• Isi Schwingen
  • Jake Searle
  • Isi Schwingen
  • Jake Searle

Jake and Isi in Middle-Earth

New Zealand Leia mais
  • Dinners with Jörg

    3 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Dinners at our wwoofing place with Jörg were always amazing. We have never eaten so much fancy food EVER. 5* Restaurant worthy. It'll be hard to go back to van life and van meals again!
    On the pictures are pasties made by Jake, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Gateau) made by Jörg and Nadine and Apple Strudel made by Isi.Leia mais

  • Bush Creek

    4 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The Bush Creek Walk in Arrowtown was not quite what we expected. We weren't prepared for all the river crossings we had to do but managed to cross on four different occasions until we got to a bit where we couldn't cross the river anymore. Although we had to turn around it was a fun walk.
    Can you find the goat in the 5th picture? 🐐
    Leia mais

  • Working for Jörg

    10 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Here are a few pictures of our wwoofing experience at Jörg's place and his distillery Broken Heart Spirits.
    Jake was doing quite a bit of plumbing work in and around the house and the distillery. Isi was working in the garden a lot pruning roses, weeding and planting sunflowers. Sometimes we also helped out in the distillery; bottling gin, checking bottles or even cutting loads of rhubarb for the rhubarb gin.Leia mais

  • Arrow River

    15 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Jörg's daugther Anna took us down to a "secret" swimming spot on the Arrow River. It wasn't that secret but definitely beautiful. We went there quite a few times as it's a perfect spot to go for a swim after a day of work in the sun. It's even got a small river rapid.Leia mais

  • Queenstown Hill II

    20 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Three days after we hiked up Queenstown Hill we did it again. The morning of the second hike we woke up to snow on top of the mountains. We thought it was summer?! 🤔
    The mountains looked real pretty with a snowy top though 🏔️Leia mais

  • Nevis Bungy Isi

    21 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Woooooo 🐥 we did it again!
    The Ben Nevis Bungy Jump is NZ's highest bungy jump. It's 134 m high. The free fall lasts 6-8 seconds.
    It was so much fun! I was quite nervous standing at the edge but it was so good and definitely worth it.Leia mais

  • Cromwell

    23 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We drove from Arrowtown to Cromwell to see our friends Philipp and Nenna for the day. We got some beer and took them to the river. Afterwards we all briefly saw our friend Bastian and then got curry. While we waited for our food we had a look at possibly Cromwells only attraction, the big fruit sculpture.Leia mais

  • Coronet Peak Mountain Biking

    24 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    The trails on Coronet Peak have been on Jake's bucket list of trails to ride since the Anthill film Follow Me featured two of his favourite riders, Gee Atherton and the late great Chainsaw or Steve Smith riding the trails in and around Queenstown. I can definitely say that the trails not only live up to the expectations I had for them but also blow them clear out of the water! Fantastic trails.Leia mais

  • Doubtful Sound - Day 1

    27 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We did an overnight tour on the MS Fjordland Navigator in the Doubtful Sound.
    We started in Manapouri where we took a boat across Lake Manapouri. From there a bus took us over the Wilmot Pass to our overnight cruise ship.
    It was a rainy day which doesn't sound great at the start but made for some amazing waterfalls in the sounds. Most of the waterfalls you can see in the pictures are only temporary ones and wouldn't have been there without the rain.
    The whole tour was really amazing with lots of beautiful views, amazing food and nice people like Kelcie, Anna and Matt.
    Leia mais

  • Doubtful Sound - Kayaking

    27 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    As the ship continued up the Sound the weather started to clear up. We went all the way to the Nee Islets at the end of the Sound where we saw some seals hanging out on rocks. We then turned around and went into the Bradshaw Sound where we were lucky enough to meet a pod of dolphins. 🐬
    We then continued on to Precipice Cove where we dropped anchor for the night and then took the kayaks out for a paddle. It was really cool to explore the Sounds that way.
    After the kayaking we went for a polar plunge. We jumped off the boat into the 9.5°C cold water. Refreshing! ❄️
    Afterwards we had dinner from a really good buffet and an interesting presentation about the sounds.
    Leia mais

  • Doubtful Sound - Day 2

    28 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    We had an early start the next day. After we got woken up around 6.15am we had breakfast and sailed towards Hall Arm. There we stopped and the engine and generator were turned off. It was so quiet and still and really amazing to just listen to the natural sounds around you.
    From there we went back to Deep Cove and then all the way back to Manapouri.
    It was an amazing cruise and we would totally recommend doing it!
    Leia mais

  • Gertrude Saddle

    29 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    The hike up to Gertrude Saddle is said to be the hardest day hike in NZ. It's about 12km there and back, with some very steep rock slabs that are treacherous in the rain and an elevation of 650m. We however had perfect weather conditions and thought it probably one of the best hikes we have done since we arrived in New Zealand.
    The start of the track winds through the Gertrude Valley and had not one but two river crossings. The water was icy cold! After that it got a bit steeper and more rocky. At the end of the valley the path started to wind up the steep side of the mountain picking our own paths between the trail markers. We hiked and scrambled over rocks and then had to go up granite rock slabs. The hike took us up past the snow line and we even got to make some snowballs. Just before the summit we stopped at the Black Lake. The view at the top was amazing and well worth the hike. You can even see the Milford Sound in the distance.
    Leia mais

  • Sawpit Gully

    31 de janeiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After our trip to Fjordland we stopped past Jörg's again where we stayed for another three nights. It was really lovely to see everyone again.
    On Sunday we decided to go into Arrowtown and do the Sawpit Gully Track. It was a nice 3 hour loop with a little detour for a picture of a German up on German Hill, a geocache and beautiful views over Arrowtown, the Arrow River and Lake Hayes.Leia mais

  • Mueller Hut Track I

    3 de fevereiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    The Mueller Hut is an overnight hut in the Mount Cook area. We decided to do the track as a one day hike and it took us just under 6 hours. The first half of the track goes up to the Sealy Tarns viewpoint. This part of the track was rather difficult as it only consisted of steep stairs (round about 2000 steps). After a nice break enjoying the view we headed up the second half of the Mueller Hut track. This part of the track was quite steep as well but more fun. When we first arrived at the ridge line we were in awe with the stunning views.Leia mais

  • Mueller Hut Track II

    3 de fevereiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    After getting to the ridge line of Mount Sealy it was only another 15-20 minute walk to the Mueller Hut. We passed quite a few snow patches and even had to walk through a few. At the Hut we enjoyed our lunch and even saw an avalanche (you can see it on the last picture). Whilst we were enjoying our lunch the mountains were alive with the sound of falling snow. It starts as a small rumble and develops into a deafening cacophony of noise only to find out that what seems a small amount of snow has moved.Leia mais

  • Omarama Clay Cliffs

    4 de fevereiro de 2021, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    On our way from Mount Cook back to Wanaka we stopped in Omarama to visit the Paritea Clay Cliffs. The Cliffs were created out of layers of silt and gravel deposited by ancient glaciers around 20 million years ago. These layers were compressed and then up-lifted by geological activity in the area. As the high points began to be eroded pinnacles were left behind.Leia mais