I’m sure it’s all over the nature blogosphere but I can’t resist pointing people toward this article in the telegraph with it’s stunning pictures of golden ray migration;
Been meaning to start geocaching for years and recently I started. The
cliche’d quote is still the best “I use billions of dollars of
military technology, to find tupperware in the woods”
It’s essentially a hide & seek for geeks with ammo-boxes and tupperware.
So far however it has taken me back to old haunts and on to find
places I had no idea existed, I’m on find 34 and already I’ve seen
many sights I’d never have seen otherwise and all for free!
Try it - you’ll like it!
Superb weekend of caching and walking with the in-laws - here’s a
photo just for you 
not the greatest title but then it doesen’t need it. I miss new zealand.
I miss traveling - the ultimate freedom is no longer mine.
Better to have loved and lost….
Sorrry for the sudden vaccum - it was easier to concentrate on travelling than talking about it - guess I’ll never make a travel writer!
Had a great time last night at the colchester real ale festival but I’m paying for it this morning - oh yes.
Nevermind, a bit of breakfast - bacon and scrambled egg on portabello mushroom muffin - before going out geocaching again and all will be right as rain .
For anyone that hasn’t been geocaching or has no idea what it’s all about then look here: www.geocaching.com
It’s basicly using GPS units to get near some hidden containers before searching the area to (hopefully) reveal your find. I love it, already I’ve discovered lots of areas around which I grew up that I had no idea existed even!
Hi all
Don’t know where to start!
I think we left you after the Kepler track, we’ve done a bit since then!
As soon as Wendy and I had recovered and stretched off the legs we cruised down the road to Manapouri, a bit south of Te Anau, for some stomping through the bush. After a bus trip we managed to tick-off another form of transport with a water taxi across the river in a little tin dinghy pushed along by a smoky old outboard that abandonned us on the far shore with promises to pick us up two days later! Three hours of walking through the overgrown forest, marshy grounds, boardwalks and shonky swing-bridges (think jungle suspention bridges, they take 1 person at a time and are called swing bridges for a reason - you need to hold on!) sees us at our hut for the next two nights. It sitts in an idyllic spot just back from the lake (like all lakes here “it’s the most beautiful in NZ”) has wood fire, space for 12 and stunning views, what’s more it was all ours!
Unpacked it was off to explore the fore-shore, lots of rivers, trout, eels and a wendy when the rocks we were climbing over lept out from under her feet. I would have laughed as she plunged up to the waist were it not for 1/2 the hillside thundering down from above (ok so it was just a few rocks- but BIG). Luckily there’s no damage, only soggy feet and bruised pride.
After a peaceful night hunting mozzies, drying clothes and fantasising about owning the place we try out a local walk. More bush-wacking and climbing over HUGE rimu trees blocking the trail brings us to a beautiful little hut (like a garden shed with a stove and 2 bunks) and later to a pretty lake in the shadow of the local peak, Mt Titiroa. There’re hardly any footprints let alone people here - as an aside there’s hardly any wildlife, we’re really beginning to notice how silent the forests are here, what they should have is extinct and what they have is hunted, trapped and poisoned for being non-native. Back at the hut on the lake-shore we feast on our dried dinner, well earned after our 6 hour “little jaunt”.
Awake, packed and we apprehensively return to the jetty to find……
….. A water taxi! HURAH!
Before heading out to the Manapouri wilderness we’d booked a 2 day trip out to Doubtful sound Kayaking with Fiordland Wilderness Experiences so it was good to be back in Te Anau in time to change over the gear and hook up with the company.
They drove us out to manapouri again (why we couldn’t stay there I don’t know!) and ferried us over lake and land to the sound where we were immediately fed to the local sandfly population. They were so numerous it was like being stalked by your own blood-sucking thunder-cloud, even so, spirits were high as the 8 of us on the trip piled food and supplies into our double kayaks - I know, another tandem!
In the back this time but still steering and ably assisted by Wendy (who did most of the paddling whilst I shouted instructions 
we paddled for 5-6 hours around the bay, putting in a stop for lunch and a bit of sailing (in a raft of kayaks towed downwind by a hand-held spinnaker). Wildlife included a pod of bottlenose dolphins and their young that played around as we drifted silently by.
Another night in the bush and more sandflys - I hate the little things - but food, wine and strenuous effort made for a good nights sleep inbetween the protests from our arms and shoulders.
Day two and we wake to find the sound as still as a millpond - it stays this way all day as we tour the rest of the fijord, marveling at the dramatic forest covered slopes, tree-avalanches (not caused by Wendy) and a “small” fault line. Oh and seals and the rare blue-duck!
All too soon the adventure is over and we’re on the way back to town, I think a kayak might have joined the wishlist of toys though, it’s a great way to tour around!
A quick trip through Queenstown where we acted as you’re supposed to in Queenstown (ate lots, drank more and climbed a hill to race luge-carts down concrete tracks) - all good fun & we managed to avoid the leigions of bungy sites too!
Now we’re in Wanaka, entertained by 1/2 a day at puzzleworld and a potter about the town, before heading out to the Franz Joseph Glacier tomorrow morning and up to Greymouth the day after.
That’s enough of our exploits - Thank you very much for all your e-mails, sorry we’re not really replying to them individually but keep them coming - we’re trying to keep out in the sunshine whilst it’s with us!
