Stewart Island

After arriving in Invercargill at 4pm and learning that our only ferry option for the next day left Bluff at 8am, we had a mad rush to get ourselves sorted. But we did it! Grocery shopping was a cinch since we simply had to repeat the menu from our Abel Tasman tramp. Finding a hostel was a breeze thanks to the trusty BBH guide that I carry with me at all times now. And before we knew it, we were in bed ready to go for the next day.

The ferry ride from Bluff to Oban was 1 hour. Thank goodness I have practiced my "boat-riding technique" enough times this year and knew about focussing on the horizon. While staring out the window I was pleased to see an Albatross flying across the sea. It was a cloudy morning but by the time we arrived on the island, the sun had started to shine.

After a quick stop-off at the DOC centre to finalize our route plan, purchase hut tickets, and fill out our intention form, we were off.

Day 1
- Gentle 1 hour walk along sealed and gravel roads to the trail-head
- 2 hour hike along the coast line to Port Douglas Hut
- Stop for lunch at the hut (yummy bri cheese, tomatoe, and avocado pita sandwiches!)
- From there, we went "off the beaten track" onto the Northwest Circuit Track where we met up with lots and lots of mud and very unkept trails (or at least they appeared that way in comparison to what we had been previously exposed to)
- 4 hour hike through mud and technical trails
- 10 min walk along a sandy beach
- Arrive at Bungaree Hut











Claire and I had this tiny little hut, overlooking a beautiful beach, all to ourselves for the afternoon where we chilled out and caught up on some reading.



That was, until a group of 3 joined us around 7pm and brought with them some entertaining conversation.

I can't remember their names (I'm so bad with that), but I will call them Mike, Amanda, and Yvonne. Mike and Amanda are kiwis that just got back from spending 8 years in Canada. Once again, it was fun to chat about Canadian things with them, and interesting to hear their perspective on what life is like there through the eyes of a foreigner. Things like referring to a water bottle as "my Nalgene" (even if it isn't actually a Nalgene), and how much they LOVED and miss our famous out-doors store, MEC. I also learned some very good menu planning ideas from them for light-weight but yummy camping meals. I'm gonna have to give them a try. One thing is certain - I need a food dehydrator!! Maybe I'll have to ask Santa for one next year!

These three were kind enough to take some goofy shots with my camera that I had left out on the table when I went to bed. Always good fun to discover them when you get home from your trip!




The next morning I awoke early to a beautiful sunrise!


We decided to mix things up on this trip and spend two nights in the same hut. By doing this, we could go and explore things the next day without having to lug our packs with us. It also meant I could get in a "training run".

Day 2
- 1 hr 45 minute run north towards Christmas Village Hut (didn't actually make it the whole way)
- 30 minute run back towards the beach
- 1 hr stop on the beach for lunch with Claire
- 1 hr run back to Bungaree Hut
- Refreshing dip in the ocean to cool down and remove the sweat from my body
- A beautiful sunset viewed from the window in my bunkroom while relaxing in bed with a good book






On the second evening we had the entire hut to ourselves. We called it our "private little beach hut". And the best part - it only cost $5 per night! The next morning I awoke once again, to another awesome sunrise!


Day 3
- 2.5 hour hike back to Port Douglas Hut
- 30 minute lunch break
- 3 hour excruciatingly painful walk along kms and kms of boring boardwalk
- Short stop for fresh water from a stream (the best water I've ever tasted!)
- Climb to the top of a very steep hill and then climb to the top of a lookout tower for a fantastic view
- Arrive at North Arm Hut
- Refreshing swim in the bay beside the hut








Since we arrived super early, dinner was prepared, eaten, and cleaned up before 5. And since I was pretty tired, I was in bed by 6pm. After reading for well over an hour, I put my book down and was asleep no later than 8 o'clock. I had one of the weirdest sleeps that night too. I awoke at some point after the sun had gone down and was convinced that everyone had left the hut to go kiwi hunting, and I was the only one left inside. In reality, it was just a really really quiet night. So bizarre too - there were over 30 people in that hut, and I was able to sleep the entire night without my ear plugs due to the complete silence that surrounded me. That's unheard of!

Day 4
- 2 hours of more horribly painful boardwalk
- 1 hour of refreshing soft earthy walking
- Arrive back in Oban by lunchtime
- Check into hostel, go straight to the bar for some greasy fries and a coffee
- Realize that we have no soap, we head to the 4-square supermarket to buy shampoo, shower, feel human again
- Discover there is absolutely nothing to do in Oban, except go for a walk
- End up back at the bar for a drink
- More relaxing reading to finish the evening




The next morning we caught the first ferry off the island and before setting off, sought out some key land-marks in the famous town of Bluff.

Christmas Holidays

Claire and I had no choice but to vacate our place of residence for the holidays. It had been previously arranged that another family would stay there over the Christmas period. Although we had numerous generous offers from friends and co-workers to spend Christmas with them, we just weren't sure where we should end up. In the end, we decided to head south to Dunedin since it was a city that Claire had not yet seen, was big enough that it would be a likely spot to find something going on, and it was closer to Stewart Island - a destination on our holiday agenda.

After thoroughly cleaning the house, we set off for our first stop in Christchurch. The journey from Blenheim to Christchurch takes you along the East Coast and passes through Kaikoura. The views along the way literally take my breath away each time I get to take them in (living in Ontario robs you of the magestic beauty that a coast-line has to offer).


We had a brief stop for a side-trip to a location that Claire had visited a few months back. It had previously been home to a large number of baby seals, but to our disappointment, there was not a single seal to be found in sight today. However, it was by no means a wasted walk since we got to enjoy a gloriously beautiful water-fall at the end of this track.


After arriving in Christchurch we were joined by Rob for some outdoor gear shopping followed by dinner at our hostel. While walking around downtown I came across this human sized game of chess. I think it gave a really cool vibe to the atmosphere in the city centre.


I almost forgot it was Christmas Eve the next day until I passed by a comical weather forecast posted in the kitchen: Heavy Snowfall... Merry Christmas!



The next day we continued south. Our side-trip today was a stop at the Moeraki boulders. A rather unique geological phenomenon of perfectly round rocks. Very cool!





We arrived in Dunedin in the late-afternoon and found the Motor Camp that we had previously booked.



We settled ourselves into our tiny little cabin and after a wee nap and some reading & relaxation we started to prepare our Christmas BBQ dinner. That's right - BBQ! A totally and completely bizarre notion for a Canadian like myself!



While waiting for our kebabs to cook, I took the opportunity to make use of the entertainment facilities that the playground had to offer. I'm not gonna lie - I was a wee bit nervous about getting in "trouble" for ignoring the age limit that was clearly posted on a sign. However, pushing past these fears left me feeling totally liberated as I took in the rush and excitment that the trampoline had to offer!



After dinner we headed into town to check things out. What a bizarre sight - the city was dead. Sooo quiet. Very few cars. Not much life at all. Most stores were closed and everyone had places to be and family to be with. The only "happening" places were the bars which, surprisingly, were buzzing with life.







However, I couldn't help but feel like a Christmas orphan. I missed my family. I missed my friends. And I know that Claire felt the same way too. So we did our best to put those feelings aside. We found ourselves a McCafe to hang out, enjoy a coffee, and check our email. After finding a Christmas Eve church service that was listed in the local paper, I went for a wander down the street to find an internet cafe that would be open the next day. I desperately looked forward to Skyping with my family since I knew they would all be together, but was having difficulty finding an internet connection that would facilitate this on Christmas Day.

After some more wandering around town, we made our way to Knox Presbyterian for a service of carols and music. According to the really nice lady (a retired elementary school principal from Dunedin) that sat beside me, this was THE service to be at. Most years it becomes standing room only and people are sometimes turned away at the doors. It was a lovely evening that wrapped me in a familiar, comfortable, warmth. Reminded me of the midnight church service that I would normally attend with my family. During a time when I felt so alone, I knew I wasn't. And that made me feel better.



The next morning Claire and I opened our presents that I had placed beneath the "Christmas Tree" (aka: the flower that we had bought to give to Emily as a gift when we saw her the next day).







Claire shed a few tears, but I somehow managed to keep myself together as I read through the note that mom had sent with my gift. I still felt very homesick though - enough to make me lose my apetite and not feel like eating anything for breakfast or lunch.

After the gift opening we packed up and set off to find internet. I ended up at a hotel that had a wireless internet connection, and after $20 worth of internet credit, I managed to squeeze in a 20 minute Skype session before my MB usage was up. The conversation was really insignificant, but it was really nice to see everyone's faces.

After that we stopped at Baldwin street for Claire to experience the steepest street in the world (it was my second time visiting here as I had visited this spot the last time I was in Dunedin). The perspective in this picture really helps to capture the dramatic slope in the road. You might not believe it, but this is me standing perfectly balanced with gravity and my body weight. I guess you could say I was perpendicular to the earth's circumference or something technical like that. This was me standing "vertically upright".





From there, we headed out of town to find ourselves a nice walk. The countryside of Dunedin really is spectacularly beautiful.









After performing some dangerous climbing manoeuvers to explore the "organ pipes" (a natural rock formation), we walked back to the car and headed off for Clyde where we met up with Emily and her family for dinner. The drive along the way was pretty impressive! Yet again, some more dramatic scenery, but for very different reasons!









The next morning we went for a run with Emily along the Clutha river and then set off for Invercargill where we would take the evening to gather ourselves for our Stewart Island excursion.