Catching Up

Well it’s been a bit longer between posts than I planned, and I apologize for the delay. Not sure if anyone out there is really chomping at the bit for updates, but just in case you are, I’d hate to keep you waiting.
Anyway, I’m happy and (relatively) healthy down here on New Zealand’s South Island. One of the reasons I’ve fallen behind on my writing is that there is a lot to do down here and I’m trying to fit in as much of it as I can. And to be honest when I’m not hiking or bungy jumping or drinking with foreigners, I’m usually too tired to do much beside sleep and stare off into space. But today I’m catching up, sitting cross-legged and cramped on a bus that smells like stale beer and reverberates with dubstep, surrounded by friends speaking Dutch and German and heavily accented English, as snow-capped peaks and the occasional waterfall fly by the windows and I don’t really notice because New Zealand has way too many mountains and waterfalls.
Last I wrote I was resting in Taupo, recovering from a long night of two-for-one drink specials. Since then I’ve spent nights in Whakahoro, Tongariro National Park, Wellington, Abel Tasman National Park, Blackball, Franz Joseph, Wanaka, Queenstown, and Milford Sound. Tonight it’s Invercargill, one of NZ’s southernmost cities, then back to Queenstown for some further sampling of the Kiwi nightlife. Below are the spark notes of my last two weeks.
We’ve been a bit unlucky with weather, and unfortunately missed out on the Tongariro Crossing (home to Mount Doom and one of the best hikes in the world) due to 100km/hr winds on the mountain. It was still pouring rain when we got into Wellington, but I loved that city anyway. Wellington has the awesome, and most importantly completely free, Te Papa Natural History Museum. It also has great bars, a lively music scene, and is home to Peter Jackson’s film studios.
Skipping to the South Island, which is a three hour ferry ride from Wellington, we were greeted with more rain. Our first stop was Abel Tasman National Park, where I fell in with five busmates and we went for a two day, one night, 40 kilometer (25 miles) hike. The park is gorgeous, filled with lush rain forests covered in ferns, estuaries that can only be crossed during the appropriate low tide, and more pristine beaches than any one traveler could be bothered to stop at. However all of this natural beauty was somewhat mitigated by the fact that I was marching 7 hours a day with a heavy backpack and eating Spaghettios for every meal. Upon reflection I’ve determined that the outdoors is nice, but I’m a city-slicker at heart.
In Franz Joseph we took a helicopter ride and hiked around New Zealand’s largest glacier. Blackball is an old mining town with nothing really going for it. Wanaka is the diet version of Queenstown, and Queenstown is its own analogy altogether; I’ll have to devote an entire post to its everlasting glory. MIlford Sound would almost certainly have been off the charts beautiful if the weather hadn’t been so atrocious. Invercargill has been described affectionately by others as “the asshole of New Zealand” so I’m not getting my hopes up for tonight. Either way I can’t complain since it’s back to Queenstown tomorrow night, and that is a known commodity for which all the hype has been fulfilled.
I’ll be sure to write more often now that I plan on settling in for a bit, and put down some roots here on the South Island. I hope that everyone at home is enjoying the summer weather. Also please appreciate hot showers, dishwashers, and not sleeping in a bunk bed every night. And go Dubs.

Editor’s note: Wrote this a few days ago but only got around to posting it now. Right now I’m back in Queenstown watching the Warriors try to hold on in game two against the Spurs. The game isn’t on tv here so the bartender (I’m at a sports bar, drinking delicious cider) is streaming the game for me on his laptop. It’s the choppiest thing I’ve ever seen, and yet it’s so beautiful that I want to commission an artist to paint the scene for me. Just went final, Dubs win, looking forward to game 3 (which will be on ESPN, thank The Lord).