Bound to cover just a little more ground

they made us do it
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New Zealand is stunning! From beautiful coastline to great mountain biking trails, glaciers, and hot springs this place has it all! I picked up John, my friend from Santa Cruz,  in Auckland about a week and a half ago and we have been on the go ever since. It didn't take him long to come up with a name for our little underpowered van- Betsey is what we call her and she is great. We have covered a lot of ground in her. Started off in the north island, hit some hot springs on the way down. Hiked a short part of the Tongariro crossing, beautiful desert mountains. Headed straight to Wellington where I met up with another friend of a friend mountain biker who took me on the trails around the city- not bad! Pretty technical, actually, enough for me to be pretty wimpy on the old Schwinn but that's OK. I'd rather have my body than my pride intact.

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Took a ferry across to the south island, hiked part of the Queen Charlotte Track in Marlborough sound. Stopped by Kaiteriteri beach where John had a friend in am outrigger canoe competition, that same day we hit up Abel Tasman National Park too, for nice run through the woods and along the beach- just beautiful scenery.

Next we cruised over to the west coast which is about the most beautiful place I have seen in the world. Very similar to Big Sur with rocky coastline but much different vegetation- a lot of tree ferns and even some palm tree like things- looks almost tropical . Huge surf, too- I have been carrying around a surfboard that Clinton lent me in Auckland and I was hoping to get it wet but there's no way I would go out in this stuff- it's heavy.

the ice
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The Glaciers were next on the list- stopped by Franz Joseph then decided to take a guided hike on Fox glacier. What a trip! these glaciers come down through the temperate rain forest and they are just incredible! Walking on the ice was an amazing experience- I got to wear extra cute leather boots that they lent us and crampons. We, by total luck, chose the most glorious day possible to get out there- sun was shining bright and no wind. We hiked for about 7 hours- 3 or 4 on the ice. The highlight of the day for me was going through an ice tunnel, just big enough for me to fit through, kind of like a slide in a cave. Sweeeeet!

check out those boots!!!
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After the glaciers we bombed down to Invercargill, the southernmost city in New Zealand, and from there we took a small plane out to Stewart Island for more stunning scenery and for me a 30 kilometer hike. Yes, I've still got the fire inside, I think. I have been wanting to do something kind of epic and when , at the visitor's center, the ranger told me that this hike is usually done in 2-3 days but that people have done it in one day I jumped at the opportunity. I left late, at around 11:30 so I knew I was racing the sun and I made it. Great trail- thousands of steps, heaps of mud, sometimes up to my knees, but great views.

what dorks!!
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And that brings me to today. A little sore, as you might imagine, but all I need to do is sit in the car while John drives.  He's here 'till Wednesday then I'm on my own again. It has been nice to have a traveling companion. He is a very nice person and takes good care of me. Plus the Neil Diamond sing alongs are claaaaasic.