Photos!

Easter Island © ThorHimself@thorviking.com

I know, at last! It's raining in Brisbane today so I had some time on my hands. This is only a selection of my best photos from some of my destinations, there are hundreds and hundreds more. I will definitely upload some more destinations soon. Enjoy!

Patagonia
Easter Island

Avoid NSW TrainLink & Saturday night in Brisbane

I was dreading the train trip from Sydney to Brisbane, and rightly so. As mentioned in previous posts, the trains are old and uncomfortable, and thanks to the seat sale they have on, usually packed. I again had someone next to me for most of the 12-hour journey to Casino, where we had to change to a coach. Not all people had someone next to them. I saw one girl spread out over two seats the whole way. Life is not fair.

The check-in nazi in Sydney complained that one of my bags was 1 kg too heavy, so I had to put two books in my hand luggage (which they don't bother to weigh. Apparently, if you drag your bags on board the train yourself, no one cares how much you bring). Then she complained about the broken handle, courtesy of Virgin Australia. I pointed out there was another handle on the side, but she was determined to show who was in charge. "Well we may not be able to accept it if you travel with us again, there must be a handle on the bag." I just pointed out there was one!!

Once the horrendous train journey was over, we had to change over to a coach in Casino (yes that actually is a place), for the last 3.5 hours to Brisbane. Our driver was the last to arrive to his coach, and stressed us all on board. Seat numbers were assigned, and again, I was supposed to have someone next to me. A fully grown man. I said there should be plenty of free seats if he fancied sitting on his own, so he did. But the driver didn't like that. He told us all to sit in our assigned seats, although the coach wasn't even 1/4 full. I asked if it was likely to fill up, and then he relented so we both got some space next to us. But the driver wasn't done with me. Oh no. He specifically hovered over me and told me to put on the seat belt. "We have a law in Australia bla bla bla..." I said to him I'm doing it, so he should just relax. He then berated me for my body language! Bloody cheek. That's not how you speak to someone who pays your salary. Condescending twat. But I was a good boy and bit my tongue! He would probably have held the coach and called the police if I had given him a piece of my mind then.

I've had this superior attitude from several staff at NSW Trains. It seems it is state-owned, which goes somewhat toward explaining the attitude. Public servants aren't known for their service-mindedness. But if you're not interested in providing a courteous service to customers, you should reconsider your career choice. Probably a strong union as well, as they enforce the 20 kg baggage limit like the 11th commandment.

Finally arriving in Brisbane at 10:30 pm, 15.5 hours after leaving Sydney, the bus terminal was closed for the night and no taxis available. There was a phone number to call for a taxi - but no area code! As everything was shut and there was no one to ask, I thanked my lucky stars I had memorised the route and started walking, dragging my two heavy suitcases behind me. 45 mins, mostly uphill, of course, sweating like a glassblower's arse. It was humid as when I left Sydney this morning, and Brisbane was no less so.

Finally arrived at the hotel and had to ring the night bell. The night manager was of course annoyed to be disturbed from what ever he was watching on TV. When my credit card didn't go through after three attempts (I told him the screen said "configuration fault", which he ignored), he put it through manually - after a heavy sigh - and all was fine. So there was no problem with my card. I purposely dripped sweat on his counter meanwhile.

Now it's already midnight and I have had a refreshing shower. I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty. I'm considering staying in my room all day tomorrow. I have wi-fi, cable, air-conditioning, and my own bathroom! Maybe I'll stay in the day after as well. Maybe until I have to go to the airport on Tuesday. Surely they must have a food delivery service here! 

Right now I have had my fill of surly, lazy Aussies in the service industry. The more I'm exposed to people, the more I prefer animals...

Sydney

I can't believe I have already been here for six days! Time has literally flown by so quickly. Tomorrow, I am taking the long train journey up to Brisbane for my final stop before returning to Europe.

I have really enjoyed my time in Sydney! My host couple are absolutely lovely, so warm and welcoming, couldn't have wished for nicer people to stay with. They have really looked after me and spoiled me during my stay. Also, the weather has been absolutely brilliant. Around 22-25°, sunny, slightly breezy. Just as I like it.

There is so much to see and do in and around Sydney. I was here already in 1999, but my memory of what we did then is rather hazy. I know we saw the Opera House - of course - and went for a day trip to the Blue Mountains. I have seen so much more this time around. I especially enjoy taking the ferries around the harbour. I always love being on the water, especially if the weather is as nice as it has been here.

And we're back in plastic card country... The Opal card is free, and you load it with even 10's. The public transport offices only accept cards, but convenience stores take cash too. The fares are a bit complex to figure out, as they are based on distance. So no zones, which makes it tricky to plan ahead. As an example, a bus ride from Kensington to Circular Quay is $3.50, and the ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour is $5.74 (quite steep!). There is a cap of $15 per day and $60 per week. This includes travelling out to the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley (wine country). Funny quirk: if you make 8 paid trips in one week (Monday-Sunday), all travel for the rest of the week is free! So just hop from one station to another 8 times (leaving 60 minutes in between, as transfers are not charged in that window) during the first part of the week, and save the longer, more expensive journeys for later when they will be free!

Tonight I had a really nice ferry trip through Sydney Harbour, from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour and back. Seeing the city lit up, and certainly when passing under the bridge on the way back with the Opera House in the background, I thought to myself: "This is really something". What a great ending to my stay in Sydney!

I have not done many touristy things since arriving in Australia, other than make maximum use of public transport to see the cities I have visited. Thus, I have not spent nearly as much as I did in NZ, which makes me very proud of myself. I think the cash I initially withdrew in Melbourne will last until I leave Australia on Tuesday.

My hosts are real foodies, so I really felt the pressure when preparing a Swedish meal today! But all went well, I made Janssons frestelse with långkål, and it went down very well. I also went out to IKEA and bought some dammsugare, which they hadn't tried before.

I have decided to spoil myself a bit in Brisbane and stay in a hotel with private bathroom. As much as I have enjoyed staying with my AirBnB-hosts, at the moment I can only agree with Greta Garbo... I want to be alone.

 

Canberra

The Australian capital is just over 4 hours by train from Sydney. Uncharacteristically, I hadn't done any research before my visit today. The plan was to get off the train, pick up a map, and start walking around. I knew the population was just over 300,000 (similar to Nottingham), so it wouldn't be a metropolis like Sydney. Well, first of all it turns out that the train station, unlike in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, is not in the city centre at all, but several kilometres outside in a suburb! It also turns out that there is no tourist information centre there, nor a public transport information centre. All there was was NSW TrainLink, the train company I travelled on, and I find their staff a bit snooty. Must be government owned. I asked one of their employees how to get to town. "You mean the city", he sneered before giving me the answer I needed.

Pleasant surprise on the bus, though: they sold day tickets for $9 and no plastic card required! A single fare to town would have been $4.70, so that was a no-brainer. Funnily, the Kiwi capital also sold a paper day ticket for NZ$9.50, which converts to AU$8.45, i.e. very close in price. Closer than to Melbourne ($6.80, card $6) or Sydney ($15, card free). I think I like the antipodean capitals!

Canberra is indeed a rather small city, but sights are far between so you need transportation. There isn't much to see or do in the CBD. Even the visitors centre is 2 km north of the CBD! I took bus number 200 to reach their offices on 330 Northbourne Avenue, so already that day ticket was paying off. After I'd picked up a map and a list of which buses go to which sights, I returned to the CBD and had a very nice Thai lunch at Two Sisters. Two curries with rice for $10!

With a full tummy, I took bus 2 to the National Library and walked around for a bit between the official buildings. I then walked up to the Old Parliament and finally the New Parliament, before returning to town on bus 1, which goes all the way up to Capital Hill (but only runs on weekdays). Returning to town, I found a bus number 81 which was called "Tourist Loop", and that sounded just right for me. It went out to the Aquarium/Zoo, via the Arboretum, Black Mountain, Botanic Garden, and back to town. You get really nice views along the lake on the way out, or from Dairy Farmer Hill in the Arboretum. From the top of Black Mountain, the view is obscured by trees, so you have to pay to go up the Telstra Tower to see anything.

I finished off my visit with a free pancake at the Pancake Parlour (thanks to a brochure I picked up at the railway station) and a cappuccino, and then caught bus 80 back to the station.

There is a hop-on, hop-off bus too, but at $30 for a day ticket, it's not very good value compared to the Action buses. If you, unlike me, do some research before your visit, you can see the same sights and much more using the city buses at a third of that price.

My only criticism of the public transport is that many routes only run once an hour, and some of the buses seem to be begging for retirement. The trains running Sydney-Canberra also seem to be on their last legs. At every bend, the undercarriage was creaking and groaning to be put out of its misery. At times, it sounded like a conversation between the Clangers. 

ANZAC Day

This morning I got up before 3 am to attend the dawn service in Coogee, by the beach. The last night bus arrived there at 4 am and the service started at 5 am, but the chilly morning air helped me stay awake. The service then consisted of speeches, hymns, prayers, wreath laying, and the Australian national anthem. Since it is ANZAC Day, I had hoped to sing along to New Zealand's national anthem as well, but no. I sang it to myself afterward instead.

There were plenty of people who had left their warm, comfy beds on this chilly morning to attend the ceremony. I was very surprised at the turnout. Several services were held all across the city, so the combined attendance would have been well into the thousands. After the service, I waited around a bit to see the sun rise before catching a bus into the CBD.

At 9 am, a very long parade of school bands, veterans, and current servicemen marched down Elizabeth Street to the ANZAC monument in Hyde Park. It was impressive to see all the aged soldiers who once defended their country against aggressors so proudly walking down the main street of Sydney. Some were in wheelchairs and used walkers, but there was no mistaking their joy of being able to still participate in this day of remembrance and celebration of those who went before us. I was quite touched.

My eyelids by this time were so heavy, I had to go home and get my head down for a few hours. I also changed to shorts and left my sweater. Once the sun is up, long trousers are no longer comfortable. I ended up catching a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly in the afternoon, and then further on by bus to Palm Beach. Quite a long ride, but nice to see parts of Sydney many tourists probably never reach. 

Those who are interested in Australian soaps can take a tour to Summer Bay ("Home And Away") from Sydney, and to the real life Ramsay Street ("Neighbours") in Melbourne.

Funny story:  on the way to town this afternoon, the bus unexpectedly stopped in front of a large gay bar on Oxford Street. Two drag queens, clearly way past their prime, staggered out of the locale, as if they had just emerged from their coffins before putting their wigs and slap on. Aged drag queens, like vampires, do not fare well in daylight...

I'll save my review of the local public transport system for later. Tomorrow I'm taking a day trip to the capital, Canberra. 

Melbourne to Sydney on NSW Trains

Yet another long day on the road... or on the rails in this case. 11.5 hours from Melbourne to Sydney. And let me be perfectly honest - the trains are not comfortable. The seats don't recline much, there is no wi-fi, and no power sockets. The train was very busy today, probably because of their $45 promotional fares, so from Melbourne to Wagga Wagga (yes it made me giggle too) I had someone next to me. Luckily, another person who should have gotten on on the way didn't, so I could spread out for the rest of the way. Still, glad it's over. Now I have one more marathon train journey to Brisbane, 15 hours, before I can stretch out in business class on Thai Airways.

I think the trips on the Intercity coaches in New Zealand were better because they stopped for refreshment and comfort breaks several times along the way. The train didn't. Also, the coach drivers would give commentary about the area we passed through. Not so on the train. And the scenery was pretty much the same all the way. The sun came out as soon as we left Melbourne though, hmmm...

I'm staying with a lovely gay couple in Sydney. They have offered to show me around a bit tomorrow, and they are really friendly and welcoming. They even know someone in Sweden who is doing a bit of the country life I hope to do, so I'm looking forward to paying them a visit when I get back.

Monday is ANZAC day so I'll have to get up early to attend the service... Well, when in Rome...

Melbourne Day 2 & 3

It has been a mixed bag, weatherwise. Sunshine, hot, cloudy, rain, cold. Today it's been windy and cloudy all day, quite chilly, in fact. I miss sunny New Zealand.

Melbourne is a nice city. Over 4 million inhabitants, with all that entails. Plenty of shopping, culture, sights, and big city comforts. What more can I say? Take a look at the official visitors site. There are many places that sound very familiar, like Richmond, Tottenham, Kensington, and Brighton.

The skyline is very Manhattan-esque. Plenty of tall skyscrapers. I haven't really done anything here, that is, none of the tourist sites or tours you have to pay for. I've made maximum use of my public transport card, however, and seen a lot of places most tourists never venture to. I think it's interesting to also see the suburbs and "normal" neighbourhoods when I get the opportunity. You get a much better feel for a place that way, rather than running around from monument to monument like a headless chicken. There is a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus, and a "visitor shuttle" bus, for those so inclined.

Melbourne has the largest urban tramway network in the world! 250 km of track, 493 trams, 25 routes, and 1,763 tram stops.

I'm very proud of the fact that I have spent less than $100 here! That includes all food and transportation. Even a packed lunch for the long train journey to Sydney tomorrow.

I hope the weather in Sydney will be better. The current forecast is rain on Sunday, then partly cloudy and 22-24° for the rest of the week.

I realise I sound less enthusiastic about Melbourne than about New Zealand. That is no reflection on Melbourne. I just love nature and NZ has it in abundance. I still haven't seen much Australian nature, but I'm told that New South Wales has nicer scenery than Victoria. This time tomorrow, I shall know.

Happy birthday, Liz!

Happy 90th birthday from Down Under! Clearly, New Zealand values you higher than Australia.

Day 1 in Melbourne

It wasn't unbearably hot today, and not humid either. Het viel best mee, as the Dutch say. Tomorrow should be 21° and rain...

Let's dive straight into the public transport system, as it caused my blood pressure to rise today. Arriving in the city centre this morning, I wanted to take the vintage tram that loops around the city. I just missed it as I arrived, and waited 25 minutes for the next one (there was no timetable at the stop, but I later learned it should run every 12 minutes). But after only a few stops, there was some incident on a tram ahead of us. The police came, but after 20 minutes, my patience ran out. I caught another tram to Southern Cross station, to get my plastic card topped up.

The man in the information centre was a complete dimwit. He couldn't figure out how much I needed to top up for what I told him (twice) I wanted, so I had to work it out for him! On his calculator! The good thing is that you can top up exactly the amount you need, not just multiples of 10's as in NZ. And the plastic card is only $6 here. The daily fare cap is $7.80 ($6 on weekends and public holidays), which is the equivalent of two single trips, and you can travel really far on trams, buses, and trains. I bought a Visitor Value Pack for $14 at the information counter at the airport last night, containing a Myki plastic card and $8.00 to travel for, plus some discount coupons to various establishments. You can't use the card on the direct Skybus to town, but since my accommodation was halfway between the airport and the city, it was fine for me to take a local bus and change to tram to reach my destination. Smooth as.

Anyway, I decided to save the circle tram for later and I headed out to St. Kilda Beach instead, which was quite nice. I decided to take the long way back to town, to see as much as possible. Well before I reached my destination, we were informed that a broken down truck was blocking the track and the tram could not continue! It's just been one of those days... Hopefully things will run more smoothly the coming two days I'm in town.

The trams are a nice but very slow way to see the city. Minute for minute, you're better off walking around the CBD, even if the trams are free.

I feel that I need a day off soon. I am quite tired. I'm catching the train to Sydney on Saturday, and I will be there for a whole week, so I think Sunday could be a good day to do as little as I possibly can. Monday is ANZAC Day, so I will certainly go and check out the activities.

I am very happy that NSW TrainLink are having a sale in April, so I only paid AU$45 for each leg Melbourne-Sydney (11.5 hours) and Sydney-Brisbane (15 hours!). I also got away with AU$45 for a day return from Sydney to Canberra. Excellent deals!

Virgin Australia

I am now in Melbourne. The flight from sunny Christchurch only took 3.5 hours. The weather in Melbourne will be a bit of a shock to the system though, after having spent several weeks in cool and comfortable New Zealand. The forecast for Melbourne tomorrow is 29°! Time to get the shorts and the suncream out again.

I flew Virgin Australia. My suitcase had somehow gained weight since my last flight, and weighed in at 26 kg today. The stingy cow who checked me in charged me $130 for the extra 3 kg! Even though I had purchased an upgrade package including food and in-flight entertainment. And she put two (!) red tags on it marked "HEAVY" and "ASSISTED LIFT MAY BE REQUIRED"! Honestly! On flights to and from many countries in the Americas, you can take one or more suitcases up to 32 kg each, no fuss, no bother. Luckily, next time I step on an airplane I'm in business class, so I might go and buy a kitchen sink and take with me - just because I can! 

Another unwelcome surprise: to access the IFE, I had to use my laptop because the plane did not have any video screens. Totally bizarre. The woman said I had to download an app from their web site, using the airport's free wi-fi before I boarded the plane, in order to view the programmes. I've heard of this kind of practice being introduced by cost-cutting, greedy airlines, but I don't like it. Then it turns out they still had tablets for loan on board. It's not ideal to sit with a device in your lap while you also try to eat the food they serve. At least I got two small bottles of Shiraz to soothe my nerves and stop me erupting like Popocatépetl.

When I collected my suitcase off the baggage belt, one handle had half come off. I went to their baggage service desk, and was told that I would not get any compensation.

They don't have online check-in either. You can only check in at the airport.

No, I would not recommend Virgin Australia. I certainly didn't have a positive experience. 

Based on a first visit to an Australian supermarket, prices here seem lower than in NZ. 2 litres of milk only costs AU$2 (in NZ $3.89), and 600 ml Coke costs AU$3, compared to NZ$4. I never got around to checking the price for a Big Mac meal in NZ, but according to one website it is NZ$10/£5.09.

100% Pure New Zealand

Christchurch

It's been a shock returning to this city to see the effects of the series of earthquakes that started shortly after my first visit in 2010. Thousands of aftershocks and new earthquakes of varying severity have hit the city since, the last major one only a few days ago. Nothing has happened during my stay here, but I still have half a day left. 

Walking around what used to be the city centre, it's like a post-apocalyptic disaster movie. Entire city blocks no longer exist. It's hard to know when you have arrived in the CBD, as it is mostly car parks and vacant lots. The entire city centre was closed off for several years, and it's surreal to see single buildings still standing with some cafés, restaurants, and shops still open for business. It would be difficult to spend any length of time downtown, as there aren't enough commercial ventures to keep one busy. There is construction going on everywhere, but many years have passed and many more will pass before Christchurch becomes a city again.

There is a new shopping centre of sorts, re:start, consisting of small businesses housed in containers. It's full of bearded manboys, drinking latte from paper mugs and waiting to take over the world. Most of the razed city blocks are either vacant, being built on, turned into parks or temporary art installations. I have some photos from my first visit in 2010 to compare against the new ones I've taken on this visit.

I did the gondola and the city tram last time, so no need to pay for that again. This time, I went to the Ferrymead Heritage Park, an open air museum with historical buildings, a running tram line, and several historical vehicles on display. They also run a steam train every first Sunday of the week, and that adds another $10 to the admission fee. It was a very nice visit, as the place was not very busy. I actually wanted to spend a day learning to drive a heritage tram, but that was not possible during the dates I was in town. Guess that means I have to come back to Christchurch again!

The Willowbank Wildlife Reserve was also a nice experience, and I even got to see some of New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi. After that I spent some time walking around the Botanic Garden. I also went out to the seaside, New Brighton and Sumner, and I found the latter much nicer.

I also have to give my review of the public transport system. There is, of course, a plastic card... It costs $10 plus a piece of your privacy. You have to give up your name, address, email, and phone number, and also show your ID! Never had to do that anywhere else in NZ. Once you have the card, you can only top up multiples of $10 - so plan your travel in advance. And of course, the card is non-refundable. I wish NZ would get one card that works in all cities. The Netherlands have managed, so it can be done.

Advantages using the card:

1. One journey is $2.50, as opposed to $3.50 for a single ticket.
2. You get unlimited free transfers within 2 hours with the card; only one transfer on a single ticket.
3. There is a daily cap of $5, something that is not widely publicised. I only found out by talking to a bus driver. Also, if you hit the cap Monday-Friday, you get to travel for free on the weekend!
4. A journey to the airport costs $2.50 with the card, but $8 if you pay cash on the day!

The couple I'm staying with are great. I've mostly had time to chat to the guy, who is Dutch, and he's top quality. A very good first experience of AirBnB.

Good-bye for this time, New Zealand. Noho ora mai. Ka kite anō!

Aoraki/Mount Cook

So 11.5 hours on the coach from Queenstown to Christchurch. I was rather disappointed by Mount Cook Village. Firstly because it is not a village, only a cluster of hotels, and second, it wasn't particularly close to the mountain face. In fact, looking at Google Maps, it wasn't much closer than Fox Glacier as the crow flies! The journey via Mount Cook would normally cost $211, but with my travel pass I paid significantly less. I would probably have felt a bit cheated had I paid full whack. Having said that, the one hour stop at Mount Cook was still pleasant. I kicked off my shoes and socks and lay back on the grass, absorbing maximum Vitamin D. Yes it was another beautifully sunny day. Supposedly it was 14 degrees there, but hardly any wind so it felt a lot warmer. No complaints! I should be alright for colorectal and breast cancer now, but of course might get melanoma instead...

Shortly after leaving Queenstown in the morning, we made our first stop in Cromwell, a.k.a. the fruit basket of the South. We stopped at Mrs. Jones's fruit stall, which had a small table of free samples which was quickly swarmed with Chinese tourists. I bought a nashi pear, which tastes like a mix of pear and apple, and a peacherine (a cross between peach/nectarine). Very nice.

That was my last coach trip in NZ. My next long-distance transportation will be an airplane across the Tasman Sea to Melbourne. I am on the whole very pleased with all the travel I've done here, especially on the South Island. I think I chose all the right stopovers, and the right length of stay as well. As mentioned before, the bus passes I bought saved me quite a bit of money compared to buying single tickets, so I am happy with the cost of travel. The cost of local public transport has raised my eyebrows however, way over the odds I would say. Queenstown takes the biscuit, with their $33 1-day pass! The Intercity bus drivers provide generous commentary along the way, so although the company is like National Express, they do make an effort to provide a good experience for tourists. The coaches also seem to stop at pretty much any hotel and hostel on request, which would have been an added bonus had I known about it when I booked my trips!

Shortly before we finally arrived in Christchurch, I got a text from AirBnB. My intended host in Melbourne cancelled my reservation - with only three days notice! I was really not impressed. My stay in Melbourne seems to have been cursed from the beginning. First an old friend from way back offered me to stay with him. Then a work trip came up, so I booked on AirBnB instead. And now they cancelled with "unforeseen circumstances" as excuse. More like someone booked a longer stay and they followed the money! Call me a cynic if you will. So mad dash to find something else to avoid sleeping under a bridge in three days! I was lucky to find another option on AirBnB and they just confirmed, so here's hoping for third time lucky! I really don't fancy staying four nights in a homeless shelter or on a park bench... This other accommodation is in Moonee Ponds, which is rather funny if you're familiar with a certain suburban housewife slash megastar...

Before arriving at the new bus station in Christchurch we did a tour of the city's hotels... And when the driver turned into Cathedral Square I couldn't believe it. There was nothing there!! All the buildings I still remember surrounding the square were gone. So was half of the Cathedral itself. Ever since that big earthquake I so narrowly missed in 2010, Christchurch has been hit by thousands of earthquakes and aftershocks. The latest earthquake took place only two days ago, with several aftershocks... It was the strongest since 2011.

Back in Q'town

I am spending one more night in Queenstown. Not at the super-expensive motel I stayed in last, but at a hostel belonging to the same owner as in Franz Josef. I had such a positive impression from my stay there that I decided to try another of their locations. The room is OK (double bed!), but no luxuries this time. Back to shared bathroom, no TV, no kettle. On the plus side, it is really close to the motel where I left my heavy suitcase, so a nice short walk which is about what I could manage. Cities in NZ are never flat, and both Dunedin and Queenstown will give your calves a burning workout.

I checked out from my hostel in Dunedin at 10:30, then hung around and used their free wi-fi for an hour. Then it was time to get a $7 Chinese lunch and head over to the bus station. It's located at the bus garage in an industrial area beyond the railway station, so quite a walk across town. I was even more happy I didn't have to lug my big suitcase with me then!

Tomorrow is another early start. The bus to Christchurch leaves at 7:45 am. This will be a 11.5-hour journey, but I wanted to do it rather than go directly from Dunedin to Christchurch for two reasons. One was that I could leave my suitcase for a few days and not have to drag it up and down the hills of Dunedin. Number two was that the route from Queenstown to Christchurch goes up on Mount Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain, and that should be worth the long day. I've already seen its peak from the West Coast, now I'll see it from the other side too.

Christchurch will be my last stop in NZ. I was there as well 5 1/2 years ago, and I actually left five days before the big earthquake in September 2010. The city has been hit by several more quakes and aftershocks since, and the rebuilding is going very slowly, I've heard. Even the government has criticised the city council for taking so long to restart the economy. It will be a sad interesting to see the city again and compare with my memories from last time. I know that the Cathedral was partly destroyed.

I will be sorry to leave NZ. This is such a beautiful country and I could happily stay for ever. Sadly, that's easier said than done. I am honestly less excited about Australia than NZ, but I'm sure I will enjoy it also. I'll only be visiting cities though, no venturing into the outback. Australia has the most poisonous spiders and snakes on the planet, plus crocodiles, scorpions, sharks, stingrays, kangaroos (they kick!), and the hole in the ozone layer. A veritable deathtrap. So if I stop blogging before I've returned to Europe, you'll know why. Alert the authorities!

Dunedin

The "Edinburgh of the South" was founded in 1848 by Scots, and the architecture is reminiscent of its northern namesake (Dunedin is the Gaelic name for Edinburgh). The climate is also reminiscent, albeit inverted. The bus driver on today's tour said they normally get their first snow in July. It's been mostly sunny while I've been here, but once the sun goes down it gets proper cold.

Unlike Edinburgh, Princes Street is not "where it's at" in downtown Dunedin. If you are looking for central accommodation, you are better off staying on the George Street side of the Octagon. This is where all the shops and most eateries are, and this street also leads to the university, so plenty of cheap eats to be found. The University of Otago is the oldest university in New Zealand, and the city's biggest employer. I was keen on doing a Master's in NZ some years ago, but the cost was just prohibitive. University of Otago currently charges NZ$26,800 for a Master in Tourism!

The city has the most famous railway station in the country, now only used for tourist services. Apparently the 11th most photographed building in the world! It also has the world's steepest street (Baldwin Street), and New Zealand's only castle, Larnach Castle. It also has a Cadbury's factory, so yesterday I took a factory tour with samples included, yum! At $20 it was a bit cheaper than the Birmingham experience. Every July, they put on the Chocolate Carnival in the city. One of the events includes rolling thousands of numbered Jaffas down Baldwin Street. First to reach the bottom wins a prize! The proceeds go to charity, and the city's children stuff their faces with the contestants.

The city also has a beer brewery (tour with tasting costs $28), and on the Otago peninsula ("wildlife capital of NZ") you can see penguins, albatrosses, and seals. But not for free. There are 1- and 2-hour city tours, and the Taieri Gorge Railway, which I didn't bother with. The public transport system uses the same plastic cards as Queenstown, so that was a bonus. The route numbering system is a little confusing, there are different numbers depending on direction, often followed by a letter to denote a variance. There are 7 fare zones, so the cost mounts up quickly. I just had a look at the public transport system in Melbourne, and was amazed how cheap it is! A large city with trains, buses, and trams, daily fare cap is only AU$6.80! That's £3.70! And that includes the airport! The cheapest day ticket in NZ was in Wellington, and it was still more expensive than Melbourne.

Being a student city, there are several cheap lunch deals to be had. 11.30-14.30 you can get a Chinese takeaway for $7. The Botanic Garden (NZ's oldest) with aviary and the Otago Settlers Museum are free to visit. The Chinese Garden costs $9.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Queenstown to collect my suitcase, then on to my final destination in New Zealand: Christchurch.

Milford Sound & Te Anau

Milford Sound is an iconic fiord on the West Coast of the South Island. This is a classic postcard motif from the Fiordland National Park. The inlet from the Tasman Sea is framed by very tall, very steep mountain sides - it also rains here for 200 days of the year! During my visit and cruise on the fiord, it didn't rain but the mountain peaks were shrouded in clouds, and the wind was very strong. Certainly the clouds lend a bit of mystique to the landscape, but give me sunshine any day.

It's a long trek from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Apparently it can be done in 3 hours if you don't stop on the way, but the Intercity coach made several stops, both for refreshments and to view the scenery, so the trip took almost 6 hours one way. On the way, we passed the 45th parallell, which means we were exactly halfway between the Equator and the South Pole. Our very knowledgeable driver, Paul, also told us this is the wettest region of New Zealand, and that, interestingly, the driest region of NZ (Cromwell) is on the same parallell, but on the other side of the mountains.

There are lots of companies cruising on the fiord, and they all follow the same circuit so you can choose by price. I went for the cheapest option (of course), which on this occasion was Jucy. No food included, just complimentary tea. Other operators plying the same waters include Southern Discoveries and Real Journeys. 

Sir Ridley Scott is currently filming the next Alien movie, Covenant, near the Sound. The coach driver pointed out a location next to the wharf where the film crew had built a space ship and blown it up only yesterday!

After a long day on coach and boat, I am spending two nights in Te Anau (pronounced like Keanu with a T) which is closer to Milford Sound than Queenstown. It's a small town situated on Lake Te Anau, with plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops, two supermarkets, and even a cinema! The tourist highlights around here are cruises on the lake, the glow worm caves, horse riding and hiking (which the Kiwis call "tramping"!). I decided to spend a relaxing day, taking a walk down to the lake front in between the showers, and save my money for my next destination, Dunedin. Uploading and sorting photos and booking accommodation takes a lot of time, but is perfect for rainy, lazy days.

I have booked accommodation in Christchurch and Melbourne on AirBnB. It was exhausting! Not only are there so many accommodation listings to go through, where everyone has their own style of presenting themselves and you really have to pay attention to all the details. Some keep to the very basics, some tell their entire life story. Then, when you get around to booking, the host has 24 hours to respond and you are committed to booking and paying unless they reject you or don't respond (both happened to me). In that case, the whole process starts over again. And when you decide to book a place, you have to upload your photo, a copy of your passport, link your account to a Facebook or LinkedIn profile, and give them your mobile number. I am extremely uncomfortable sharing any personal details online, as web sites get hacked and data gets sold or goes missing all the time. People working for AirBnB now have a copy of my passport, my credit card details, my email and mobile number.

Queenstown

Queenstown may be the most beautifully situated city in NZ. On the shores of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by tall mountains, this gem attracts tourists both in summer and winter. The population of 30,000 apparently swells to 100,000 during peak season. The city center is described as "compact", and that is very accurate. According to our coach driver, this is the fastest growing city in the country and the city is sprawling. In winter, it is a very popular ski resort, 

Yesterday, I let the child inside come out and play: I went on the "world's most exciting jetboat ride", Shotover Jet. It speeds through the Shotover Canyon just outside of town at 85 km/hour! It's fast, it's bumpy, it's wet. At $135 it's not a cheap thrill, but sometimes you have to dig deep and splurge just so you can say "been there, done that". The jet runs year round, and in winter the temperature, including the windchill, can go down to -15 C.

Queenstown is expensive. This is the most expensive accommodation ever on this trip, but I must also say it is the nicest! I'm staying at the Four Seasons (no, not THAT Four Seasons!) Motel, which despite its name is very centrally located, only 5 minutes from the city centre (although it's uphill on the way home). Fully equipped kitchen, huge bathroom with hair dryer and toiletries, free wi-fi (1 Gb per day) and cable TV. The kind hoteliers have also agreed to let me leave my heavy suitcase here for six days while I travel further south, which is a great relief. I really have to look around for anything to critisize, and the only thing I can come up with is that I miss bedside tables.

Public transport: Connectabus is the local bus company, which also runs out to Arrowtown, an old gold mining town with a very picturesque high street. Prices? Are you sitting down? A day ticket is NZ$33! Yes, you read it right. £16! That's the most expensive price and the smallest route network I've come across so far. However, a return ticket to Arrowtown is already $30, so it's actually not that bad in that perspective - and you get the plastic card for free. You really get a bargain on a full week, as a seven-day pass is "only" $47 but then you have to pay $5 for the card. In addition to Arrowtown, it's worth taking a trip to Kelvin Heights on route 6, and walk around the golf course on the peninsula.

Food: There are plenty of lunch and early-bird deals for $15. There is also a food court inside the O'Connell Mall for the budget-concious. "Macca", Burger King, and KFC are present. Apart from a kebab attack on day 1, I've done my own cooking again and saved some precious cash. There is a FourSquare supermarket in the city centre, but check this out: 2 litres of milk cost $3.89! That's double the price in the UK. A loaf of sliced white bread $4.99! There is a much bigger Countdown supermarket in Remarkables Park near the airport, apparently that's where the locals shop so I'm assuming they are cheaper. Bus 11 goes there from the city centre.

Activities: TONS! Queenstown is the adventure capital of NZ, so plenty of adrenaline-inducing things to do. Again, everything comes at a price, so most people will need to make a selection. Wine tours, Lord of the Ring tours, two ice bars and a haunted house for those inclined.

There are loads of Chinese tourists here. The ones you really notice are the groups. It is clear that they have no idea how to behave abroad. They descend on shops in swarms and take over the place. No respect for other people, shouting in Chinese all over the place. The bad behaviour of some Chinese tourists abroad is nothing new, even the Chinese government is running an educational campaign to tell their citizens how to behave when they go abroad, and even punish them when they get back home!

I have one day left in Queenstown, and I will take a lake cruise with farm tour (including a sheep-shearing demonstration - that's SHEARING, not shagging!) and a huge buffet lunch. I wouldn't normally have paid for a lunch, but I got the whole package for $99, which isn't too bad. Just the cruise on the steamship TSS Earnslaw (the only steamer in the Southern Hemisphere, and over 100 years old) normally costs $57. I may also take the gondola up to Bob's Peak for great panoramic views, but that's another $33...

UPDATE Oh what an amazing lunch! It really was all you can eat - and I ate all I could! I am genuinely stuffed as a Christmas turkey now. I somehow managed to get on table 1 so I was first in line to the buffet! There was plenty of cold salads, roast potatoes and pumpkin, and meat! Lots of meat. Barbequed lamb, pork, chicken, and beef, all cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth, and with a wide variety of sauces. After that several dessert options (I tried them all) and coffee. After lunch we were treated to a sheepdog round-up and sheep shearing demonstration, then had some time to wander around and look at the sheep, alpacas, cows, and deer on the farm. When the boat returned to town, I went straight to my room for a siesta. It's also my last night here and I want to enjoy my comfortable and expensive room as much as I can.

Fox Glacier & Lake Matheson

Having seen the Franz Josef glacier yesterday, there wasn't much else to do for another day, so I took a daytrip to nearby Fox Glacier. As I wrote yesterday, it was a free trip as I used up the last remaining time on my bus pass, which otherwise would have been wasted. Sorry to go on about it, but who doesn't love a freebie?!

According to the i-SITE office in Franz, there would be no transfers available from the township to the glacier or to Lake Matheson, so I was prepared to rent a bike for the 6 km ride to either sight. Realistically, I would probably only have had time to visit Lake Matheson had I been assigned to pedal power. But I was pleasantly surprised on arrival to find a sign advertising a shuttle to both places for $12 return. I called the operator, Murray, who picked me up within 15 minutes and dropped me and two other visitors off at Lake Matheson. This is supposedly the most photographed lake in NZ, as its waters are dark and usually very still, so you can see the reflection of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman on its surface. And today was a clear day with no wind so I was not disappointed!

After I'd walked around the lake, Murray picked us up and dropped the other people off in town, whilst I continued to the glacier. It was another hike much like the one to Franz Josef glacier, and I had really had enough of walking for a lifetime by the time I got back to the car park. I feel like I have walked as far as I have flown on this trip! I really should have bought a pedometer, would have been interesting to keep record of how much distance I have covered on foot. Certainly a lot more than I ever expected!

Not only am I now completely drained, all this walking for miles and miles and miles on rocky, uneven paths (with steep inclines!) has ripped a huge gash in my right shoe, so I now desperately need to buy a new pair. There are no shoe stores here in Glacier country, so I'll have to wait until I reach Queenstown tomorrow.

Accommodation in Queenstown is VERY expensive. I am paying through the nose for the four nights I will be there. Murray told me that everything is expensive in Queenstown, just because it's such a popular destination, so I'm bracing myself for the worst. 

Today I noticed that the sun appears to move from right to left here in the southern hemisphere. When I remember, I will also check if the water swirls anti-clockwise when you flush the toilet...

Franz Josef

Franz is a very small township near the glacier with the same name. The town mainly consists of hostels and restaurants. Mr. Sun has returned and it's around 15 degrees, so I'm very happy! I also had some really tasty fush and chups (yes that's how the Kiwis pronouce it) today at Kiwi Kai, a very filling lunch at only $7.50.

I spent some time hunting around for something to do. I decided not to visit the kiwi breeding centre. Admission was $35 and you would only see some kiwis in the dark and could not take any photos. The chicks had already been released for the season, so no point paying an extra $20 for a behind the scenes tour either. There was a cruise on a nearby lake for $115, but being a bit of a miser, I decided against that too. Instead, I took a shuttle for $12.50 to the car park near the Franz Josef glacier, and walked a couple of kilometers along the river valley. The only way to get onto the glacier is taking a helicopter ride, but I'm still not that excited about ice to shell out for that experience.

Tomorrow, I'm going to nearby Fox, and hopefully I will make it to Lake Matheson, the most photographed and picturesque lake in NZ apparently, as Mount Cook is reflected on its surface on a clear day. I was very happy that I could still use my Intercity Flexipass, it had exactly the time left required to get to Fox and back! So maximum use of that pass. There are only two buses a day though, so I have to spend seven hours in Fox. I'll probably rent a bike to get to the lake, it's a bit too far to walk. If I have enough energy, I might make it close to the Fox glacier as well.

I'm really enjoying the hostel here! I am so comfortable in my en-suite room with unlimited free wi-fi and a kettle to make my own tea and coffee. Funny how you miss the little things you normally take for granted when you are deprived of them. The receptionist Connell is a top lad. Welsh by birth, I impressed him with my pronunciation of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Good to finally get a use for that party trick!

Nelson

Sadly, the weather gods were not on my side the two days I spent in Nelson. It was cloudy throughout, and it rained a bit too. It was not cold at all, but VERY humid! Given the disappointing weather conditions, I went to see The Lady In The Van with national treasure Dame Maggie Smith one afternoon. Interesting, but I had expected a bit more comedy. It was clear that the author was only interested in telling his own story.

On the second day, I first went to have a look at the Saturday market in Montgomery Square. Apart from two hippies "meditating for peace" and wanting donations, it was about as exciting as the monthly farmers market in Maidenhead. I also saw two of the residents at my hostel playing guitar and singing for money. Apparently many "creative people" flock to Nelson. Hippie capital of NZ? I smiled and moved on. The Queens Gardens were much nicer.

I then hiked up a mountain to see the Centre of New Zealand. The spot was appointed the geographic centre of the country in the 19th century, but more recent research has placed the actual centre somewhere else. Nevertheless, Nelson has kept its claim to fame and there is a monument on top of the "hill". It was a fairly challenging uphill walk to get there, but the views of Nelson (picture above on a sunny day) and the Maitai Valley made it worth the effort. I could only stay up there for about 10 minutes before it started to rain though, and the path quickly turned into a mudslide on my way down. By the time I got back to the hostel, I just wanted to crawl under the blanket and watch a movie online. And lucky for me, the wi-fi actually worked inside my room for a change!

I will not dwell on this hostel as it is not worth the effort. Of course "you get what you pay for" but I did not like it one bit. Too many people milling about, too many people in the kitchen, not enough toilets and showers, weak wi-fi signal that kept cutting out... As I have just arrived at my next destination, Franz Josef, I must say I am much happier with the accommodation here! First of all the sun shines, which hasn't happened much the last few days. I also have my own bathroom, a TV, fast wi-fi, a kettle, a toaster, and a big double bed! And there's more! The hostel serves free vegetable soup and popcorn every evening, you can make free international calls to landlines from reception, breakfast is included, and you can use the hot tub for free! I am really liking this. It only costs $15 more per night than Nelson - and the experience is so much better! Just goes to show how you can distinguish yourself from the competition if you just put your heart into your business.

The coach trip here was 10 hours, but again, not as bad as it could have been. We made several stops on the way for breakfast and lunch, and the seat next to me was empty so I could stretch out a bit. All in all quite bearable. The bus pass is excellent value. Manuel in Wellington (see earlier post) booked me two different passes, one based on number of trips and one based on number of hours. Combined, they saved me some $200 compared to buying single tickets. Quite pleased with that.  

New Zealand turned back the clocks to standard time last night, so I got an extra hour in bed this morning :)

While I'm here, I will go see the Franz Josef glacier (haven't seen ice since Patagonia now), hopefully a picturesque lake with the reflection of Mount Cook, and the national kiwi breeding centre (the birds, not human New Zealanders!).