Home » New Zealand » Asia Tour 1999-2000: New Zaeland

Fed up with after not even two years of employment I decided to quit my job and go travelling for a few months. This travelogue is a personal account of the trip, but it also includes some general information on things to do and places to go. It was the first time I travelled on my own, but as it turned out, travelling on my own did not mean travelling alone...

Asia Tour 1999-2000: New Zaeland

Andreas Mayer
2005-12-04 12:10:56

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and we had a good time just talking about NZ. She told me where she was going for drinks that night but I did not feel like going to meet her and her friends on my own. Tomorrow off to Milford sound which should be good.

21/2/00

Milford sounds was a bit disappointing as it rained hard the whole day and there were hardly any views. Did not really talk to anyone on the boat, most of the people were elderly tourists, but got thoroughly drenched. Quiet impressive waterfalls though dropping thousands of feet of cliff faces down into the sea, we went up close to one of them and was impressed by the power of the air that is generated where the water hits the sea.

Back at Te Anau found that Becky, the American girl I had met in QT, was staying in my room, and we cooked dinner together. Met Heike in the backpackers as well as Scottish girl Ann (from Nelson). Went out for beers with some American guys, who talked about the money here is on salmon fishing in Alaska, but I was tired and soon went back.

Next day set off with Heike on the Kepler trek, cloudy sky but no rain. Walked through beautiful tropical rain forest along the lakeshore, then upward towards Luxmore hut. Hut too busy so we decided to check out the caves nearby. As we only had once torch between us we did not venture far inside the cave but instead waited for some other guys to come along. Soon Nick and Kasaki came along, Australian and a Japanese guy who we were to spend the rest of the trek with. Together we went deep into the cave, proper caving actually as at times we had to crawl on hands and knees through the stream to get to the next bigger bit. That night was terrible as the Japanese guy was snoring so badly that I had to go and sleep in the kitchen.

Next day had beautiful weather for the alpine crossing, climbing to Mt. Luxmore and then descending to Iris Fall Hut ...