Pictures from the Past

Hey there.. I know it’s been quite a while since I posted some photos, but now I managed to get organized again. It’s quite random, but hey, they still look nice – and it’s all happened since the last load of photos.

That’s a part of the Franz Joseph glacier where we took the tour. :)

A nice bridge on the way down West Coast. At least there are no rails on this one..

A nice bay nearly as far south as you can get on that road.

Evening at Lake Wanaka

On the way to Aspiring Hut where we want to stay for a night (in Mt Aspiring National Park). The road there is quite fun, it’s got a hell of a lot of fords – but our dear Sushi made it! He’s waiting on the car park for us.

in Mt Aspiring NP

And on our way back.. it has snowed on the mountains overnight!

Look at all the colours.. it’s even better now.

Cinema Paradiso in Wanaka – love it! And in the break you get fresh cookies.. :)

This tree is in the water on all the postcards, but the lake level is so low it’s not right now..

Sign at the toilet door next to the old Karawau swing brigde where you can bungy (it’s actually the very first site of commercial bungy in the world!)

Karawau River

The lake at Queenstown – from the other end, Kinloch. The only thing around is our lodge.. ^^

On the Routeburn Track – the saddle.

That line on the left is the track. :)

Look again – is that a hole in the ground? ^^ (We actually had to move to see what it is.. )

On the way back on the Greenstone Track (day 4)

My very favourite swing bridge! You can actually look down.. no wood as usual.. ^^ And now, do that with your 10 kg pack (that’s after you ate almost all of the food) – no way of standing up without holding onto it – it’s a swinging swing bridge! :)

Day 5, last one.. rain. :(

Today – low cloud over the lake and fresh snow on the mountains..

Colours of Queenstown today

That much so far.. we had a hell of a time, eating a kilo of fresh deer meat a hunter on the Greenstone gave us (must have been really fresh, he was carrying the head on his pack.. with the eyes still in place oO), tracking through mud and water, enjoying the views and sleeping in our very own huts with our own fire and just a candle.. and lots of card games. About the only machinery you see around are the helicopters which they use to service the huts (NZ must have more copters per person that any other country of the world). It still amazes me how bright the stars actually are – how wonderful to see them reflected in the lake! – and what a difference one single candle makes (how would you find the hut after being at the toilet, for example?).
We met lots of animals, Keas that tried to eat my shoes, small robins that hop onto the path in front of you and want some food or are just curious, Fantails that flutter around you for a secret reason and a possum that I nearly stepped on at night. Oh, and the sandflies.. the most annoying things ever. We hate sandflies.
Well, that was the short version.. ^^

Take care and have fun!

P.S.: We only know where we’re going when we get there. -Some Guide on Angelus Hut-