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South Pacific Solo Travel
  • Greg Clayton
  • Greg Clayton

South Pacific Solo Travel

A 112-day adventure by Greg Read more
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  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Kea Point

    January 25, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    My final stop of the day back towards ground level was a short detour to Kea Point. Unfortunately no Kea's to be seen today but as ever great views of the mountains!

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    A Restful Morning

    January 26, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After a tiring couple of days hiking I thought I'd take today at a slower pace, especially since the skies were clouded and grey! Mid-morning I thought I'd take to a nearby track that I was yet to explore, however once I started and realised it was a steep ascent all the way I quickly gave up as it was far from the rest and relaxation I was after. Instead I sat on a bench and let the world go by.Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Arriving in Wanaka

    January 26, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    At 2:30pm I took two buses to Wanaka which arrived at around 5:30pm. After checking in I headed out for a chippy tea and a couple of apple juices. The waterfront was unexpectedly busy which made for a nice atmosphere Like it Mt Cook it was a grey evening and even rained towards the end of the night!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Biking

    January 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    This morning I rose early-ish and headed to the supermarket. After signing up to their clubcard scheme to save myself a fortune I sat down near the prom to enjoy a chocolate twist pastry.

    After off loading my shopping I borrowed one of the hostel bikes to take myself along the front and up to the beginning of Roy's Peak hike. The wind was ferocious which made for a very challenging ride for all of 7km!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Roy's Peak Ascent

    January 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    After locking up my bike I began the ascent up to Roy's Peak! 8km to the top with 1,258m of elevation gain. The tracks on this occasion were sloped (no steps) and well surfaced. I also bumped into a French family who I'd previously encountered 2 days ago on the Mueller Hut hike. They've both taken career breaks and taken their two boys out of school for a year to travel the world!

    The ascent was tough but I made sure to take plenty of breaks to ease the burden on the legs and of course admire the wonderful views!    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Roy's Peak

    January 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    I eventually reached the peak which made for a perfect spot for lunch! It was rather windy at times so I layered up with my coat. My ham had actually inflated due to the air pressure change and I also found an AFC Wimbledon sticker. Views were fantastic from all angles.Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler
    1

    Cycling Back into Town

    January 27, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I was blown back into town with the wind now behind me, but made sure to stop a few times en route to enjoy the view.

    I took a different route back along the marked 'cycle path' however the start of this was wholly unsuitable for walking through never mind cycling. But after overcoming this hurdle it was plain sailing!

    I arrived back at the hostel for dinner and bumped into a guy who I'd shared a dorm with in Kaikoura, a day of reunions!    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Morning Walk

    January 28, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    I had a relatively relaxed morning after yesterday's bike hike! First of all I took a stroll up to the war memorial and sat their for a while enjoying the view and reading.

    Then I headed back to the seafront through some of the shops. I took a walk along the front and admire the super long tiled history of the world, New Zealand and Tekapo, including tiles for Baden Powell and the UK's seizing of the Suez Canal in 1956.

    I then headed to the supermarket for lunch and back to the hostel to reconvene for the afternoons plans.    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Disk Golf

    January 28, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This afternoon I met up with a couple of hostel pals (including one guy who I'd previously met in both Kaikoura and Christchurch, small world) for a round of disk golf! We arrived at the course only to realise you had to bring your own disks. So we headed back into town, hired some disks and then shot 18 holes. I won by a shot in the end with a score significantly over par, none of us were very good. All of us are off to Queenstown tomorrow by coincidence and also staying at the same place!

    Then this evening I've made some dinner and done some trip research on the hostel computers.    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Morning Bike Ride

    January 29, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    This morning I packed my bags, stuck them in the luggage room and borrowed one of the hostel bikes to go on a bit of a ride. I cycled around the coast of the peninsula to the north east. There was a gravel cycle path all of the way around with stunning views out to the surrounding sea and hills!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Mt Iron

    January 29, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I then cycled to the start of the Mt Iron track, ditched my bike at the bottom and headed up the hill on foot. A round trip of just over an hour with amazing panoramic views from the summit!

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Fergburger

    January 29, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    For dinner I headed out to the world famous Fergberger burger joint. As usual the queue was down the road even on a Monday evening! The restaurant has taken up a number of premises next to each other, namely Mrs Ferg (ice cream parlour), Ferg Bakery, Ferg Bar and of course Fergburger.

    After queueing for 15 minutes I ordered the 'Mr Big Stuff' of course with no salad. My burger arrived after another 20 minutes later and I managed to secure a stool inside overlooking the kitchen. The burger was very delicious although I feel it's quite hard to go wrong with a burger anyway.

    I then headed back to the hostel to enjoy an KitKat Chunky Aero on the balcony.    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Pool Night

    January 29, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Tonight I entered the hostel pool tournament and went to a few bars! A handful of us had agreed that if anyone of us would the $50 bar tab prize then we'd split the prize. I missed all of my first 3 goes in killer so was immediately out however fortunately one of the other lads won so that was a nice free drink!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    En Route to Milford Sound

    January 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today I took the day trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Even though its not too far away as the crowd flys, the mountains getting in the way means its about a 4-5 hour journey each way! I didn't mind too much as the scenery was absolutely beautiful and we made a few stops along the way.

    On this journey we also passed below the 45° latitude mark, meaning we were in the bottom quarter of the world! Only New Zealand, Chile and Argentina have any landmass in this latitudal region so that was pretty cool!    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Keas

    January 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    At one of the stops on the way to Milford Sound I finally saw my first kea of the trip! There are less than 7,000 of these native birds in existence and they all live on New Zealand's South Island. After failing to see any Kea's on any of the mountainous and countryside walks I'd taken so far, I thought my chances of seeing any were nil but low and behold we found 2 swanning around a roadside car park!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Milford Sound Outbound

    January 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    So our 2 hour cruse through the sound had begun! The area makes for spectacular scenery as the terrain on either side is some of the steepest in the world and rockets from water level up to 1,700m in some places. The water was calm, the scenery was stunning but the wind was somewhat ferocious!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Milford Sound - Inbound

    January 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The way back into the sound and journey on the way home was of course equally as spectacular!

    We rolled back into Queenstown just after 8pm. I headed for a McDonalds dinner and then watched a film in the hostel lounge. Now time for bed!Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Milford Sound - Waterfalls

    January 30, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Water cascades down into the valley from all sides all the way along the sound. The best time to visit the sound is said to be when it's either raining or has just rained heavily as this amplifies the volume of the waterfalls and even creates new ones! The tallest waterfall being Lady Bowen Falls at 162m. We were able to get super close with the boat which did mean that those of us with a front row uncovered spot got rather soaked! Bit I'd come prepared and all of my waterproofs dried out soon enough.Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Bob's Peak

    January 31, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today I set off on the Ben Lomond hike with one of my hostel pals. First of all was the ascent up to Bob's Peak. This leads up to the activity centre at the top of the hill. We could have taken the gondola up but there's no challenge in that! We did however enjoy the view from the visitors centre.Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Ben Lomond Summit

    January 31, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After 8km and 1,438m of elevation gain we reached the summit of Ben Lomond standing at 1,750m high! The views were, as ever, amazing panoramic ones over Queenstown and the surrounding mountains and lakes.

    On our descent from the summit, I bumped some familiar faces. Standing before me was the French family I'd previously encountered on the Mueller Hut hike in Mt Cook AND Roy's Peak in Wanaka, making it the 3rd time I'd bumped into the same family whilst hiking in 6 days, in places 180km apart! Not sure who's been following who but after a quick catch up we parted with 'see you on the next hike!'.    Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Post-Hike Evening Out

    January 31, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    After heading back down from the summit I cooked up some dinner and enjoyed almost all of a bottle of sauvignon blanc on the hostel balcony! I then went on a bit of a pub crawl with a group from the hostel which included pool and shuffleboard.Read more

  • Greg ClaytonSouth Pacific Solo TravelTraveler

    Exploring Queenstown Waterfront

    February 1, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Today I had a chilled morning milling around the waterfront with Rob who I'd met a few days earlier. He's a cockney Liverpool fan so naturally we spent most of the time talking all things football!