After picking up our motor and stocking up with supplies we began our perilous journey in to the very heart of Middle Earth.
The first port of call was Hamner Springs, nestled just into the east of the mountains. A great little town surrounded by snow capped mountains (we would be seeing a lot more of those over the next few days). Plenty to do there, Bungy jumping (yes I did :)), white water rafting (tick) , jetboat trip through river valley and rapids (check) and of course, spending a couple of hours resting in the natural hot water springs (40 degrees plus!). The pools were lovely, I lost Mike at one point, only to find him chatting up two girls (typical) from the UK - Fiona and Helen.
After all that I finally got to drive the van (and home for the next week) and typically it was chucking down with snow and we were heading further and higher into the mountains over one of the most treacherous roads on the south island, w00t! The drive was fantastic, even had to use the snow chains for a couple of hours! (gave Mike a stinking headache - but I enjoyed it). After that snow filled journey we were left to find shelter in a small coastal town called Westport, where we were told that the road we had just crossed over had been shut behind us!
So I leave you there, sit rep: cold, 19'000km from home, trapped on the west coast with a mountain range and several hundred clicks between us and our eventual exit.
The first port of call was Hamner Springs, nestled just into the east of the mountains. A great little town surrounded by snow capped mountains (we would be seeing a lot more of those over the next few days). Plenty to do there, Bungy jumping (yes I did :)), white water rafting (tick) , jetboat trip through river valley and rapids (check) and of course, spending a couple of hours resting in the natural hot water springs (40 degrees plus!). The pools were lovely, I lost Mike at one point, only to find him chatting up two girls (typical) from the UK - Fiona and Helen.
After all that I finally got to drive the van (and home for the next week) and typically it was chucking down with snow and we were heading further and higher into the mountains over one of the most treacherous roads on the south island, w00t! The drive was fantastic, even had to use the snow chains for a couple of hours! (gave Mike a stinking headache - but I enjoyed it). After that snow filled journey we were left to find shelter in a small coastal town called Westport, where we were told that the road we had just crossed over had been shut behind us!
So I leave you there, sit rep: cold, 19'000km from home, trapped on the west coast with a mountain range and several hundred clicks between us and our eventual exit.
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1 comment:
May I remind you that these blogs could be monitored by your travel insurance provider. Poisonious spiders, swimming in croc infested waters, winding-up Australians in bars, driving through snowed up mountain passes, bungy-jumping, white-water rapid canoeing, flying Qantas, and getting drunk with a load of Croatians. And your only just halfway through your trek! You might want to play with the bears in the forest, Tom, whilst in Canada. At least the USA is a safe place???
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