Caitlin Coast and Fiordland, New Zealand
Hot weather follows me wherever I go. I've been in a perpetual summer since June. I'm currently at Franz Glacier and its so hot, the giant thing is melting before my eyes. It looks like a dying snowman.
After Dunedin, I drove down the Otago Peninsula to get another look at those yellow eyed penguins. This was a bit more succesful as it was a highly controlled reserve (that cost an arm and a leg to get into). I did get within three feet of the little critter and it barely even noticed me as I was in a military like dugout with camaflauge netting and a 6 inch peephole that was just big enough for my camera lense.
I watched the blue penguins come in from the peninsula that night as well, along with a dozen other tourists who ignored the signs and walked right up to the little birds who were coming in. I ran into this again and again, later in the Caitlins in Curio bay, an Israeli guy went walking straight up to a yellow eyed penguin and sat in front of it, ignoring the signs that said (do not get within 20 meters of the animals as it may prevent them from returning to their chicks). I wanted to strangle every tourist that would do this...which were many. One Kiwi guy I met in Curio Bay felt the same. He spent every day yelling at people to get off the rocks away from the penguins and go to the lookout tower. "tourisms great for the land owners but horrible for the wildlife" he said. He spent the same amount of time yelling at people who harrassed dolphins in Curio Bay which has no real supervision like Akoroa or Otago.
In the Caitlins I came across this cool little gallery of knick nack inventions
http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/gallery/Catlins/curios
It's called the gypsy gallery and is basically a van with all sorts of cool little inventions along the walls and floor. Around the wall runs a toy train that passes light bulbs that light up when it passes. Other inventions include a sea shell ocean wave maker, a card shuffler, and a human powered lightbulb flower. Weird goofy stuff that was the brainchild of a dreamer hippy guy who sat in the corner making more crazy things. It was a cool place that would be (and I think is) in a Bill Bryson book.
Driving this area of the world is amazing. Every hundred kilometers the landscape changes dramatically. One hour you're along a rainforest laden coast, the next hour you're in farmland, and then, mountainous alps, laced with glaciers. I drove the world famous Milford road from Te Anau to Milford which was completely Jaw dropping.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Explore/002~Tracks-and-Walks/By-Region/013~Southland/Explore-Fiordland/Walks-from-the-Milford-Road/index.asp
The road itself is a world heritage site, along with the region. As you drive along the road the giant waterfalls that descend from the alps leave you feeling the enormity of this glorious planet. At one point, the road cuts through a massive mountain range that is being carved by glaciers. The tunnel was built in the 1930's and descends into the mountain. With dripping walls, the tunnel feels like a freezer. It's black, and you are driving into the earth. When you emerge, light opens up to an amazing alpine vista, giant waterfalls and glaciers surround your dwarfed car. Many people make their way to Milford sound or the world famous Milford treck (hailed as the greatest walk in the world). I ran into many backpackers who were doing these treks and it was beginning to feel like a competition. One Israeli guy began his introduction with "I've done the kepler trek in one day, the routburn track, the divide "and on and on and on.... at the end of his laundry list of accomplishments he asked me "and what have you done?" I told him I'm driving around trying to see as much as I can and he answerd with a haughty "oh, I suppose you can see stuff when driving". I suppose so.
I rented a tent and camped for a couple of days near the sound. One day I decided to go on a trek on the four hour walk of Gertrude's saddle, a glacier/alpine walk that had a somewhat challenging rating. As I made it to the top, I felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction, looking over the alpine vista and drinking water from the glacier creek. As I made it back down and American woman asked me if I made it to the top. I told her I went to the edge of the glacier just yonder and she proceeded to tell me how I didn't see the best part and it's a hard climb up the side of the mountain, and you got to do it, and you can see all of Milford sound, but you need to be in shape and yadda yadda yadda. I wished her luck and resented feeling like what I thought I accomplished didn't amount to anything. Two hours of glorious sites and solitary nature were ruined by an annoying American woman on a power trip. I realised that people spend most of their lives trying to outdo one another, and as a result, end up missing the best things in life. I'm as guilty of that as anyone. About 5 minutes after talking to her I heard a huge roar from above and saw an avalanche coming down the path she was going to head up. I didn't see her, but it is safe to say she was far enough from the avalanche to be effected. I wondered if she thought twice about heading up to the top after that. Nature really doesn't care. If you're in the way of movement or change, then you're shoved aside or quickly and effortlessly removed. I guess I'd rather look at a mountain than climb to the top. I suppose that is why I could be placed in the slacker category. I've never had an urgent need to conquer things, only experience them. It's just different I suppose.
I'm getting weary of the backpacker scene as you can probably tell from this entry. Everyone is very young and annoying. I'll be hooking up with my friend Texas in Dunedin and it will be nice to hang with him for a while. I'm also hoping to go surfing in Raglan...we'll see how the finances hold up. So far it's been lots of home cooked spagetti meals and discount options.
After Dunedin, I drove down the Otago Peninsula to get another look at those yellow eyed penguins. This was a bit more succesful as it was a highly controlled reserve (that cost an arm and a leg to get into). I did get within three feet of the little critter and it barely even noticed me as I was in a military like dugout with camaflauge netting and a 6 inch peephole that was just big enough for my camera lense.
I watched the blue penguins come in from the peninsula that night as well, along with a dozen other tourists who ignored the signs and walked right up to the little birds who were coming in. I ran into this again and again, later in the Caitlins in Curio bay, an Israeli guy went walking straight up to a yellow eyed penguin and sat in front of it, ignoring the signs that said (do not get within 20 meters of the animals as it may prevent them from returning to their chicks). I wanted to strangle every tourist that would do this...which were many. One Kiwi guy I met in Curio Bay felt the same. He spent every day yelling at people to get off the rocks away from the penguins and go to the lookout tower. "tourisms great for the land owners but horrible for the wildlife" he said. He spent the same amount of time yelling at people who harrassed dolphins in Curio Bay which has no real supervision like Akoroa or Otago.
In the Caitlins I came across this cool little gallery of knick nack inventions
http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/gallery/Catlins/curios
It's called the gypsy gallery and is basically a van with all sorts of cool little inventions along the walls and floor. Around the wall runs a toy train that passes light bulbs that light up when it passes. Other inventions include a sea shell ocean wave maker, a card shuffler, and a human powered lightbulb flower. Weird goofy stuff that was the brainchild of a dreamer hippy guy who sat in the corner making more crazy things. It was a cool place that would be (and I think is) in a Bill Bryson book.
Driving this area of the world is amazing. Every hundred kilometers the landscape changes dramatically. One hour you're along a rainforest laden coast, the next hour you're in farmland, and then, mountainous alps, laced with glaciers. I drove the world famous Milford road from Te Anau to Milford which was completely Jaw dropping.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Explore/002~Tracks-and-Walks/By-Region/013~Southland/Explore-Fiordland/Walks-from-the-Milford-Road/index.asp
The road itself is a world heritage site, along with the region. As you drive along the road the giant waterfalls that descend from the alps leave you feeling the enormity of this glorious planet. At one point, the road cuts through a massive mountain range that is being carved by glaciers. The tunnel was built in the 1930's and descends into the mountain. With dripping walls, the tunnel feels like a freezer. It's black, and you are driving into the earth. When you emerge, light opens up to an amazing alpine vista, giant waterfalls and glaciers surround your dwarfed car. Many people make their way to Milford sound or the world famous Milford treck (hailed as the greatest walk in the world). I ran into many backpackers who were doing these treks and it was beginning to feel like a competition. One Israeli guy began his introduction with "I've done the kepler trek in one day, the routburn track, the divide "and on and on and on.... at the end of his laundry list of accomplishments he asked me "and what have you done?" I told him I'm driving around trying to see as much as I can and he answerd with a haughty "oh, I suppose you can see stuff when driving". I suppose so.
I rented a tent and camped for a couple of days near the sound. One day I decided to go on a trek on the four hour walk of Gertrude's saddle, a glacier/alpine walk that had a somewhat challenging rating. As I made it to the top, I felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction, looking over the alpine vista and drinking water from the glacier creek. As I made it back down and American woman asked me if I made it to the top. I told her I went to the edge of the glacier just yonder and she proceeded to tell me how I didn't see the best part and it's a hard climb up the side of the mountain, and you got to do it, and you can see all of Milford sound, but you need to be in shape and yadda yadda yadda. I wished her luck and resented feeling like what I thought I accomplished didn't amount to anything. Two hours of glorious sites and solitary nature were ruined by an annoying American woman on a power trip. I realised that people spend most of their lives trying to outdo one another, and as a result, end up missing the best things in life. I'm as guilty of that as anyone. About 5 minutes after talking to her I heard a huge roar from above and saw an avalanche coming down the path she was going to head up. I didn't see her, but it is safe to say she was far enough from the avalanche to be effected. I wondered if she thought twice about heading up to the top after that. Nature really doesn't care. If you're in the way of movement or change, then you're shoved aside or quickly and effortlessly removed. I guess I'd rather look at a mountain than climb to the top. I suppose that is why I could be placed in the slacker category. I've never had an urgent need to conquer things, only experience them. It's just different I suppose.
I'm getting weary of the backpacker scene as you can probably tell from this entry. Everyone is very young and annoying. I'll be hooking up with my friend Texas in Dunedin and it will be nice to hang with him for a while. I'm also hoping to go surfing in Raglan...we'll see how the finances hold up. So far it's been lots of home cooked spagetti meals and discount options.
posted by Mr. Sophie at 10:22 PM
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