A devastated city, a wild tramp and the greatest tourist places in NZL

Hey guys, we had a busy time last week and traveled quite far on the South Island. Just have a look at the map and enjoy the pictures =)

A fine pool night at the pub - the gay distraction really worked ;)

 Painting the house

A day at the A and P show (a NZL Jahrmarkt)

 You could watch the world champion sheep sheerer. He was so fast!

Because of horrible weather (waterfall-like rain) we decided to travel down the East coast instead of the West coast and went to Christchurch with Matt and Samy :) 

With a "few " cows in the way. It was a really great roadtrip. Anyone wants to go to the beach? ;)

Coming to the East coast the weather got really nice and hot (15 degrees difference in temperature!) Frog rock on the picture.

 The botanic garden in Christchurch was about the only thing left of the nice town centre after the earthquake almost two years ago.

They still pull down insecure buildings. 

Afterwards we hitch hiked with a french couple. Some nice lakes on the way. 

and also a massive water power plant with incredible through-put.

Arrived at Mt Cook village that night. Too much Chinese influence ;) 

On the way to Mueller hut, our day trip close to Mt Cook, the highest mountain in NZL. 

1000 meters of very steep ascend, first steps then rock climbing and snow fields!

Up there it was so cold and windy that Lina boiled some water to drink and warm herself.

 But you were rewarded with an astonishing view onto Mt Cook (3700something m)

On the way back... 

... we met Lisa from Germany, who also wanted to go to Queenstown. So we spent the next days with her (at a free camp ground the first night).

Heavenly gate at sunset. 

Amazing hills of Rohan on the way to Queenstown. 

Queenstown in the rain (it was really cold, too!) At night it was forcasted only 4 degrees, so we called a lady we had met in our first week in an Auckland resthome. She had offered us to stay at her sister's when we came to QT. Quite random after such a long time, but thanks to God she invited us in immediately. She was christian, too :)

This is the view we had from her apartment that night! 

The next morning we walked up to the Queenstown hill, but not just walking, we built the highest monument :)

Awesome views at the top!

With Lisa after her sky dive!!!! at the wharf.

Busking in QT was horrible in fact, so we only got 12 dollars which we decided to spend immediately - our first fish n chips!!! YUMMY

After QT we went on one of the not so popular tramps (the Caples Track), but we thought it one of the most beautiful ones - along the Caples River.

You were allowed to free tent, so we chose this romantic spot.

The evening sun in the surrounding mountains

Although it had been cold in QT this night was really warm, so we sang a lot of songs at the fire!

Treetumors and beautiful waterfalls on the second day. Thomas learnt some French on the track: " Je voudrais cinq croissants et neuf tartiflettes!"

That morning we had a really steep climb, but it was so worth it having breakfast on the saddle with a view like this!

Walking over the saddle on boardwalks as the ground was very moist. Look at the sugar cone in the back!

A little break with lake-view down at the flats again.

A sidetrip to another summit with stunning alpine scenery.

Breakfast again (this time at Milford Sound) - we were really blessed with the weather!

A 160m waterfall in the Sound.

The chasm - a deep, narrow gorge with heaps of water going through. The river looked quite tame before it went through there!

From the chasm we hitched a ride with a French Ecotourbus, who would only take us, if we spoke some French. (Thomas didnt dare to count to ten ;) They stopped at a car park where the Keas (mountain parrots) could be seen.

They dropped us in Te Anau, where we busked in front of the supermarket - again looking for accommodation. We were taken in by Lois, a lovely Christian lady, who even left us her house for two more nights, although she had to go to her grandson in hospital. So we had some very relaxing days after such a long journey and some real beds again.

It was even so relaxing that Lina tried to walk on the water and it worked.

And Thomas - full of energy jumped up a 10 m tree =)

At night we enjoyed the advantages of a kitchen and had a great dinner: lamb ribs, wedges with sour cream, cucumber salad, ginger beer and ice cream =) SO GOOD! Then we watched a movie...

Above the Clouds, most beautiful Beach and a Cave adventure

Hey Guys! After we spent Christmas at the Gardiners we set off to the Abel Tasman Coastal Track for four days and wwoofed at Jim's and Erhard's place, who took us to see some great places like the most amazing Wharariki Beach. Then we walked the Heaphy Track, New Zealand's longest Great Walk, which saved us 463 km of driving and was just awesome. In Karamea we got invited in by the super nice shop owners of the local store and are having a very fun time with the whole family.

Here is a map of our Journey:

THE ABEL TASMAN COASTAL TRACK

The first tidal crossing, somebody else who did it 3 hrs later had the water up to their chest

 We walked in a lot of bush but every now and again we had beautiful views on the beaches

 These are the so called sand boats ;) 

 Swimming in the rain on the third day

Amazing rocks

Lunch time, the same as always: Cheese and apples on bread 

The fire and good company make even a rainy afternoon nice

The first time we collected food ourselves: mussels from the rocks. 2 kg of mussels ended up as 150 g edible mussel flesh.

 We left our big backpacks at the campground and had a relaxing walk to Separation Point

 On the fourth day our camera only took blurry pictures, but as you can see, the weather was good and we had beautiful open views all the time =)

That night we tried our working for accomodation busking and after 2 hrs Jim (88 year old music show producer) took us to his place without wanting us to work for him - we still did ;)

 An afternoon trip to the Pupu Springs - 23 m deep springs...

 ... and so clear you can see the bottom and all the fish inside

Sunday we went to a church where they happened to have a Baby Christening Service. We got invited to a big lunch party and met another German guy, living near the Heaphy track, who offered us to come and WWOOF at his place - he would even drive us to the start of the Track.

Arriving at his place.

 So we spent New Year's Eve at his house and were the only ones apart from one other house to light any fireworks. 

 Our first job: Making 2 of those Plum Cake trays =) Yummy - Mums recipe. 

We also weeded his garden.

 Erhard took us on an afternoon trip to the Wharariki Beach - the most beautiful beach we've been to so far.

There even was a huge colony of seals - the baby was just 3 m away from us

 Speechless

Lots of Caves, too!

 Erhard and Lina walking on the beach.

Lina cheating on me with an old bearded man.

 The next day the little village had a boat race with self-made rafts. Erhard told us, it wasn't about winning but about making life as hard as possible =)

 The last night with Erhard. We had an awesome barbecue: Lamb chops, tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum and aubergines - all out of his garden, even the lambs.

THE HEAPHY TRACK

 The first day we climbed for 5 hrs to 920 m but we didn't feel it at all because we were dreaming about our new living situation for our master studies back in Germany.

Watch for the changing flora throughout the track.

Still Thomas obviously was tired afterwards.

 Breakfast the next morning after recovering our Tramping Guide Book a Weka (a cheeky NZ bird) had stolen out of our backpack and dumped behind the next bush.

 2nd day: beautiful mountain ranges...

 ... a fairy tale like mossy forest ...

 ... beautiful plains ...

 ... and a statue on top of a bis boulder - just as random as the boulder itself

 Wow, wow, wow! A beautiful sunset above the clouds on the mountains. This was the most spectacular scene on the track

3rd day: Lina cheating on me again - this time with a bush monster.

Walking over a new bridge with a Pohutukawa Tree in the background - the red blossoming NZ christmas tree.

 The Heaphy River mouthing into the sea, massive waves at the end.

 4th day: walking along the rough beach.

 Who finds Thomas?

 Walking through the nice Nikau Palm forest.

 Christmas Trees!

Arriving in Karamea, we asked at the shop if they knew anyone who took WWOOFers. After nothing worked out, Juliette and Jason, the owners of the shop, asked us if we could paint their house - YES, of course. So we also got to meet their great kids Matthew, Brendan and Samantha. We got heaps of food in a self contained cottage but can still participate in their family life.

 They took us "swimming"...

... Kahawai fishing ...

... and caving in the Oparara Caves. We discovered many tunnels, squeezed through tight gaps and climbed up many little bluffs.

 Looking at spiders and wetas, glow-worms and fossils...

.... and big spiders 

 Here we are in the Moria Gate Archway, it's huge.

 Sammy and Lina between the stalactites.