Posted by Niels on November 14, 2007

DAY 265  A Great Walk

To me, the greatest attraction of New Zealand lies in its unrivalled nature and wildlife. The best way to experience it must be by walking the many fine trails that crisscross the country. According to our documentation, one of the best (if not the best) one-day hikes on the North Island is the Tongariro Crossing in the Tongariro National Park. Measuring 18.5 km (11.5 mi) in length and including an elevation gain of more than 750 m (2500 ft), it took me a bit of effort to convince my sweet wife to join me. But Amy was a great sport so we drove the distance on windy narrow mountain roads to get to the park.

After spending a cold, clear night within sight of the volcanic mountain peaks, we had to rise early to catch a shuttle bus to the trailhead – it’s a one-way hike and car break-ins are a common occurrence at the trailhead parking lots, or so they say… Honestly, I can’t believe no-one has thought of taking up a position of parking attendant charging folks a few bucks to look after their car, coupled with a shuttle bus service to take people back from the end of the track to their cars. No, instead, operators running commercialized shuttle services round up their slavish customers from the backpacker accommodations in the area and line their pockets with the grossly overpriced fares for the simple service they provide using retired busses from China. They pick you up from your accommodation if it is close enough, drop you off at the trailhead and pick you up at the other end eight hours later – and you better not be late, because they actually have the audacity to threaten to leave you behind at the other end, should you not make it there on time! And the cost for all of this? $25 New Zealand dollars per person! And if that’s not enough, they actually try to charge you more than the widely known fare when it’s time to pay, saying that it has increased to NZ$35. How very, very disappointing indeed.

Anyhow, by the time we were on our way, the morning fog had lifted, much to the relief of the 100 or so people (!) that set out on the walk that day. Starting off at 1100 meters (3667 ft) above the sea, the temperature wasn’t exactly balmy, but a brisk pace kept us warm. An hour into the walk the first major climb of the trek presented itself, up to the saddle between two volcanic peaks. Half an hour later at the top of the saddle, we were actually hot – not quite as hot as in the South Pacific islands, but pretty hot nevertheless. We paused just long enough to knock back a natural protein pack (an egg) and stole some steps on many of our fellow hikers who were in need of more rest. From the saddle, the trail took us across a crater floor where thick patches of fog still lingered near the ground – an eerie effect. By the time we were across the plain, the sun had almost burned off the fog. After we climbed up to the rim, it had all evaporated and we were rewarded with a clear view of the whole crater and many hikers making their way across it, like small ants on cracked earth.

At the exposed ridge on the edge of the crater, the wind was blowing hard and despite the many layers of clothes, it was brutally cold. As Amy sought shelter from the arctic winds, I managed to keep my fingers functioning just long enough to capture the superb view of the crater and the looming peak of Mt. Doom (from Lord of the Rings fame) poking through a layer of clouds (see photo).

Bundled up as much as possible (and thankful for still having our reef gloves for diving and snorkeling the South Pacific Seas), we climbed another 100 meters (333 ft) along a narrow ridge and past the otherworldly red crater (see photo – and no, I did not ask those people to go over there and pose for the photo). At the top of the hike at an altitude of 1886 m (6287 ft), the views opened up completely and with the help of the strong wind blowing away the last clouds, the views were incredible. Across the mountain in front of us shimmered the cobalt surface of Blue Lake and right below us the rocky trail descended towards the three brightly colored Emerald Lakes. Perhaps there are after all locations where pictures cannot do the place justice…

From the lakes the trail descended and kept going down, dropping more than 1000 knee-wrecking meters (3333 ft), winding first through fields of windblown golden tussock grass, then through native forest, to end at last at the car park. Fortunately, we made it there with ample time to spare. And the travel guide was right for a change: The Tongariro Crossing is a fantastic walk and a great day out!

Posted by Niels & Amy on November 03, 2007

DAY 250  Northland at the South End

For the last two weeks we have been exploring the far North of New Zealand, our most Southern destination on this journey. It has been a while since we have last found ourselves at latitudes this far from the equator, where the weather is obviously much more seasonal. The austral spring is in full swing with the fruit trees blossoming, little lambs prancing around and hyper-active birds chattering away.

After equipping ourselves with a cheapo rental car (a seasoned Nissan Sunny), a tent and another few essential camping items, we started raking up kilometers driving north. Last time we were in New Zealand we excluded the Northland with the exception of dropping in for a day of diving at the Poor Knights Islands. We figured we would do it justice this time and take our time around the far North. The region has turned out to be very much worth our time and has taken us a bit by surprise – perhaps we should have read up a bit more before setting out, but then again, how boringly predictable would that make it?

First stop after hectic Auckland was the historic, quaint town of Russell in the Bay of Islands. In the summer the place is a Mecca for New Zealand and foreign tourists alike, but we found it pleasantly quiet and charming. Staying at the local holiday park, we decided to put the new tent through its paces right away – it held up a lot better against the brutal cold nights than we did…
We did enjoy deserted trails along the craggy Eastern coastline, scenic drives on narrow winding roads and a late afternoon of shell seeking on expansive and inappropriately named Bland Bay. A borrowed blanket meant we did not have to thaw out our limbs in the morning which does indeed make for an overall much more pleasant start to one’s day.

After taking a few days out of life on the road to do some WWOOFing, we set out for Cape Reinga, the very tip of the North Island which is home to some remarkable stretches of coastline hosting giant sand dunes, vast beaches and sheer cliffs. We were richly rewarded for the many miles on gravel roads. The desolate beauty of the windswept, golden sand dunes at Te Paki stream and the gorgeous scenery on a hike at Cape Maria Van Diemen were absolutely worth it – and we were fortunate to experience it all under a clear blue sky!

We spent a few days near the Cape before making our way south again. Next on the ad-hoc agenda was one of the few remaining strongholds of the mighty Kauri tree. Up until two hundred years ago, native Kauri forest covered most of northern New Zealand, but extensive logging by European settlers decimated their numbers. The most impressive trees can live as long as 2000 years and grow a trunk with a sizeable girth that hardly tapers off up to the crown, which gives them a massive appearance and dwarfs everything in their vicinity. To see the forest, we were forced to join the ranks of the ‘been-there-done-that’ tourists, but found that the place still held its charm and that with a bit of willingness it was easy enough to get away from the endless stream of campervans and their occupants following a most predictable route and schedule. We spent two nights in a humble cabin at the Department of Conservation’s campsite to truly appreciate the peace and quiet of the forest.

We’re happy to have landed in New Zealand again, happy to have had such a great time up North but already miss the laid-back state of mind under a warm South Pacific sky, at once remembering vividly why we chose to explore the South Pacific islands…

Posted by Niels & Amy on October 11, 2007

DAY 236  Eye Candy

Before we set off from the hot, tropical South Pacific, we wanted to leave all our readers with one last visual treat... some more imagery from paradise found.

Posted by Niels & Amy on October 11, 2007

DAY 229  The Last Dots

Far North Vanuatu is home to the most remote archipelago in the country and lured us for how far it sits off the beaten track. After the short detour through Australia, we were ready to take the route less traveled once again and get back to basic living. A weekly flight allowed us to make our way to the Torres Islands by small plane. We had few fellow passengers, all locals, and most of the plane was taken up by cargo as this weekly flight is the only real connection the people of the Torres Islands (a cargo ship calls here only twice a year). Most people rely solely on the land and what they can grow - the fare for air cargo, let alone passenger fare, is much too high for most to consider. A week before we arrived, we attempted to contact the accommodation that we intended to stay but on our arrival we were told our message was never received. We were not surprised! The laid back, friendly character of the locals coupled with there being no other tourists, made it no problem for us to be accommodated and we were quickly taken care of.

As we anticipated, the Torres Islands are quite primitive and basic. There is no electricity, cooking is done over a wood fire, and the phone system is currently out of commission (and likely will be for a long while). This made for a perfect place to be stranded and isolated from the world as we know it. The land is teeming with many species of land crabs and the usually rare coconut crabs. (See 'Day 196' for images of these creatures) Shortly after our arrival, we were given a tour of the newly constructed, European Union funded, school building where a celebration to commemorate the new building was taking place. After the tour we called upon to hand out certificates of achievement to school children, congratulate them and shake their hands. We felt quite unworthy but people kept connecting Niels with the EU and their support so somehow he/we became 'important', despite our humility.

Throughout the next week we did the customary village and island 'tours', here in the Torres through jungle and over super sharp, jagged rocks often interrupted by white sand beaches good for swimming. Niels and our host went spear fishing outside the reef in search of dinner and brough back an ample catch (see photo below).

Apart from some places in the Solomon Islands, the Torres Islands remain some of the most 'untouched' islands we have visited. This is probably helped by the absence of large timber trees that would have lured logging companies. After a week we caught the return flight, 5 hours delayed in good South Pacific fashion, and stopped off at the Banks Islands. Along with us came the Torres airstrip lawnmower, that busted during the week, simply thrown across some empty seats. This is a much relied on piece of machinery as it cuts the grass runway and if the grass is not cut, the plane will not land! To make room for more passengers, it was dropped off at our stop in Sola town, on the island of Vanua Lava.

Much disappointment from Sola and around and the extreme expense of motorboat transport (the only real way to see the island's sights) caused us to cut our stay short. Our accommodation was very poor and the hosts were indifferent to us - the place was more a haven for locals to loiter, blast boomboxes at all hours and shout back and forth - Quite a contrast from our stay on Torres! So two days early we went back to the airport and hopped on a plane bound for Port Vila. The broken lawnmower joined us once again on the flight, but only made it to another remote island - where it seems highly unlikely to meet the part it needs to be fixed... We thought about the Torres Islanders who will be waiting anxiously for their mower, but in true form, no one can seem to be bothered to do anything about it.

We have decided to exchange 'the dots' on the map for more substantial landforms and we will shortly make our way to New Zealand. After 8 months in the tropical South Pacific, we are hungry for a bit more diversity and are very much looking forward to meeting up with many Kiwi's that we have met on this trip.

Posted by Niels & Amy on September 21, 2007

DAY 215  Detour Down Under

Between the Solomon Islands and Australia lies a vast, deep blue sea that separates two shockingly different worlds. Resulting from an involuntary re-route, we were not quite prepared for so many people and commercial activity. Suddenly swallowed up by the Western world, we initially felt somewhat uneasy but soon adapted to its inherent comforts and structure. When reality struck us again, we decided that we might as well sample the land down under! After so many months in the South Pacific islands, we find that we have trouble dealing with the oppressing crowds and frantic life of the city so we high-tailed it out of Brisbane. We splurged on a flight to Cairns and a rental car which bought us the unimaginable freedom and luxury of our own set of wheels.

At the Daintree National Park we followed the crowds through the landscaped jungle, made accessible by raised boardwalks and viewing platforms. Although nice, a far cry from the real rainforests we explored in Melanesia - it's all about one's frame of reference. We were fortuante to see a few Cassowaries - large, colorful birds from ancient times, but didn't spot a single crocodile despite the numerous warning signs.
After a few days we made our way further North to Cooktown, a pleasant, small town with a relaxing and friendly atmosphere. In the botanical gardens, we saw our first wild wallabies, relaxed at some lovely bays and we also visited the Captain Cook museum, commemorating the town's legacy of Captain Cook's landing in 1770. Given our short timeframe, we decided to not try to cover a very large area and next made our way to the Atherton Tablelands. Although pretty, it is in our opinion an overly commercialized area, consisting of manicured jungle walks and strings of waterfalls. We quite liked the quaint town of Yungaburra where we actually spotted the elusive platypus in the wild and a carpet python with graphic markings that Niels literally almost stumbled over (see photo).

It is our impression that to find true adventure, one would need to explore the outback. However, that would require a sturdy 4x4, mechanical skills, lots of time and planning and heaps of provisions (especially fuel, water, and spare parts)! As we didn't have the luxury of time or any of the aforementioned, we decided to just try to get a taste for the outback and set out along gravel roads to the small settlement (population 250) of Chillagoe. A place without many attractions per se, but with its roots firmly in the Australian outback. We visited a cave and defunct smelter, ate buffet style at the roadhouse/truckstop and spent the night in a room above the one local pub. The next day we had to leave the red dust behind and make our way back to the heavily trodden tourist trail, navigating between more kangaroo roadkill and busloads of package tourists.

If all goes as planned (fingers crossed), we will head back to Vanuatu tonight where we intend to explore that country's remote Northern archipelagoes, which most certainly will be a place of a different nature.


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