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World Trip 2017-18
  • Mats and Jenna
  • Mats and Jenna

World Trip 2017-18

A 193-day adventure by Mats and Jenna Read more
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  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Weta Cave, Mt Victoria, Hobbit Hideaway

    November 29, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We had a few things planned for our second day in Wellington. We drove a winding loop around the Wellington harbour. We also decided to get a tour in the Weta Cave. Weta are cochroach-like insects that hide under tree bark. But this "cave" isn't home to animals. Instead it is the location where props, puppets and computer animations are made for TV series and movies.

    Weta Cave gained reputation through classics like Thunderbirds. But even more famous now, of course are The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogies that were created here. Avatar and Ghost in the Shell were other notable titles. But an almost endless wall of recognizable movie posters that they worked on proved that this really is an influential studio on an international scale.

    One of the designers of props gave us a tour of the different materials that are used. It's impressive that props like chain-link armour are all hand-made, link by link. And with the many layers of props (make-up, clothes, armour) that actors had to wear, we got a feel for how physically demanding it can be for an actor, especially in running or fighting scenes. It was also interesting to learn that jewelery and weapons of main characters are real. Jewelery like 'the One Ring', is made of real gold. And swords were actually made by the master sword smith of the Queen of England. Several of each sword were made, and have almost all been sold for tens of thousands of dollars!

    We were lucky to meet the director of the studio who came to say hi. Despite all of his success, he was very humble and answered any questions we still had. Our guide had explained the history of the studio. He and his wife started making props for a local movie. They were so focused on detail and hardworking that they quickly caught the attention of bigger producers.

    After our tour, we went for a short walk in Victoria park (Mt Victoria), on a hill overlooking the city. We could see the ferries to the South island come in and out. There are many hiking and biking trails here. By pure chance, we ran into Sonny and Anna again (two German girls)! We had met them at Kerosene Creek a week earlier. And on top of that, we realized that we had booked the same ferry as them! It was fun to catch up. Another Lord of the Rings scene was filmed here in the park. When the four hobbits first set out from the Shire, they were pursued by the Black Riders. In Victoria Park, the scene is filmed where Frodo yells, "Get off the road!" and the hobbits hide. We did our best impression.

    We camped two nights in the same spot, overlooking the channel between the North and South islands. It was very peaceful compared to the busyness of the city. We met Luc and Leonie here (also Germans), who we crossed paths with several more times on our journey. That evening we heard our first penguins, hiding in the bushes. An older lady (in her 60s) who lived in her van permanently joined us, got out her smart phone and played penguin noises. And the real penguins responded! It was too funny, unreal =D    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Queen Charlotte Track - Day 1

    December 1, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The Queen Charlotte Track (QCT) stretches 71km from Anakiwa to Ship Cove. The latter is where Captain Cook landed to explore the island.

    Several campsites, including start and finish, are accessible by water. So water taxis make it easy to get dropped off and picked up. They will even transport your bags for you so you don't have to carry them. That was a little much for us (and our budget). Instead we teamed up with Sonny and Anna to shuttle ourselves by car. We shortened the trek to 44.5km, to the furthest road access on the track, Camp Bay. We figured we would have no problem doing it in 2.5 days (3 nights).

    The pictures speak for the scenery. It was very peaceful to hike through the forest with regular views of the Queen Charlotte Sound down below. The company was also great. Sonny and Anna are both really smart and love being in nature. They were both involved in scouts. In short, they were a great match with us and we had lots to talk about.

    The QCT is part of the Te Araroa Trail, the trail from the North to South tip of NZ. We met a guy named Sebastian, who had done the QCT in almost two days. He was unofficially competing with other people we would later meet. People doing the Te Araroa trail log where they stay in guestbooks. Besides being good for safety, it's a fun way for hikers to see how far behind they are other people.

    We also met lots of Weka (the bird, not to be confused with Weta, the insect). We were excited to see them at first. But they are quite used to people and are very quick if you leave any food unattended.

    We were determined to cover some ground the first day. But we hadn't planned enough time to make it straight to the second campsite. So we decided to just camp on the path. It was quiet enough anyway.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Queen Charlotte Track - Day 2

    December 2, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We woke up to weka rustling around in the bushes around our tent. They're real trouble makers. We packed up our tents and walked a small way to a hill-top lookout for breakfast. The view from up there was awesome. And of course, there were more weka to keep us company. A lot of people hike this track, so they are very tame.

    The main trail stuck to the ridge of peninsula. But it was hot and we wanted to cool off in the water. So we found a trail that went down to a resort. It had a lot of homemade statues, among which lama were grazing and chicken roamed free. Hammocks were strung in a few key spots. What a great place. We went for a swim even though the water was chilly and even spotted some jellyfish and a giant seastar! We took a shower on the boat dock and refilled our water before hiking back up to the ridge.

    Signs along the way shared some of the history of the waterways. Besides being important for ferries connecting the North and South islands, the sound was also an important part of Maori transportation. During times of conflict, European ships needed a long time to navigate the sounds. Maori would portage with their canoes through the saddle (a dip in the ridge) to quickly surprise their enemies.

    That evening we stayed in a campsite. The campsites are managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and just consist of flat areas for tents, a long drop toilet and a rainwater tank. We didn't bring a stove (we were eating vegetables raw, soaking oatmeal/rice flakes, and eating canned fish) but we could drink the water after treating it with tablets.

    We met two French girls and shared some food and stories.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Queen Charlotte Track - Day 3

    December 3, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    It was another hot day, and this part of the hike was exposed. We went through another saddle and the climb back onto the ridge was quite tiring. But after that, the rest of the day was mostly downhill.

    We passed some fragrant Mahuka shrubs. They are white flowers from which NZ makes its famous Mahuka honey.

    We had planned to finish the hike and leave the park that day. Instead, we decided to stay one more night at the finish. That way it would be less rushed and we could swim during the heat of the following day. By the time we finished it was already cooling down. We had some drinks at a restaurant at the edge of the water and enjoyed the sunset.

    The following day, we loaded our stuff into Sonny and Anna's convertible. They had been allowed to borrow it from their WWOOF'ing host. We drove the windy coast, with the top down, singing Abba!

    Back at the start, our van was still waiting for us. We jumped into the water from a large dock and lounged on a small floating platform. It was great. We cleaned up our gear and went our separate ways again. It had been nice doing the trip together.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Settling in Motueka

    December 4, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We drove to Nelson to reconnect with the world (get wifi and groceries) and continued to Motueka where we had received a job offer. If all went well, we'd be working at an apple orchard the coming three weeks.

    We found a campsite in the Motueka harbour. This spot is popular for its salt pool. It's a swimming pool built in 1930 (according to one of the volunteers). At high tide, water from the sea flows over the edge into the pool. Every so often during low tide, a volunteer opens a bottom hatch to empty the pool and clean it. Occassionally, small fish even make their way into the pool. The campsite had drinking water and toilets, and being so close to work, this was an ideal spot for us. Enforcement of self-containment was strict here, we saw a few people get caught. And unfortunately, stays were limited to two per month, but we figured if we alternated campsites, we could probably get away with more.

    We quickly figured out the key spots in town. The grocery store, library for internet and power, and the dumping station, for gray water disposal were all nearby. And a self-serve gas station had the best deal on gas. Anything to make earning money as efficient as possible.

    Day 2 of our stay here (Dec 5th) was the eve of Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa Claus). We celebrated with speculaas, tangerines and a hot cup of cocoa and coconut. Mmmm!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Working up a sweat - Apple Thinning

    December 5, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We left early in the morning to make sure we were at our first day of work on time. We weren't sure who we were meeting, so we asked inside the office. A lady asked us to follow her and park in the orchard. She got straight to the point, showing us how the ladders worked to get to the tops of the apple trees.

    Not even five minutes later, she received a call, asking where we were. Apparently we were on the wrong crew. So another guy picked us up and told us to follow him to a different orchard. Oh well, some miscommunication can happen. And it sounded like we'd have an easier job to start with anyway. Great!

    Our first job required us to thin young apple trees. For this job, we didn't need the big ladders needed at the first orchard. We just had a 3-step stool to reach the top of the small trees. The purpose of thinning is to promote growth. At the top, we had to choose the tallest and strongest branch. The rest we broke off. We also took off any apples that were already growing up there. The tree should put all its energy into that top branch.

    After a few days, to take a break from thinning, we did some lopping. Any branches that were hanging on the ground, we cut 0.5m above the ground. That way the lawn mower would be able to get underneath the trees. We alternated tasks to keep it fun.

    Soon, we moved up to the bigger trees. On these, we had to thin about half the apples, so that the remaining apples would get more room and energy to grow. These varieties of apple trees are selected to grow fast and bear the best fruit, but not for strength. If all the fruit were to stay on, or if the trees weren't tied to posts, the trees would snap from its own weight and from the wind.

    We also tied the tree tops to the supporting fence. The fence consists of large posts, with metal wire strung between them at different heights. We tied the tree tops that were tall and strong enough to the wire using small, flexible rubber strings. And as a break, we could cut these strings from large rolls.

    The first few days required quite a bit of focus. But after a bit of practice and muscle memory, we started to listen to audiobooks and podcasts. It's a great combo to do physical work while learning at the same time. And Mike, our supervisor, continuously told us the purpose of each task, either gave constructive feedback or encouragement and kept the work fun.

    We started early (6:00) each day to fit in nine hours of work and to beat the heat of the day. Usually the grass was still wet from the irrigation. So it was a bit of an art to stay warm and keep our feet dry. But as soon as the sun came up over the trees, a hat and t-shirt in our necks was essential to not get burned. In the afternoon it would get very hot, so between breaks we'd each finish a bottle of water. And a stop at the salt pools each day after work was fantastic!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Riwaka Resurgence

    December 10, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We stayed at a campsite near Riwaka Ressurgence for about half the nights while we were working. It's about 10 minutes from Motueka, and quiet enough that people can freely camp there. It was nice to alternate with the Salt Pools.

    Riwaka Ressurgence is a cave spring. Maori attribute healing properties to the ice-cold, crystal clear water. It is very clean, so it is the main water source for Motueka downstream.

    Signs along the trail explain that underground streams collect rainwater from the headlands above. Over time, the slightly acidic rain water has carved its way to the bottom and out the cave.

    The day we visited the stream, it was sunny. The mist hanging over the water, together with the sun rays breaking through the trees, created dramatic effects.

    We brought our bathings suits to go for a quick swim. Mats dove in first, and swam out just as fast! It was freezing! But Jenna didn't believe him, and jumped in next. After cursing her way through the sacred waters, we both sat on the side to warm up again. But quickly the tingling sensation felt great. So we decided to jump in a few more times. Ahh.. refreshing! =D    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Motueka Community Garden

    December 17, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Each Sunday, volunteers could join the community garden. Food from the communal garden would be donated to the local food bank. And more plots in the back were available for people to grow organic food for themselves.

    When we arrived, we were put straight to work. Manure and compost needed to get worked into the soil. And afterwards we did some watering. We also transplanted a few lettuce and pepper plants.

    The main lady in charge gave some practical tips. For example, working backwards when tilling the soil ensures that you don't compact the soil that you already worked. And filling a hole with water before planting lets the roots settle in place better. Drainage has to be good though. We also got some good ideas from walking through the private gardens. To keep netting up with posts, put a pot on the top of each post to prevent the post from poking through the net. In hindsight it's obvious, but without having seen it we would probably have come up with a more complicated solution.

    Just like the community garden in Holland, this community garden was struggling to attract young people. Most people on the organizing committee were in their 60s and 70s and were hoping to retire from the physical work. They appreciated the few hours we contributed and our interest. To thank us for our help, we got as many veggies as we could carry. A head of lettuce, rhubarb, leek, silver beet and more. It was nice to be a small part of the community, even for just a few hours.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Final days in Motueka

    December 24, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    While we were in Motueka, we kept our eyes and ears open for anything going on. We went to the i-Site often for power and wifi. Every Sunday, a community market was held there. Some local fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts and much more was sold there. It was fun to just wonder around.

    We also found a great Fish and Chips store, BK's. The servings were massive and the fish delicious.

    Our car battery continued to deteriorate. So we asked Mike, our supervisor, for a recommended shop to go to. Since Mike is a regular customer, we got a good deal from a local mechanic, and he installed it for free! And on top of that, we learned how to do it.

    For Christmas, we also decided to go to the movies. The theatre in Motueka is right across from the community garden. We went in early to buy our tickets, in case it would fill up. The theatre is small and cozy. There were some technical problems with the 3D but after a few tweaks, the owner got it running smooth. A jack of all trades. We saw the new Star Wars!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Last day of Work & Merry Christmas!

    December 25, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    It's strange celebrating Christmas in New Zealand. The weather is hot and people have BBQ's instead of Turkey dinners. But Santa is still dressed for -20°C and snowman decorations hang in the grocery store.

    At work, Mike organized a BBQ for all the employees. We had sausages on the grill, chips and drinks. We made a salad to share, and another worker shared a big bag of kiwi's from a friend who worked on a kiwi farm. It was our last day of work, so it was also a nice farewell lunch. We enjoyed joking and sharing with the people that we otherwise had only seen occasionally in the lunchroom. And it was interesting to hear from Mike what the following months would look like, especially harvesting and packing the apples.

    We got ready for Christmas. We asked around to see if we could volunteer at a community Christmas event. A Christmas lunch, organized by the Salvation Army, was happy to have us on board. We bought some christmas crackers (the ones you pull on both ends and pop), reindeer antlers and an elf hat. We went to a meeting for the Christmas lunch to meet the organizers and learn our role.

    On Christmas day itself, we first went to Church. The mass was informal, with lots of interesting stories. A man reading scripture was wearing a half-unbuttoned, tropical dress shirt. The pastor, who had retired several years before, was still admired in the town and came back for the special celebration. He told the story of a boy who's birthday was stolen. A rich classmate always had his birthday party on the same day. All his friends went to the rich kid's house because he would bribe them with presents! When the boy complained that it wasn't fair, the irony of the story was revealed. Jesus' birthday, and the real meaning of Christmas, has also been 'stolen' by Santa Claus and all the presents he gives each year.

    We manned the stations at the Christmas lunch. People slowly started to fill the seats. One table was reserved for Maori chiefs and guards who stood outside to protect the "marai" (community house or place). In the kitchen, volunteers were busy preparing each of the courses. One-by-one we would bring them out to the tables that we were assigned. We got to know the people a bit and helped clean up. During the main course, we could go to the volunteer table and eat as well. There was more than plenty! A local musician played guitar, the mayor gave his greetings and thanks and a Samoan accapella group gave us a traditional performance. It was nice to chat with some of the other volunteers and feel part of the community. Everyone was sent off with a little Christmas cake. After cleaning up the hall, we were off too. After three weeks in Motueka, we could get back to exploring!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Abel Tasman National Park - Wainui Bay

    December 26, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    We had left the Christmas party and planned to go straight to Abel Tasman. We drove up the hills, past Hawkes Lookout, which we had visited before. Just when we started to descend into the valley on the other side, the road was blocked by police and firefighters. An abandoned van was leaking diesel and made the road slick, right in a hairpin bend. Poor guys, being called out on Christmas day. A small lookout point overlooked the action on one side, and the wide valley on the other side.

    We parked late in the parking lot at the start of next day's hike. Other campgrounds in the area were more like resorts, and charged like it too. A rough, dirt road led to the parking lot, and we figured we could stay there. But unfortunately, a ranger knocked the following morning. Oops! We were lucky to get away with just a warning.

    We had planned the day to do the hike at low tide. An exposed mudflat was dotted with small holes, dug by crabs. Most of the hike was along the beach, and accasionally we had to hop over big boulders covered in small mussles. They would flood at high tide. We had to climb up to highground a few times, but then slowly decended through a forest again. At the end of the hike, a large headland marked where a large Maori settlement had stood. It was called "Taupo Pa" and was already influenced by Europeans in 1844. The clearings of the village were still visible. We spotted shags for the first time. They look a little like penguins but they fly.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler
    2

    Abel Tasman North - Anapai & Mutton Cove

    December 26, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We drove to the other side of the peninsula, to Totaranui. This small town/campsite is named after the Totara trees, another giant tree, that line the driveway. It's always busy here because it marks the official end of the Abel Tasman Great Walk, one of NZ's most popoular hikes. But, because of Christmas and the start of the NZ "summer holidays" for schools, it was extra busy. We intended to hike a trail that was a bit further out and quieter, in the hopes that we could still score a camping spot. As we feared, it was fully booked.

    It was a significant hike to the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. But we figured we could easily make it there and back before the park closed. And leaving our camping gear in the van, we would be much lighter. Our timing was good. Because the tide was out, we could take a shortcut by wading across the river. It was a really cool way to start the track.

    The Abel Tasman Great Walk is known for it's beautiful bays. On the hike to the tip of the peninsula, the bays were no less spectacular. The majority of the track went through forest, but occasionally the trees opened to reveal a great view of the coastline below. And several times, the track went over the beach itself. All the campsites were along the beach and they were definitely full. In hindsight we were glad that we didn't stay. We also saw more shags hanging out on the edge of the surf.

    As we moved past the popular camping spots, the trail got rougher, including a scramble over a beach of boulders. But after a while, our efforts were rewarded. As we neared the lighthouse, the cliffs became steep and the wind was fierce. We thought we heard lots of seals barking. But as we came around the corner, we realized that the noise was coming from a speaker system. Plastic gannets were propped up on the rocks, and the sound system imitated their calls. We were fooled. Apparently the gannets were falling for it too. A real gannet (which is quite rare) flew by overhead. The hope is that gannets will colonize the rocks where they can be protected by the rangers.

    We ate the supper we had packed and hiked back to the van. The tide was up again, so we had to hike around the river mouth this time. On the home stretch it started to rain, a little extra motivation to walk fast. But we were back with plenty of time to spare before the park closed. That night it poured, so we had gotten lucky with the great weather during the hike and not tenting!    Read more

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    Cape Farewell & Wharariki Beach

    December 27, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We camped along a river that night. It's the last freedom camping spot before the Northern peninsula, Cape Farewell. It poured that evening so we hid in the van. But as we were eating, a familiar face walked by. Luc! We had met him and Leonie in Wellington and had met again by chance near Blenheim. After having been in one place for 3 weeks while working, it was really surprising to run into them again. But it was nice to catch up. They were waiting for an electronic dance music festival around New Year's. And they had some time to kill, so we decided to do Cape Farewell together the following day.

    In the morning we got each other excited about jumping in the river. It was very cold, almost as numbing as Riwaka Resurgence. We swam a quick circle and ran out to dry off, warm up in the sun and eat some breakfast. It was still a long drive to Cape Farewell, so we set off right away.

    Cape Farewell has a lighthouse to warn boats sailing in the straight between NZ's North and South islands. The hills are rugged and wind-blown, resembling Scotland. The hills are fenced off for sheep, but a trail cuts across for people to explore the coastline. At the top of a hill was a great view of Farewell Spit. It's a huge sandbank that trails off towards the horizon. This sandback archs towards the mainland and shelters Golden Bay. At low tide, this bay falls dry and many people go out to collect shellfish. Unfortunately, sometimes a pod of hundreds of whales also swim into the Bay and can get caught by a fast falling tide. Whenever this hits the news, many locals rush out to save the beached whales by keeping them wet and trying to get them back into deeper water. But still several hundred die at a time. Not enough is known about them but it could be that the whales' sonar is disrupted, either by the low sand bank or by an offshore drilling rig. Hopefully more research can protect them in the future.

    Further in the distance we could even see the islands that include the Queen Charlotte Sound. Interestingly, Mt Taranaki on the North Island is not far off from where we were. But it was just a little too hazy to see it on the horizon.

    Just around the corner was another spot we wanted to explore, Wharariki Beach. It is famous for its eroded rocks that stand with their feet in the shallow water. During an extremely low tide, you can walk right out to them. But when we were there the waves were rolling, carving away at their base. As we walked along the beach, an opening became visible in the large rocks, a large tunnel that had washed straight through, similar to Cathedral Cove on the North island. Awesome.

    The water was completely covered in little jelly bubbles. And at the center of each bubble was a bright blue dot. It was really strange. There wasn't a clear bit of water to walk in. The "slime" was everywhere. It turns out that they were jellyfish eggs. It was incredible how many there were. We explored more along the beach and found several caves along the beach. A few seals were also hanging out. After a long walk on the beach, we made our way back through the dunes to the van, and eventually the same campsite again.

    When we started up the laptop the following day, we were surprised by a familiar image. The large rocks with their eroded cave tunnels was set as our background! And the lock screen had another picture of the same rocks from inside the cave. If you have Windows 10, check it out for yourself.    Read more

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    Rawhiti Cave

    December 28, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We went for one more dip in the river and after exchanging some tips of places to see, we said goodbye to Luc and Leonie.

    We were going to Rawhiti cave. A 1km hike along a dry riverbed and then a 1km steep scramble up rocks and tree roots brought us to the entrance. It was a huge opening compared to the previous caves we had seen. But if it wasn't for the trail, you would never find it in the dense forest. The name Rawhiti, which we confused with "Rafiki" from the Lion King, means sunrise.

    A wooden platform allowed you to walk into the large dome shaped cave. From here we got a great view of the depths below, and the almost artistic ceiling, with every possible area covered by stalagtites. Several towers (stalagmites) were forming where the water fell on the floor. We learned about two other cave features here. A gour (rimstone) is a dam that holds a puddle of water. As the water rises, a thin film slowly flows over the dam. As the water flows, more CO2 escapes, and more calcite is deposited on the dam, making it grow.

    But even more unique is a phenomena called phytokarst. Because enough sunlight enters the cave, different types of plants can grow here. At the edge of the cave, flowering plants can live. But as you walk into the cave, less light is available and ferns dominate. Where the ferns end, only mosses covering the rocks are seen. But even deeper into the cave, where it's even too dark for moss, the rocks are coloured by different algae. These plants grow towards the light. But as they do, calcium is still deposited by water droplets. This causes the stalagtites to bend towards the light! It almost looks like the rocks are alive and trying to crawl out of the darkness. Awesome! Rawhiti cave is unique because of the large number of phytokarst that you can see.    Read more

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    Cape Foulwind

    December 29, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    We drove back to Motueka. The rugged North doesn't connect well to the West coast. But it was nice to visit the salt pools one more time. We spent the night high up in the hills, with a great view of sunset. It's one of the few mountain passes that connect the majority of South Island to its West coast. The West coast gets hit hardest by rain and wind. This is also where the terrain is steepest, New Zealand's "Southern Alps". And blackflies are worse here than anywhere else in the country. For these reasons, the fewest people live here, but it's also the most beautiful.

    The first place we came to on the coast was Cape Foulwind. Abel Tasman originally called it Rocky Cape. But James Cook renamed it for the strong winds that blew him off course. Even the first explorers were not particularly impressed with these lands.

    We drove to the headland, but instead of visiting the popular lighthouse at the top, we climbed down. A long beach that was wide due to low tide was closed in by a steep cliff face. Big boulders and limestone ridges made it a scenic walk. But the highlight were two large cave tunnels carved through the layered rock. Because of the ebbing tide, we could walk straight through.

    Once we were through the caves, we scrambled over more boulders until we came to another small beach. A waterfall was trickling down the cliff on one side. And on the other side, the rock wall cut into the sea. We couldn't explore further than that. But it was a nice place to go for a swim and enjoy the isolated spot in the sun. Our own private beach, real paradise.

    On the way back, we spotted lots of large mussels. So we grabbed as many as we could carry. They were going on the stove tonight. We caught so many, we needed to split them over two pots. Yum!

    We heard about a seal colony on the other side of the headland. So we drove around and did a short walking trail. The view down into a protected crevasse gave us a peek into their undisturbed lives, swimming, playing, relaxing. And the views along the coast were great!    Read more

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    Pancake rocks & Motukiekie Beach

    December 30, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The hard winds and salty waters really batter the West coast. The relentless "Roaring Forties" are strong winds blowing from the West. And the Tasman Sea is known for its rough waters. When you walk along the coast you really notice how the weather carves the land like butter.

    For the most part we got lucky and enjoyed great weather. But this day, we were disappointed that the weather was "too nice"! We were going to Punakaiki, or "Pancake Rocks". Beautifully layered rocks have been eroded to expose well defined horizontal lines, like a stack of pancakes.

    Caves and tunnels have bored into the soft rock. And at high tide, waves roll through the narrow channels and their echos rumble up the rock walls. Ideally, the occasional large wave will have so much momentum that the water is forced up through a blowhole! During our visit the weather was "too nice" because even though it was high tide, the sea was too calm to create the explosive water spouts. We could only imagine. We did admire the large bunches of kelp that clung to the rocks, swaying back and forth with each wave. The walk was educational, teaching about different native trees and shrubs. In particular, the NZ flax plant is a key part of the ecosystem and has provided the Maori with an invaluable resource for weaving baskets and clothes, and for creating rope.

    We continued our drive and got out for a long walk along Motukiekie Beach. It's hidden under a large cliff from the main road above. It's a gem. The beach is very flat and wide, causing long, rolling waves. The rock plateaus are a haven for sealife. They're completely covered in mussles. Water flows back and forth, with the waves and the tides, through small channels. Huge starfish huddle together on the water's edge. And squishy anemones wave their little tentacles in shallow pools.

    All sorts of rock statues have survived the elements and we explored more tunnels and arches all along the walk. In particular, a large archway with a big "window" above it was most memorable. These smoothed out boulders, covered in moss should be recognized as "most comfortable rocks in the world". And a rope hanging out of a rock tunnel let us explore a hidden waterfall coming down the cliff. Incredible, what a day!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Hokitika Gorge, Lake Kaniere & New Years

    December 31, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    New Year's Eve and it's the first bad day of weather in a while. We drove away from the coast to explore the river flowing through the Hokitika Gorge. On nice days, the water is turqoise coloured from all the glacial silt. But that day it was so gray that the water was a milky white. It rained hard and we got soaked, despite our rain jackets. Every hundred meters or so, another waterfall was adding to the flow of the river. It was very dramatic.

    We didn't hang around long but instead decided to head toward our campsite for the night. On the way, on a small backroad in the middle of nowhere, a pair of hikers along the road looked like drowned rats. We stopped to see if they needed a lift. They had hiked for four days through the bush along a poorly marked trail. No one we picked up had been so happy about getting a ride! With no cell reception, it would've meant another 15km walk for them through heavy rain.

    In the afternoon, we got a bit of a dry break. We went to check out a large waterfall. The base was only 100m from the carpark. But NZ Frenzy (our off the beaten path guide book) recommended scrambling up the steep hillside, over rocks and roots, to get a view from the top. From there, a second stage of the waterfall was even more impressive. In the picture, you can see the second stage in the distance.

    We hid in the van in the evening and had to cook our dinner inside. We prepared a special treat, spaghetti and shrimp. We normally went to bed with the setting sun, but we made an effort to stay up for the start of 2018. We changed into dry clothes and played some Fjord under our Christmas lighting. Fitting, since we were on our way to Fjordland.

    New Year's eve isn't celebrated much by locals, especially outside the big cities. Kiwis come to the West coast to relax. They much prefer a quiet evening with a glass of whiskey over a large social event. And private fireworks are technically not legal. So we hadn't expected much. But to our surprise, at midnight, despite the rain, two groups of partiers lit fireworks at the campsite anyway. And our van was perfectly aligned to watch the show through our windshield and backwindow. Awesome! Happy New Years!!!

    The campground was by Lake Kaniere, a popular lake for water activities. The weather cleared up the following morning and we went for a new year's dip. Refreshing, but of course, nowhere near as cold as Jan 1st Polar dips in the Northern hemisphere ;)    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Franz Josef Glacier

    January 1, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We spent the first day of the new year at a much anticipated place: the Franz Josef Glacier. We quickly hurried through the overly touristic Franz Josef town and made our way up the road to the glacier. This road follows the glacial river. The valley is filled with beautifully blooming (red) Southern Rata trees.

    Along the road, signs marked the extent of the glacier in the past, and we still had a few kilometers to drive! A sign at the start of the hike showed how quickly it has receded, especially in the last 150 years. Back then, the glacier filled the valley. Now vegetation was filling the newly available land. Different stages of forest growth, from moss to shrubs to trees, show how long it has been since the glacial retreat. Young, light green forest is 50 years old, whereas the red rata only dominates between 120-200 years after the retreat. After 200 years it is taken over by more mature, dark forest. Very interesting, and making the "timeline" visible.

    But more dramatic was the hike itself. The glacial river was filled with small icebergs, chunks of ice that continuously break off the glacier. The trail to the base of the glacier was quite long, especially considering that the parking lot used to be covered in a thick sheet of ice. And the Department of Conservation continuously has to extend the trail to keep up with the receding glacier. When we got to the end, we were disappointed by how small it was. In this case, we weren't being snobby tourists with too high expectations of an attraction. It's a testament to how little ice is left.

    Most shocking was the sign at the start of the hike, installed in 2010, which asked, "Will this be Franz Josef Glacier in 2100?" The picture looked eerily similar to the view we had at that moment. It's only been 7 years.. Unfortunately the only question left asking here is when Franz Josef Glacier will disappear completely.

    On a side note, we had a surprise guest when we returned back to the parking lot, a Kea! A rare alpine parrot. In the winter time, when their food, flowers and insects, becomes scarce they can be quite mischievous and destructive. They eat people's windshield wipers and dig through people's bags. Regardless, they are a beautiful bird with green feathers and orange under their wings. Luckily, the Department of Conservation tracks their movement, warns travelers to keep an eye out and protects their habitat.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Gillespies Beach Campsite

    January 1, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Freedom camping is not allowed in Franz Josef Glacier National Park, which basically covers all of Southwestern NZ. And the narrow strip of land between mountains and ocean almost doesn't have any campsites. Just Franz Josef town and Fox Glacier town have "resorts" where we could have an unpowered campsite (aka parking spot), for $30. We decided to take our chances at the only rural campsite, a 30km gravel driveway to the ocean. It was probably one of our best decisions. We were warned about an incoming storm and swell of up to 3m. If it hadn't been for a lack of a more convenient campsite, we probably would have missed it.

    Just on the other side of the dunes, a beach of smooth pebbles stretched endlessly in both directions. We watched huge waves crashing onto the beach, sitting just outside the reach of the white wash. The sun was setting where land met ocean, and behind us the mountains were lit up a soft hue.

    After watching for a while, Mats went down to the water's edge. The waves were intimidating. The occasional big wave sent a flood of water and pebbles against your ankles. But the rush of getting close, skipping some flat rocks, and outrunning the waves was great. The best part was getting down low, and as the waves exploded, "doing the wave" alongside it. The spray of the breaking waves seemed to hover in slow motion in front of the setting sun. Ahh..

    That night, Mats dreamed of waves. We could hear the pebbles rolling as the sea retreated, followed by one huge wave after another cracking open on the rocks. With each wave, his hands shot up in the air, "doing the wave". Haha what a rush!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Fox Glacier & Haast Past Part 1

    January 2, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We made our way back to Fox Glacier town. On the way, a short walk along mirror lake provided nice views of the mountains in the distance. Unfortunately, it was a bit too cloudy to identify the peaks. Fox glacier definitely stood out though.

    When we got closer, and did the hike to the foot of the glacier, its story was similar to Franz Josef. It was disappointing how far it has retreated. Much of the glacier is covered in rocks and glacial silt. It probably makes it melt faster, with the dark surface absorbing more light.

    The clouds cleared up, and the drive along the coast to Haast was beautiful. From here the Haast Pass connects the coast with the lake towns, Wanaka and Queenstown. A stop along the road led through a forest with mistletoe. At the end, a cold glacial river gave us a refreshing swim.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Haast Past - Part 2

    January 2, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Haast Pass has many short pull offs to see different waterfalls. One seemed to magically come out of the forest and plunge into a deep pool, the popular Thundercreek Falls. At another stop, people had built countless Inukshuks (stone stacks). Of course, we built one too, overlooking the Fantail waterfall in the back.

    The scenery all along the drive was awesome. But when we arrived at Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea around sunset, the views were breathtaking. We found a freedom camping area at a gravel flat by Lake Hawea. We could pull right up to the water's edge and enjoy the views over the lake. And in the morning, a refreshing swim was first on the agenda!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Wanaka Town & Wildfire

    January 3, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We recharged in Wanaka, a cute town nestled in the mountains. It was busy, but somehow it still felt relaxed. Maybe it was because it wasn't dominated by tourist shops trying to sell you stuff. We got some groceries, and connected back with the world at the library. We sat in the park to enjoy a simple lunch.

    That's when we noticed smoke. A wildfire had started in the hills above the town! It's as if wildfires have followed us around the world. First the grassfires in Portugal and Spain, then the forest fires in the Rockies and California. Later it stumped our plans to visit Fraser Island in Australia and now in New Zealand. Crazy! Helicopters started dumping water from Lake Wanaka on the flames. When we returned the following day, everything was under control again.

    We decided to head into the mountains towards Rob Roy. It was a 30km drive over pretty rough gravel road (washboard). We're surprised we didn't rattle off any van parts. The van did squeal a bit because of all the dust. But luckily it wasn't permanent. We parked along the glacial river that came from the Rob Roy glacier and camped there that night.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Queenstown & The Remarkables

    January 6, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We made our way from Wanaka to Queenstown. On the way, there was a nice, quiet freedom campsite on Lake Hayes. It was a nice base to explore the surroundings, without staying in busy Queenstown.

    We walked a loop around Kelvin peninsula. It's a great place to watch the Jet Boats and Hydro Attack Shark Boats skim by through the Queenstown Harbour. And it's mostly flat along the water, so it was a peaceful walk.

    Next we drove up the Remarkables, several peaks that dominate the skyline from Queenstown. It was a steep climb in the van. In the winter this is a ski resort. But while we were there, there was no snow to be found. Instead, Mats climbed to the top of the hill to get views of the valley below.

    From here, Queenstown sprawled along the river, between the mountains and Lake Wakatipu. In the foreground, Kelvin Heights and the peninsula stand out like a lone hill. Lake Wakatipu itself stretched out in the distance to Glenorchy (where we would go the following day). The views were mesmerizing.

    That evening we returned to Lake Hayes. At dusk, a surprise came out of the bushes. A small hedgehog was wiggeling its way through the grass, hoping to score a tasty snack. When we spotted him, he quickly ran to hide under the van.    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Historic Mining town & Glenorchy Drive

    January 7, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We drove along Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy. This is a prime example of, "The journey is the destination." The entire winding drive along the lakeshore was beautiful. It helped that the weather was great. The sunlight made the lake glow an amazing blue-green.

    Several stops along the way gave us a history lesson in the mining past of the area and more great scenery. The first stop was the Mt Crichton Look Track. Here early settlers mined for gold. Channels carved into the rocks, and even carved through the rocks, enabled waste rock from the mining to be disposed in the river. Crawling through the dry channel let to a beautiful hidden waterfall. On top of the hill, a historic hut of a miner showed what life was like back then.

    Bob's Cove was another trail off the main road. A walk to the top of the headland gave stunning views back down the peninsula and the beautiful waters below.

    We continued as far as we could for the day and parked our van along the lake. Before going to bed, a refreshing dip in the cold waters was great after hiking for much of the day. And the following morning we did the same. Great start to the day!    Read more

  • Mats and JennaWorld Trip 2017-18Traveler

    Scheelite Historic Mine & ReesDart Track

    January 8, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Beside gold, settlers also mined for Scheelite (Calcium Tungstate for the chemists). Swedes actually first called the rock Tungsten, which the element was later named after. It's a white rock that is very hard. It's often found together with gold, so mining for both resources went hand-in-hand.

    Mining work was very volatile. During war, hard scheelite was in high demand because it could be used in armour plates and big gun barrels. But after the war, prices dropped too low to continue mining it profitably.

    We went for a hike to one of these old Scheelite mines. We first saw the processing area. Water was channeled down a pipe to turn a turbine. The mechanical power moved the machinery directly (no electricity). Different crushers, shaking tables, a rotating drum and washing bins separated the scheelite from ore. The engineer in me got excited again.

    An old bulldozer had been left behind. Back to work! Ore was dug from tunnels and moved by mining carts over rails. Ore was dumped in big piles. One rail went right over the edge of a cliff and stopped abruptly. It looked like a mistake. But we later learned that this is how they disposed of waste rock. "Bye!"

    We drove through the town of Glenorchy. Someone was building a Tiny House in a vacant lot. Cool! Unfortunately we didn't meet them. But it was interesting to see the frame almost fully built. We stopped by the Mrs. Wooly General Store. It's an old fashioned looking store selling eco-friendly products. And right behind it a new eco-village was being built, with really forward thinking resource and waste management ideas. Sweet area!

    Mats did a hike later that afternoon, along the Rees-Dart track. It's named after the two rivers that flow down to Lake Wakatipu from the mountains. Mats hiked along the Dart River. It had great views of the mountains surrounding the mountain, particularly Mt Earnslaw. And looking up the valley you could see the glaciers feeding the rivers.    Read more

    Trip end
    January 8, 2018
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