Our next big adventure.... Two years off work and backpacking the world!!!

Friday morning saw us on our way to Franz Josef Glacier. We had a stop at Punakaiki for pancakes. Had the backpacker special a stack of pancakes for only $10 instead of $18. Should of had one stack between us they were huge with maple syrup, cream & cinnamon. We gave our driver Nat one instead of wasting them. After the pancakes we walked over the road and followed the path around the coast through rainforest and the pancake rock formations. We stopped again for views along the coast and Hokitika for lunch. Hokitika is known for there Jade and driftwood. Then another stop at Lake Mahinapua to see white Heron"s blown over from Australia. Apparently if you see them it is good luck and your weather will be great at Franz Josef Glacier. Next stop and another Lake called Mapourika which was formed through glacial action. The day had become wet a gloomy the lake grey and the mountains covered in heavy cloud. We arrived at our accommodation about 4.30pm called Rainforest R...

Forgot to mention in the last blog Sharon planted a tree in Raetihi to re-establish native trees in an area originally used for tying up your horse for school. Nomad backpackers which we stayed in Monday was another one worth going back to. Had it's own ensuite and only shared with one other. We decided to go to the movies and watch Thor with 4 others off the bus. Didn't want to see too much in Wellington because we will be back here for Christmas & New Year. Also spend some more time at the pubs with Jason. A lot of pubs advertising $10 jugs of beer. Had to get up at 5.30am to catch our shuttle to the ferry by 6.30am. Thinking about stopping somewhere for a few days to take everything in we have seen. This is the beauty about how we are travelling with Stray just stop when you want to then carry on when you are ready. Arrived in Picton at 11.30am. It took 3.5 hours to get there. The distance between both islands is only 24km but between Wellington & Picton...

On our way to Blue Duck Station a 7,200 acre high country farm at Whakahoro (pronounced fukahoro). we stopped at the most tourist destination in New Zealand Huka Falls which is fed by Lake Taupo which was created by a volcanic eruption in 181AD and the beginning of Waikato River. This is a narrow chasm with water flowing every 3 seconds to fill an Olympic size pool. After this onto Taupo for a dip in the thermal water falls which also feed into the Waikato River. These falls are almost unbearably hot you need to move around to find a comfortable spot. The road to Blue Duck Station was a very narrow winding dirt road our driver Nat has to be commended on her driving skills. When we arrived past the population of 8 sign and we all sat around drinking tea and coffee to get ourselves acquainted with the station. Once booked in we were off to our lodgings for the next 2 nights. Woke up to a nice day and Sharon and I went on a hike to Blue Duck Falls and a re...

Woke to rain this morning but cleared up early. Headed off to Hamilton expecting to get evicted off the bus due to too many people being booked on. One of the down sides to this Stray bus peak season and not enough seats. But there is always alternatives & our tent. On the way to Hamilton we stopped at a great bakery for morning tea called The Big Café and Bakery in the town of Paeroa known for there famous L&P (Lemon & Paeroa) drink supposably as famous as coke over here. Then to Hamilton for our eviction, fortunately by the time we arrived our booking moved from standby to booked! So onwards to Raglan on the west coast. Drove today from the white sands of the east coast to black sands of the west coast. Most of the drive was stunning mountains and ocean views. Dinner tonight was fish & chips on top of Inspiration Point as the sun was setting overlooking Manu Bay. Left Raglan this morning heading to Waitomo to see maggot anuses at a cost of $70nzd each. On...

Got our first Stray Bus today and have already changed our plans. We were going to stay at Thames named by Captain Cook because the river reminded him of Thames River in London. 60% of NZ's bottled water comes from this river but the lower reaches does look like the Thames in London very murky. We couldn't find much to occupy ourselves there the walk I wanted to do is closed until 20th December due to flood damage. So our driver Nat said we could keep going with her to Hahei which we decided to do. Then half way to Hahei we decided to keep on this bus for the next 22 days travelling both North & South island and see what happens. We probably change our mind again. At least now Sharon has 38 more people to talk to. (Funny bugger aren't you!!) We arrived at Hahei about 12.00pm booked in for our dorm room ( first group of fellow travellers walked in and mentioned we snore...they all walked out!!!  The next lot we offered earplugs, they stayed!!) and went for a walk down ...

We arrived at Auckland on time to a very wet day so never got to see anything until later after our 3 hour snooze. Our first venture into Auckland took us through an old pioneer cemetery with the grave of William Hobson first Governor of New Zealand who died in 1842. The cemetery is fairly run down but still and interesting walk (and if you have an over active imagination it would be cool to go to at night). So after tramping (just trying to fit in over here) through the CBD then down to the wharf and back to our apartment following part of the 16km Coast to Coast walk, It felt like after a six hour flight to get here the plane had just dropped us back in Perth. Same cars, same shops and same Kiwi & Asian accents. They even have Woolworths here but its called Countdown. One major difference you can pay for food & alcohol in the same checkout. (How advanced is this country). Devonport - we woke later than usual and headed to Stray (hop on hop off bus) to ask some question...

     It has been nearly 6 months since we left our home in Wellard. Although our original plan was to walk Cape to Cape and the whole 1040km Bibbulmun Track before leaving Australia it didn't quite pan out that way. Both Sharon & I finished Cape to Cape (135km) and walked Kalamunda to Dwellingup (211km). I walked from Donnelly River Village to Albany (540km) and Sharon joined me between Denmark and Albany (85km). The two attempts we had between Kalamunda & Dwellingup saw us travel by car to Derby Western Australia & back to Perth with a round trip of 5000km. So while Perth was suffering from cold wet weather we were enjoying swimming & blue skies of temperatures above 30 degrees C. The last few weeks have been lovely catching up with friends and family but also sad .  We know its not forever and that social media will enable us to stay in contact more easier , but Sharon is still going to find it hard.  Who knew she was...