight projections on the side of the museum.
Next stop, after a horribly long, rough, and cold, ferry crossing was Abel Tasman national park. The start of our south island trip, and what a start it was. The north island is beautiful, but the south island is just more dramatic. Larger lakes, beaches, mountains, open spaces, etc. Since i'm once again running low on money we decided to avoid paying for trips and just went for a relaxed walk through the rain forest and found a lovely little beach to chill out on for the afternoon. Then in the evening we were treated to another free barbeque, followed by drinking around the fire, and finally retiring to our tents. Yes. Tents. No nice warm hostel rooms tonight. We thought we'd get back to nature a bit (and save money) and freeze our bums off. It was good fun though, and it made us way more appreciative of all the dorm rooms we usually stay in.
The next big stop from here is Franz Joseph however that is a very long drive so stray stops half way in Greymouth. It's a tiny town, with not a lot happening. So it's the last place you'd expect to have an awesome and crazy night. Then again, travelling has taught me to expect the unexpected. The bar in our hostel had a deal on drinks IF you came dressed in bin bags :-) . Everyone looked amazing (that is everyone that took part :-P ) and needless to say there were a lot of drinks consumed. There was also an outing to another bar in town, a skate park, a good old bit of lamp post climbing, and finally a raging hangover as punishment.
On top of the hangover this is where stray failed :-( . A simple mix up with paperwork and the people at stray decided I never got on the bus on the south island and so cancelled all further bookings and gave my seat to someone else. Leaving me a little stranded and with a strict travelling schedule to keep to. Great. The solution... hitch hiking with a canadian guy who was also abandoned by stray. It is here then that I leave you. I am in Franz Joseph waiting for the stray bus to arrive (apparently getting lifts off three different people is quicker than getting the bus), HA :-D .
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