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Showing posts from January, 2016

NZ: Glacier Country

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We left my gas guzzling monster parked on a street in Greymouth and headed down to Franz Josef in John's much more fuel efficient Mazda Demio.  We stopped via Hokitika Gorge, which was stunning - the water is a milky pale blue and just absolutely gorgeous, it looks like someone has poured food dye into it and that it can't be natural.  I have this theory that New Zealand is just a huge manufactured theme park - some of the stuff I have seen so far just doesn't seem real!! As we drove further south, the mountains got bigger and clouds got lower and my excitement levels rose - I just LOVE looking at mountains.  At Franz Josef we checked into our hostel where we're basing ourselves for the next 3 nights (free hot tub, free soup, free pop corn...I think I'll like it here) then did a quick walk up to the Franz Josef glacier.  Argh it's so amazing - you follow a roaring grey water river along a track and boom - there's a huge glacier in front of you

NZ: Nelson & Abel Tasman

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Oh my gosh can we just take a minute to talk about SAND FLIES.  How no one I know who's been to New Zealand (Lisa, Mark, Amy, Sepha - I am looking at you!!!) has mentioned them I don't know. They're EVERYWHERE and their bites are horrible and so itchy. I think they're almost worse that mosquitos as they're silent so you can't feel or hear them on you.  I am currently covered in bites and itching like mad. Argh!! Anyway back to the blog.....the drive from Picton to Nelson went without incident though I was hoping for slightly more entertainment from the people I was giving lifts to.  Maybe I should make that more clear next time when I give people lifts!!  I was expecting car snacks, facts and pop quizzes. At my new hostel, the owner gave me a choice of rooms, I could bunk with 2 german boys, 3 german girls or a german girl, an american girl and an english girl. I went for the latter.  He gave me a tour and told me that every day at 5.30pm they all go to the