OFF THE RAILS

Thursday, December 24, 2009 5:30 PM

Idalis:

With so much beauty surrounding us here in New Zealand, it's been really hard to stick to a plan. Kevin and I may set out with an itinerary for the day, but with Fern as our trusty companion, we keep finding diversions that attract our attention. We have set out with our road atlas on many mornings, focused on a particular destination. But we inadvertently find something along the road that captures our attention, and off we go, off the beaten track in a completely different direction! It's been wonderful to travel this way, with our own transportation, no set plans, not sure what awaits us around the corner.

Otago Central Rail Trail, Central Otago, South Island

It all started with a boring book. While here in New Zealand, I read a book called “Long White Cloud Ride” by Josie Dew, who cycled around both the North and South Islands for nine months! Although not a riveting read, it got me thinking . . .

That's how we ended up cycling part of the Otago Central Rail Trail. Stretching from Dunedin to Clyde, the original Otago Central Railway (started in 1907) linked small towns with the big city of Dunedin. When it became obsolete in the early 1990's, the 150 kilometer stretch was permanently closed, the rails were ripped up, and the trail resurfaced. It's a cycler's dream, with beautiful scenery, old rail bridges, tunnels, and viaducts, not to mention probably the only flat surface in all of New Zealand!

It's a journey that takes four days, but we opted to do part of it, from the little village of Oturehua to Clyde, a total of 71 kilometers over two days. We rented bikes from Trail Journeys, packed enough food to feed an army, and hoped it wouldn't rain!

Feel the burn! The first day has us going uphill. I thought this was supposed to be a flat trail! Despite the initial fire in our calves, the scenery is spectacular: stone cuttings jutting out of the landscape, sheep, and sheer winds. We crossed the Poolburn Viaduct and through two dark schist stone tunnels that were carved by hand by the early rail builders. Once crossing the first tunnel Kevin couldn't help but exclaim, “That tunnel's a piece of schist! After 33 kilometers of biking that day, boy were we tired! We stayed in a cute tiny cabin at the Omakau Domain Board Camping Ground. We cooked our dinner (it's amazing how good tuna fish tastes after a long day!), had some well-deserved beers, and spent the rest of the evening talking to two Kiwis who are possum hunters.

Ouch! The next morning, our bums are so sore! How did that lady in my book do this for nine months??? Thankfully, most of the ride is blessedly downhill. Wheeeeee! The scenery, again, is beautiful. We go through the tiny town of Ophir (population: 50) and pass the Manuherikia River and Chatto Creek. We traverse Tucker Hill, where it's said miners only ever found enough gold to pay for their tucker (food). We pass orchards and vineyards, finally coming into the town of Clyde in the afternoon. Hallelujah! With sore bums and legs, we finish our journey, happy we did it, but also happy that it's done!



















Dunedin . . . eventually

Our next plan is to go to the city of Dunedin, but once again, we get side-tracked and end up stopping en-route at Shag Harbour, named after the birds that frequent the area (I know what you were thinking!) We walk up to a cliff edge, peer down, and get our first sight of some very loud fur seals! What a surprise detour! Along the same wildlife trail we spot our first reclusive hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin). Okay, we didn't see it up close and we had to borrow binoculars from the nice elderly Kiwi couple next to us on the lookout, but, we saw a penguin! We find a great little spot on the beach to park Fern at, so we camp for the night at Shag Harbour. A yummy dinner and a beautiful sunset round out an already great day.

The next day, we make another pit stop (in the opposite direction of Dunedin) to see the famous Moeraki Boulders, a collection of large spherical boulders that sit on a lovely stretch of beach. The boulders, which resemble giant discarded marbles, were created millions of years ago by extreme volcanic pressure. They've even found a dinosaur fossil in one of them! The Maori say the boulders are packages delivered by the god of the sea, containing food and other precious gifts.




Okay, now we'll go to Dunedin, which turns out to be a great city to recharge our batteries for a few days, and have that much-needed shower! We walked up Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It has a gradient of 1 in 1.286 (19 degrees). I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I know that I'm glad we're not there in February for the annual “Gutbuster Race”, when over 1000 athletes run to the top of Baldwin Street and back. All this steep walking has us hungry, so we head over to the Dunedin Botanic Gardens for a picnic. We visit the Otago Museum and on the way home watch the ducks at Woodhaugh Gardens bob for plants under the water.






While in Dunedin, we take a day trip to the Otago Peninsula where we hope to see royal albatross. No such luck, but Kevin does almost step on a seal he doesn't see! We follow a short trail to the impressive Chasm and Lover's Leap. With up to 100 kilometer winds fighting us the whole way, we now understand why the lovers were forced to leap! We even got in a bit of culture, as we went to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, which had an impressive photo exhibit about disturbing curiosities and unknowns in the U.S., from radioactive waste containment to labial plastic surgery. Pretty scary stuff!



















Getting to Te Anau . . . in a roundabout way!



We'll get to Te Anau (the South Island's biggest lake) eventually, but we decide to take the long way on the Southern Scenic Highway, which takes in the Catlins, a region filled with lush farmland, rugged bays, and native forests. We stop for lunch at Porpoise Bay, which Kevin picks out. As we're munching on our salads, we see Hector's dolphins and, OMG, three Orca whales!!! We almost choke on our lettuce, we can't believe our eyes! It turns out this is part of their migratory route, and seeing them is very rare. At Curio Bay is a petrified forest, with fossilized Jurrasic-age trees. We take Fern all the way down a gravel road to Slope Point, the southernmost point in mainland New Zealand. We end the evening in Curio Bay and camp right on the beach, next to the sand dunes and cows.

The next day, as we make our way to Te Anau, we stop at the wee town of Clifden to see it's historic suspension bridge and to go underground into the Clifden Caves. Gulp! Kevin convinces me to enter the bowels of this dark, underground cave, promising no bats and no freezing water. We put on our head lamps and venture in. Stalactites and stalagmites are jutting out of the limestone, and we even get to see some glow worms when we turn off our torches. After an hour underground, we emerge on the other side. Thankfully, there were no bats and only a little bit of very freezing water!




















So, we've finally made it to Te Anau. It's beautiful, but more on that later. From here, it's 120 kilometers to Milford Sound, a further 2 ½ hour drive north. But Lord knows, it'll take us a lot longer than that!




P.S. From Kevin, Idalis, Santa, and his reindeer: We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

TWIN PEAKS

Friday, December 11th at 19:01

Anyone who knows us knows that Idalis and I are very much tropical people. We love it hot, lush and close to the beach. We have arrived at locales recently that are the exact opposite. Cold, wet and high above sea level. We are working with it and even embracing it. Mountains are magical things and in the course of just a few days we have managed to visit the settlement at the highest elevation and the highest peak in all of New Zealand. Although it is technically summer here, you would never know it. Heavy winds and chance of snow and showers are often in the forecast. It is really easy to overlook these conditions, which would otherwise be considered undesirable, on account of the stunning scenery and pristine natural state of the majority of what we have thus far seen in the south island. Skiing reigns supreme in these areas during winter, but summer opens up some of the finest tramping (a.k.a. hiking, trekking, walking) and we have worked hard to oblige each little town that is kind enough to mark their trails and boast the most beautiful scenery. My shoes are literally falling apart from my feet piece by Chinese manufactured piece.

It all started with a quick trip back into Christchurch to stock up on just about everything. We have learned that traveling in New Zealand one best be prepared. So after stacking little Fern (our trusty transporting companion) to the rafters, we headed for the cold country. It was a beautiful drive along winding back roads, along farms and eventually up twisting and incredibly steep mountain roads. It wasn't until after attempting this feat that we would actually learn that this road, the Alpine Highway, has been the death of many a native vehicle. Well, we were almost a casualty. We had to stop somewhere around half way to let the bubbling and hissing demons running a muck in Ferns guts take a rest. We had the good fortune of the summer season upon us which allows somewhere around 18 hours of light and we made it safely and soundly to a rest stop not far from our planned destination, Arthur's Pass Village. It would be our first dabble in what the Kiwi's call “freedom camping”, which is pretty self explanatory. Find a space that's not fenced in (there are a lot of fences in New Zealand) and doesn't have a “no camping” sign and make yourself at home. We ate well, started a small camp fire, until gale force winds threatened making us arsons, and settled down for our first free night of sleep.

The next morning after a quick breakfast we were off, at least until we reached Castle Hill. Sometimes rolling up on something that you did not read about in a brochure or guide book can be a great, and refreshing, surprise. As it turns out, this location has been used in several films and is nothing less than pure magic. Imagine giant boulders climbing out of the ground in formations that resemble a lost civilization. We climbed in, on over and around as many as we could until we were completely exhausted, at which point we found a high perched boulder with a depression in it we called the love seat and settled in for a rest gazing across a landscape that is indeed straight out of a movie, Narnia and Lord of the Rings, to be exact.





We would eventually, after cool downs and excursions, make it to Arthur's Pass. It would be rainy, gray and numbingly cold upon arrival. Being masters at making the best of any situation, we visited the information center, planned our trek for the following day (maintaining positive intention for good weather) and stopped in the local camp kitchen to cook our meat for the next couple night's meals and fill the water jug. We would be rewarded for our hopefulness. That evening the weather cleared and we hiked to the Devil's Punchbowl waterfall. The next morning would also be brilliant and we would hike Scott's Track a total of five hours and reach a height somewhere around 1700 meters, just below Avalanche Peak, and would have spectacular views of the many peaks of the Southern Alps.




That night, again exhausted, we would try our hand at freedom camping once again (which we are getting quite good at) and would spend the night on an embankment overlooking the Waikariri River Basin surrounding by mountains. The next day, we opted for a lighter and gentler walk lasting three hours and taking us up to Bealey Spur and again magnificent views of the Southern Alps and Waikiriri River. Our arrival at the peak was not greeted with the normal light lunch snack and hot tea (in our best ever thermos that we got for only $1). Rather it was greeted with 50 MPH winds that could almost knock you over. So, we settled for a cereal bar in the van. Feeling satisfied that we exhausted ourselves and the area, we headed out of town. First stop, my date with Cave Stream. We had seen it on the way in, but were not prepared to tackle it. This time, I was ready, Idalis was not. I changed into my board shorts (which I haven't seen in weeks), my rash guard and tennis shoes and headed into the cave. The signs would make you worry a bit and possibly reconsider, but if you just trust your ability you are greatly rewarded with a 400 meter underground trek through a cave with a running stream, waterfalls and rock falls. All in pitch black, except of course from the small beam of light from my headlamp (thanks Mom!). In one word, awesome, in a few words, perhaps the coolest thing I have ever done!

New Zealand is full of surprises and after driving a few hours we found another one called the Rakaia Gorge. It was getting late, we felt we should start to think about nesting for the night. Not finding any immediate free camping, we pulled into Rakaia River Gorge Campground. We were greeted by the smiling and spunky Alan who kept hinting to a “room with a view”. He opened the gate, let us in and we drove right to the edge of a cliff, overlooking the entire turquoise colored Rakaia River. We were sold and at only $15 for the both of us, we felt it a deal at twice the price. Best part, hot showers. Probably the only down fall of freedom camping, you start to stink from a lack of amenities. What was to be just one night of rest to get us back on the road turned into two days of reading, resting and relaxing, with the best host and the most amazing view. Waking again to rain, we made a quick brekky, packed up, said good bye to Alan and pulled off happy that I had time to silicone seal the previously leaking sun roof..

First stop over was Methven for a top off of supples, then the quirky little town of Geraldine, home of perhaps the most talented mathematician (who actually failed in school) and free WiFi at the local library (woohoo!). We saw the world's largest jersey, which is actually a sweater, the Medieval Mosaic, a copy of an ancient tapestry made from small pieces of steel hand painted with one tiny brush, and 100 brain teasing puzzles. All the brain child of one man, the owner Michael, who sees the world in terms of numbers and truly had us stumped with every sentence. Another surprising diversion along our long winding road.



Continue on to our desired destination, Lake Tekapo (pronounced pretty much take-a-poo, which is how we were able to remember it). Had just enough time to visit the Church of the Good Shepard which is flanked by the snow dusted southern alps, the brilliant turquoise lake, colored by rock flour or rocks ground down to flour by the glacier, and the multi-colored, ever present lupin flowers, or weeds as we come to learn. Continue the freedom camping theme by setting up in a rest stop just out of town and cook a stir fry dinner in the rain. Wake up and drive to the lake shore to enjoy a breakfast of muffins and coffee, but not before stopping in the Church of the Good Shepard to give thanks.








It was then off for an exploratory drive in the country to find the evening's accommodations and some possible places of interest. Decide on a three hour tramp up to the Mount John Observatory for stunning views of the entire lake, mountains and the town. Decide that freedom camping has afforded us enough loose change to splurge on the entrance to the hot springs where we sit and boil until our skin nearly melts off.



Then we move to the warm lobby to charge some other batteries and take time to write the 100th post! That night, drive to the camping spot we found earlier and get a warm welcome from our nudist neighbor Graham. Wake up the next morning to surprisingly good weather and take advantage with a breakfast of spinach and feta omelets while surrounded by mountains. Pull off right as the wind begins to howl. That same wind would attempt, several times, to blow Fern (our beloved van) off the road with us in it. The side road we thought we could take to the salmon farm was closed leaving us right out in the open highway. A tense hour and a half later we make it to the Mount Cook lookout and information site. Enjoy all the info and the relatively clear views of the highest peaks in the Southern Alps from the shore of Lake Pukaki.



Take a few photos and it is back on the road and off towards Mount Cook village and the famous, and most photogenic, Mount Cook, highest peak in Australasia. The 55KM ride takes a bit longer than expected as we are the benefactors of a front row seat to a good 'ole sheep wrangling, right down the middle of the highway.



In addition to being our first brush with New Zealand traffic, it is also an entertaining affair far better than any television programming. We laugh till our sides ache and snap tons of photos. Hundreds of sheep running, jumping, pooing and bahhing all the while being directed by a man and four dogs. Too much fun! We stop at a few lookouts along the way to just be floored by the visually stunning surroundings before driving through a curtain of cold, gray rain and pulling into the camp site. Trying to make the most of it, we head off into the Tasman Valley for lunch and a look at the Tasman Glacier. Our attempt pays off. As soon as the last bite of pepperoni and cheese cracker is finished, the sky opens up and the sun shines through. We begin our tramp which includes a lookout towards the Blue Lakes, which are now green, the Tasman Glacier, and eventually, an unobstructed view of the most menacing and most magnificent Mount Cook summit. Right before our eyes is a real living glacier. The landscape is other worldly. The views, amazing. It doesn't even look real, we keep saying. Enough fascination to forget about the cold and the howling wind. Far too curious, we walk down to Tasman Lake to stick a toe in. It is super cold. Just below freezing. Just enough to slowly (or not so slowly) melt away this massive chunk of ice, some of which floats as oddly and organically shaped ice bergs that vary between dirty and mangy and cool electric blue. If this is the start of our experience here, what else are we to expect. A whole day of cold rain is the answer.
























It's so cold it hurts to get out of bed. Breakfast is cold pretty much as it exits the pot. Accepting defeat, we mosey on over to the information site for Mount Cook, which is a veritable museum of natural history, history of mountaineering and history of the village. It holds our attention for almost an entire rainy day afternoon. The information sites, or i sites as they are called here in New Zealand, are by far the best anywhere. Packed full of information, friendly and knowledgeable staff and free! Another hour is spent near the fire place of the Old Mountaineer's Cafe before reluctantly returning to camp for what is bound to be a cold night of sleep. We can't believe our eyes when the next day against all forecasts, the sky once again opens up for us and gives us the chance to hike the Hooker Valley trail to see the Hooker Glacier. It is when we reach the Hooker Hut (I know, sounds funny) that it starts to rain. However, it is also the same time that we run into Joy and Di, two Australian ex-pats living in New Zealand, who convince us to push on. And boy are we glad we do. Just as entertaining as another glacier, another lake with floating ice bergs and another chance to view the majestic Mount Cook summit is the spunky, witty and endless amounts of fun and energy of these sisters. We walk, talk and laugh all the way and then back down the trail and make plans to meet up again at their place in Nelson, at the north end of the South Island. There may not be icebergs or glaciers, but we are certain that there is a good time in store. Can't wait to see you two!



And so, at the end of our hike we decide to head out and move on. Where? Not sure. We are interested to do a bike ride along an old train track, dubbed the Rail Trail. Where we will start, where it ends and how long it takes are all currently unknowns. But, by the time you are reading this, we will be busy trying to fill our time with fodder for the next post.

EXTRA! EXTRA! VAGALONG REACHES ITS 100th POST!!!

It's been sixteen months and eighteen countries, and now, we have approached a monumental milestone...our 100th blog entry. Well, not wanting to just continue with the same old boring stories and horrible photos, we wanted to do something a little special to mark the occasion. So, after some thought (well not much, actually) we came up with an idea. We will each try to summarize what this trip, and traveling, has meant to us, or done for us, or what we've learned in exactly 100 words. So, without further ado, let the word counting begin.

IDALIS

Before starting this trip, I mistakenly thought traveling consisted of checking off “must see” places: Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Uluru, etc. Thankfully, the texture is more complex: laughter on a balcony, the smell of fresh cardamom, crunchy red dirt under my feet, and the feeling of soft sheep's wool on my fingers. But mostly, it's been about the amazing people we've met along the way and the ones we anxiously look forward to seeing and hugging when we go home. Borrowing words from another for my own one hundred, “What is the most important thing in life? People, people, people.”

KEVIN

When this trip around the world was just an idea I was already perusing the
reaches of my mind to try and determine what would be different and how I would change. For good or bad, I am the same person I was before I left. However, traveling has ignited emotions. It has allowed me to gaze on some of the most spectacular natural scenery. It has showed me the that man is capable of great achievements and horrible atrocities. It has taught me appreciation for my life, my friends, my family, my health, my opportunities and my great fortune.


EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA!

We have decided that this post may be the best forum with which to make an announcement. No, we're not pregnant! In order to enter New Zealand you must show proof that you are also leaving. So, after much consideration and discussion, we decided to present New Zealand immigration with an onward plane ticket. Instead of taking us to some far off land, it will be taking us back to Miami, home. By the time we arrive in good 'ole MIA, we will have chocked up visits to 18 countries in 4 continents over 1 year, 6 months, 9 days, 3 hours and 21 minutes time. Not a bad run! We are a little sad that one dream is coming to an end, but we are elated to be returning to our friends and family. But, we are already working on cooking up some new adventures!!!

LONG GRAY CLOUD

Friday, December 4, 2009 7:00 PM

Idalis:

New Zealand . . . for us, this country has conjured up visions of remoteness, Lord of the Rings backdrops, and tons of sheep! The indigenous Maori people named this land “Long White Cloud,” but our first week here was full of ups and downs and at times, we felt like a long gray cloud was looming over us.

Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand








Our flight into Christchurch was pretty uneventful until the last 20 minutes. That's when we got our first view of the snowy peaks of the Southern Alps, followed by some nausea-inducing turbulence! We found accommodations at what proved to be one of our favorite places to stay yet: Foley Towers, a pleasant, rambling house with comfy rooms and friendly staff.

Christchurch was a great place to get our feet wet . . . literally. The rain did not stop! For five days, it alternated between light drizzles and torrential buckets. But we didn't let that stop us! We took advantage of this English town's many great (and often free) sights and just jumped over the puddles into the museums. We took the free shuttle (yay!) everywhere. The centerpiece of the town is the beautiful Christchurch Cathedral. As usual, Kevin and I went in to give thanks for our many blessings (and hear the free Christmas recital!). We visited the city's well-kept Botanic Gardens, and spent hours at the absorbing Canterbury Museum and the Christchurch Art Gallery. We saw modern art, viewed ancient Maori artifacts, rode a unicycle, and heard a college band perform at the Arts Centre, all for free!

Kevin and I were in serious need of winter clothes. Having spent the last eight months in warm climates, we were not prepared for the wind, rain, and cold that the South Island is often known for. Walking through the leafy courtyard of our hostel, I noticed a sign that said “FREE CLOTHES.” Lined against the wall were bins filled with fellow backpackers' discarded clothing. Following our “Free Is Me” theme, Kevin and I went shopping! We can now proudly walk around this country like the other adventure tourists, decked out in Gore-Tex, Kathmandu, and North Face gear from head to toe! We found warm sleeping bags at the Salvation Army for NZ$3 and an ironing-board-cum-dinner-table for NZ$2 at the City Mission. My mother would be proud! We even got treated to an alfresco (read: outside the stadium) Pearl Jam concert that night!

One thing that we knew wouldn't be free, or anything close to it, was a campervan to travel in. Our plan was to buy a van big enough to sleep in and use it as our accommodation and transportation for traveling around both the South and North Islands, camping along the way. After looking at a few fliers, we went to Chester Street Backpackers, where we were told Antony, the owner, also sold used campervans. To make a long story short, we bought the first one we saw! “Fern” (we named her after the country's famous silver ferns) is an oldy but a goody (we hope). A silver '83 Toyota LiteAce with a built-in bed. She seemed to run well and fit our budget (about $2,200) and we hope to put a lot of miles on her! She has a few quirks (and many kilometers), but we are hopeful. We've fitted her up with our hand-me-down camping gear and Warehouse purchases, and look forward to our adventure!

Banks Peninsula, South Island







The morning we leave Christchurch, we meet two young German girls who have traveled around New Zealand for four months and are looking to sell their very nice van. It is much newer than ours, bigger, comes fully equipped with all camping gear, and is only about $300 more than what we paid for ours.

Have we made the right decision? Were we too hasty in buying the car? Maybe we should have shopped around more before making such a big purchase . . . All of these worrisome thoughts run through our heads as we head out in the car to the Banks Peninsula, about 90 minutes from Christchurch.

The ride, though beautiful, was quite tense. It was our first time in the car and every sound has us concerned. About 40 minutes into our drive, Kevin starts to smell oil burning. Ten minutes later, I break the radio trying to turn the dial. Third gear is hard to find, and shifting with the left hand takes some getting used to. Is that gas that we smell? Have we bought a lemon?

But our nervousness at trying out Fern for the first time couldn't take away from the absurdly beautiful scenery we saw along the way. The Banks Peninsula and its hills were formed as a result of three violent volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Rolling hills dotted with pine trees, clear blue water bays, and more sheep than we've ever seen (there are nine for every Kiwi!) make it a gorgeous landscape. We found lodging at Onuku Farm Hostel, an eco-minded working farm, complete with sheep, cows, and a very loud (though colorful) peacock. The farm pet is a sheep named CSI. When we asked what the significance of the name meant, the owner clarified, “CSI MyLambi.”

Unfortunately, it poured buckets in the morning. Instead of exploring the 350-hectare farm, we were confined to the communal kitchen. Not too bad, though, since we warmed ourselves by the pot belly stove, played board games, and met some really nice travelers. The next morning, thankfully, the sky was clear and we did a “tramp” (what they call hiking here) through their beautiful farmland. As their property stretches to the water, Kevin and I walked down to their fishing bay and picked fresh mussels for dinner.







That night, we stayed in Okains Bay at a cute, simple campsite, right by the beach and peppered with shady pine trees. We cooked up the mussels, and later paid for it with a stomachache and dash to the bathroom! It was our first night sleeping in Fern, and we were toasty and warm even though the wind was howling outside.

We've been warned about New Zealand's temperamental weather. One minute it can be sunny and warm, and with the blink of an eye can change to cold and rainy. Lucky for us, the weather changed for the better. We woke up the next morning with a cold drizzle, but eventually the sun poked its head out of the clouds and made it a beautiful day. We met the local friendly park ranger, who had excellent cooking tips for mussels and told us to only ever pick those that are always under water. Oooops! We walked along the beach, caught up on some reading, and did an evening tramp along the bay ridge. All in all, a very beautiful and restful side trip.

After a rough start, the clouds are starting to part. Travel is never without its ups and downs, so we will brave whatever cold winds come our way! We are very excited to be here in New Zealand, a country full of friendly people, outlandish scenery, and more nature activities than we can probably handle! As it is our last destination, we feel that we may have unintentionally saved the best for last. This diverse, unspoiled, and utterly photogenic land truly lives up to its nickname of “God's Country.”