New Zealand - November 1 - February 1

November 2

So now we are in Auckland - 16 hours earlier than Toronto and 10 than Poland. Just had a long nigh sleep at Iwona&Roman's /friends of Elisa/ in one of the city suburbs. I have a cold that has been tormenting me for a couple of days and the hassle of packing and travelling only intensified the symptoms, so I was happy to lay my aching body in a comfy bed and stay in it for over 12 hours. Yesterday Iwona and her 13 years old daughter Natalia picked us up from the airport and drove here where we also met her husband Igor and another daughter -ten year old Wanda. Kamila has a company at last! We slept in Natalia's room which she generously sacrificed - she moved Wanda's. Today I'm continuing my battle with the bug. My weapons: rest, aspirin, tea with honey and lemon. The latter I pick up from the garden in the backyard. Kamila is watching the first part of the Lord of the Rings - it was right here on the shelf and the tv screen is big enough to enjoy it. Tomorrow I'm planning to explore the city and do errands. First, cancel our return tickets to Australia and get the promised refund. The story is:  while going through the check-in in Sydney, it turned out that our next connecting flight from Adelaide is not enough to let us in to NZ - we needed to show a returning ticket from NZ which I was going to buy on-line later; the only thing then we could do was to purchase tickets immediately, which we did for almost $800 each; now we have to cancel them and get a refund minus $55 cancellation fee. And thus we added $110 to Quantas income for a two minute airport service. Well, I know, it's my fault - you can't count on common sense in some areas; it's your responsibility to know the rules whether you like them or not. I also want to check car rental prices in comparison to bus service and plan our first trip to the northern tip of the island, to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga. Now I'm off for the next lemon concotion.

November 4

Yesterday I took a driving lesson with an instructor from AA to have a safe practice with left-side traffic. I asked for manual because I wanted to use Iwona&Igor's car. They are so hospitable and generous /I could write a chapter to the travel book I read from time to time in bookstores titled Kindness of Strangers describing our stay here/ that offered to give us their second car for the trip to the north. Unfortunately, yesterday trial was a disaster - I made so many mistakes - my left hand is completely useless - I was constantly turning winshield wipers instead turning signals - coudn't change gears smoothly - had trouble starting on a hill - well It's definite - I cannot drive standard without a few more lessons. So I'm renting an automatic instead - it's already waiting for us downtown and we are heading for the north - Bay of Islands and Cape Reigna.

November 5

We are in Whangarei /read with f/ in Northland after a night in YHA hostel run by a good-natured septuagenarian with piercings in his nose, tongue and ears and a female assistant who helped us in the trunk ordeal which I'll write about later.  I didn't want to drive any further yesterday as my arms and shoulders were all stressed out and tense from this left-side driving. Kamila was a great pilot reading maps and reminding me to keep left or actually keep more right on my lane as I had the tendency to drive too close to the shoulder or a curb /hit it twice already/ in towns. We have a small two door red Nissan which costs $19 per day plus $8 daily insurance. You can rent without insurance but I would be too nervous. I figured it  would cost us the same as travelling by bus and we are more independent this way - can sleep in if we want, instead of rushing to the connecting bus. Before checking in at YHA we did grocery shopping and when we wanted to unload the 'boot' it wouldn't open. The ignition key never worked for the lock but there is a pull lever inside the car which apparently failed on us. We had to call AA road assistance - the man got inside the trunk through the back seat and unblocked the lock - hopefully permanently, but I will from now on feel nervous every time we close the trunk.

We are ready to go now - north to Bay of Islands - we'll stay in Kerikeri probably for two nights - and then to the Cape Reigna where the Pacific Ocean meets Tasman Sea.

November 6   Kia Orana

Driving to Kerikeri, past Pakaraka, stopping in Kawakawa for coffee of course. Before Kerikeri there is Paihia where boats and ferries depart for cruising in the Bay of Islands. There is also Waitangi which we visited - 'the craddle of the nation' where captain Hobson of the British Crown and 45 Maori chiefs signed a treaty which specified the rights and privileges of Maori people and established policy for land ownership. Over the years the Treaty has been violated by both sides, ignored, redressed,  until in 1975 the Parliament passed the Treaty of Waitangi Act and established a Waitangi Tribunal to investigate Maori claims against the British Crown. In 1985 the Act was again amended and remains a constant topic of sometimes flared disputes between Pakehas /Europeans/ and Maori. Maori accuse Pakeha of desrespecting their various tapu - sacred places, Pakeha accuse Maori of being greedy imposing too many restrictions on visitors / occasionaly loosened with enough amount of cash/. So far all Pakeha and Maori we have met were equally friendly and helpful / and help we need quite often/. In Kerikeri we checked in our double bed cosy yellow-painted room which turned out to our home for four days.

November 7

On our tour around Northland we are equipped with detailed maps from Igor. Did I mention before / can't even checked as the site is still blank/ that he is a cartographer working at the local university and making and studying maps is his job as well as his passion. After a late breakfast and studying one of those maps we decide to drive to Opito Bay and then to Wairoa Bay - from where we get great views of the whole Bay of Islands. We take with us Roger - an older man from Bristol /a retired butcher to kamila's dismay/ who is staying in the hostel and who invites us for dinner in return. The dinner is an adventure by itself - in a gourmet place with an open kitchen where every dish was an artistic composition pleasing eyes and taste buds. The portions were small enough to make you want a dessert - all three of them that we shared were out of this world. In such a small town - I was surprised. Later we were told that Kerikeri is famous for splendid bachs /cottages/ owned by rich people from all over. Back in the hostel we play pool with very relaxed rules suggested by Kamila and very appreciated by me.

November 8

There are a few possible ways to go to the tip of the island. We could drive our red Nissan, but were warned not to drive on the beach as the insurance does not cover any damages caused by salt water or sand, or for losing a car to a wave or tide, which apparently happens from time to time. We take a bus tour then with a Maori driver who tells us stories about The Land of Long White Cloud as NZ was called by Kupe, a Polinesian navigator who reached the shore in the 9th century. He also plays Maori music on the radio and when we stop on the Ninety Mile Beach, shows how to dig for clams, open them and eat them raw - have a picture and witnesses to prove /Kamila tried too, but gagged and spit it out/. Everybody helps to fill his bucket - his work bonus. On huge sand dunes, equipped with sandboards we slide head down on our bellies. I manage to climb the dune three times - Kamila a couple of times more. When we stop for lunch on a charming bay Kamila choose to take a plunge in the waves and eat our food later on the bus. The water is freezing! Next stop - Cape Reigna and the lighthouse - a place of Departing Spirits in Maori legends. Spirits stop here on the tip of the island before going for eternal rest on Hawaiki, the legendary Polynesian homeland.

November 9

(Written with help from Kamila as you can probably tell!!:))

From the pier in Paihia we take a boat tour. It takes us to and through the Hole in the Rock -  the local landmark, and areas with playing dolphins. We can see and hear the dolphins right beside our boat doing a few jumps and flips for us. There are three babies in the pod and at least 12 dolphins all together. Later we lunch on a beach on a turquoise bay surrounded by rocks and hills. We climb one of them for the view that we know Leszek would have climbed. The view was...hmmm whats a good word for it... ummm well its hard... AMAZING!!! Back on the boat Kamila and a few others do boom-netting - kamila's definition: There is a net at one side of the boat that dangles in the water a bit, everyone hops on to this net, then they all hang on for dear life while the boat goes along pulling the net. Meanwhile all those who haven't gone on the net are laughing and taking photos of the helpless victims. They laugh even harder (no mercy) when one victim (most often kamila) screams about the pain the net is giving to her feet. There are also tiny little baby jellyfish swimming in the water all around you (harmless) and then you get splashes of yucky salty & FREEZING water in your face and all over you!! Kamila has a companion - Laura (11) from California travelling with her parents and grandmother.

On the way back we watch more dolphins however we are not allowed to swim with them. In Paihia we have fish and chips served in sheets of paper - kiwi style, delicious ice cream dipped in chocolate, and tired but happy but happy we return to the hostel. Later that evening we have our little regular conflict about keeping Kamila's journal up to date. I insist on her writing it as her only English assignment. She is discouraged by the long gap in her notes and doesn't want to follow my suggestion to start anew from now. This conflict spoils our fun sometimes.

November 10

Driving southwest to Opononi along and between velvety green hills. Stopped at hot springs. Sulphur smell greets us some time before we enter the place which is run by a Maori woman. We don't enter the pools because there is no shower and Kamila, not liking the smell, does not want to smell after. We drive on to the Okopako Lodge - the Wilderness Farm near Opononi surrounded by forest and panoramic views. The trunk doesn't open again -  Kamila tries to crawl from the back seat and unlock it with no success, so we drive to town to get help from a Maori mechanic. On the way back we stop at Arai te Uru an amazing lookout on the bay of sand dunes and Tasman sea. We meet a hitchhiker from Paris. We are the only ones today in the hostel except for Satomi, a girl from Japan who starts her 3 week farm work in exchange for food and accommodation. It's similar to Woofers but this one affiliates with FHiNZ (Farm Helpers in New Zealand)

November 11

Kamila joins Satomi to feed the chickens, guinea pigs, and pigs in the morning. Later we both take a one hour horse riding track. I ride Jack, Kamila rides Elite led by Anna, the farmers' daughter. After the horse ride we got acquainted with a local family of nine children and three puppies. Nikki, the one closest to Kamila's age showed us edible wild plants growing around their farm - we ate until our tongues got dark green. I left Kamila at their place for a couple of hours to play and picked her up before dark. The whole memorable episode happened because we forgot to take water and after over an hour hike uphill along a country road we asked for a drink in one of the households. Sometimes it's better not to be well organized.

Nov. 12

Huge kauri trees on the way south - as big as the sequoias in Yosemite. First the ancient Tane Mahuta - a magestic God of the Forest /total height 51.5 m/ then Four Sisters standing in a circle. Driving on - a herd of cows - 480 of them cross our road. Stopped to take pictures. A farmer looking after them invites us to see the milking process. Kamila 'helps' the couple of young farmers to put the suckers on cows' udders - comes out of the place smiling and ------ smudged with cows p..........

Stopped at Kauri Museum - just an hour before it closes - just enough time to see the history of the area and a great display of practical and artistic objects made of the kauri wood and gum.

Nov. 13

Back in Auckland. Errands in the city car change - now we have a white Toyota with a properly working boot lock; buying a new return ticket from Christchurch to Melbourne for February 1 /unfortunately Qantas office is closed and we can't cancel the expensive tickets yet that burden my credit card; visiting Igor in his University office - he lets us use his computers and Leszek calls us their from Toronto. In the evening we visit Jacek , Monika and their two children. Jacek is Igor's brother and the only one who is not going to Poland in a week's time. He will be our contact when we come back again to the city and to whom we will return all the maps / 40 now/ Igor is lending us for the next trip.

Nov. 14

We meet Jacek's family again when we join Igor's family for the mass in a Polish church. The sermon is given by a young priest from  KUL and the mass is ended with patriotic songs due to Nov. 11 occasion. We are invited to a Polish center for some more special lectures and performances but decide to hit the road instead. We say good bye to Iwona, Igor and the girls and drive east. First stop in Thames to do shopping and banking then on to Opoutere where we stay in a hostel in a double room for $36.

Nov. 15

We take kayaks to paddle across high tide shallow cove to a little sand dune which makes a boarder between the cove and the ocean. The wind pushes us nicely and we get there in no time. We get off and start walking immediately being attacked by black birds with long red beaks /oystercatchers/ which sit on eggs there and are obviously upset about our disturbance. We use the paddles to defend ourselves and head back to the kayaks seeing also a big flock of another type of birds - dotterrels which are rare and on a decline. Paddling back is not so easy - the wind is so strong that we have to wade in water and pull the kayaks all the way to our shore - get completely wet of course.

We get to Hot Water Springs an hour later. For a short time during low tide each day you can dig in the sand for hot water and make your own spa pool. We stay there long enough to see high tide slowly covering the holes. Fun fun fun.

Nov. 16

Driving a winding gravel road to the north tip of Coromandel Penisula and an hour walk to the very tip. Awesome views - cows and sheep on green big hills with corrugated texture and stunning views of the ocean. Coromanel Hostel for the night.

Nov. 17

Last night in Whitianga. Now we are going to see the Cathedral Cove and - I don't know yet.

Cathedral Cove is a 45 min walk along a fringed shore with limestone arches, caves, islands and blow holes. At the end of the walk is a huge sand rock with an eroded hollow inside which can be walked through. Planned to go all the way to Whakatane tonight but the distances are longer that they seem on the map. The reason the roads are forever winding up and down and you have to slow down on all the sharp turns. Stopping in Tuaranga at another YHA hostel in a room with lemon tree right behind - we can reach the fruit from the room. We meet Roger, the butcher again here.

Nov. 18

Giving up driving west to the core of Bay of Plenty we are heading east after putting pictures on another disk in a photo shop. Matamata - here Kamila is going on a two hour tour of Hobbiton. Her ticket costs $25, mine would have $50 so I pass and hang around the town. Tonight we hope to be in Rotoura - the egg smelling city.

On the way to Rotorua Kamila tells me excitedly about all the places and things around the shire from where Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out for quest.

While checking in Kiwipaka hostel, the Germans with whom we warmed our bums in hot springs two days ago remind us that Rotorua is also the main center of Maori culture. This is where it is delivered for tourists in all kinds of packages, price ranges and degrees of authenticity. We hook up with a group going to Mitai Village for a concert and dinner. Similar to Fijian tradition a chief is chosen /on Fiji Leszek got picked/ to represent the visitors and greet the chief of the tribe by 'hongi' - the nose to nose contact. Then there is 'haka' - the war dance with protruding eyes and tongue, 'poi' - dances performed by women who rhythmically fling about poi - balls on strings /last year I saw a dance like that at Osler/, and skillful hand games with sticks. After that we eat 'hangi' - a buffet of food /meat and vegetables/ cooked in earth oven. At the end we are led for a short bush walk in darkness to watch glowworms and eels in a 'sacred' water spring the bottom of which is bubbling in a way a lot of places in Rotoura do, as we witness next day. 

And that's what Lori wrote a few weeks ago

You'll never guess what I just did...I just jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet over Fox Glacier in New Zealand with nothing more than the bone carving I made to protect me on my travels! I can't believe it. My ears are still popping. I landed in a sheep paddock. The views of the mountains were spectacular, but then we went through a thick bank of cloud that covered my goggles in a layer of ice. Felt sorry for the others; the weather took a turn for the worse and they didn't get to jump. Amazing! I'll say it again: AMAZING!!!

Nov. 19

The sulphur smell permeates the city. Little erupting geysers can be seen from our hostel room. In the nearby park we see a lot of bubbly water, mud pools and bigger geysers. We witness another Maori dance and visit a kiwi house - a place kept in dark so tourists have a chance to see these nocturnal flightless birds.

In the afternoon we drive on to Taupo, have pizza on the shore of Taupo Lake and about 6 pm get to National Park /this is the name of the village and the hostel/

On the way there we see a snowy peak of Mt. Ngauruhoe - 'Mt. Doom' - as Kamila finds out later and fields of yellow Kowhai blossom - hope the pictures we take will give justice to the beauty of the scenery. In the dorm two girls just came back from 'the best one-day trek in New Zealand' - Tongariro Crossing. Both are exhausted, one happy and praising the day, the other all sore, teary and disappointed at her physical fitness. How shall we fare tomorrow?

Nov. 20

The shuttle bus takes us to Mangatepopo Rd where we start the 17 km trek. It begins with a climb to the saddle between Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, and then passes Red Crater, Emerald Lakes, old lava flows, jagged volcanic rocks that look like prehistoric rock gardens or resemble lunar landscape and patches of snow here and there. And again the sulphur smell from springs, at times gaggingly strong. There is a continuous flow of hikers before and after us - I can imagine how crowded this track must be in full season. We meet a Polish family from Colorado - very familiar with alpine walks of course - their house is located higher than the highest volcanoes here - but they do appreciate the unusual landscape around Tongariro. My hip joints are killing me - especially during the last two hours of long descent - with big relief I see the end of the adventure after eight solid hours of walk up and down this volcanic terrain. Kamila of course does it with ease and because we are often with others - without moaning. On the way back from the bus we see Mordor, the stronghold of the dark lord Sauron - the magnificent Mt. Ruapehu.

Nov. 21

Leaving Tongariri area after ritual 10 am check out - stopping in Wanganui for lunch and in Stratford for cappucino and hot chocolate. Blue sky accompanies us and Mt. Taranaki greets us in full glory /looks like Mt Fuji in Japan they say/.  Another hostel - this time small and very homely with Brenda , the host, who treats everybody with an Edmont cake and Taranaki orientation talk every night. At first Kamila is disappointed because there is no TV and she was planning to watch Australian Idol. A girl from Netherlands lends her a CD player for the night and then the next night, together with a gal from New Hampshire and a guy from Slovenia, gets involved in doing a complicated puzzle that takes them almost until midnight and until noon next day. And thus I am spared.

Nov. 22

According to Maori legend, Taranaki was forced to leave after he had a fight with Tongariro when he was caught with the beautiful Pihanga - the volcano near Lake Taupo - who was Tongariro's lover. He lost and retreated to the west in pain and shame hiding his face behind a cloud of tears. He is surrounded by mist - the sigh of his constant weeping. And the region has the reputation of being the wettest part of NZ. There is a saying: ' if you see Taranaki, it means it's going to rain; if you don't see it, it is already raining'. At the same time Taranaki, or Mt. Egmont as it was named by Cpt. Cook, is NZ's most climbed mountain. Brenda tells us the forecast is good only for the morning so we sacrifice sleep and get up at 6 am. In the DOC /Department of Conservation/ office we get a map of the treks and start ours - this time without any group - through a damp valley - so called 'goblin forest' with lush ferns, hanging mosses, lichens, densely tangled shrubs. I expect them to talk to us any moment. When we get to Meketawa hut, three DOC men are there doing some repairs on the building. They offer tea and sit down for lunch with us telling us stories about the region. A long onerous climb up the 'Puffer' ends in heavy fog - we cannot see anything anymore so when a huge steel TV tower appears right in front of us, it is really scary. So we don't see Mr. Taranaki/Egmont from up close after all. Back in the hostel Brenda serves the cake again and I'm laying my achy bones in bed while Kamila is socializing over the puzzle.

Nov.23

The puzzle done about noon - off we go north along hilly green pastures dotted with sheep - the staple scenery - in a cloudy and rainy weather. Treat ourselves with freshly picked stawberries -yaaam!. Around 3 pm we get to Waitomo, /wai-water, tomo-hole/ a place famous for its numerous caves. Kiwi Paka another YHA associate hostel is new big and clean but surprisingly there are no recycling bins in the kitchen. The whole NZ and all the hostels we stay in are well equipped with recycling containers and everybody is strict about garbage management.

We have a four-bed dorm, but nobody else shows up for the night.

The caves are in a walking distance - we get tickets and wait for an hour - everything is closed due to a blackout. Then guided by a local man with a torch, we wander looking at limestone stalactites and stalagmites creating wonderful shapes. Next, we board a boat and in complete darkness see a Milky Way of little lights - a colony of glowworms. A glowworm, that looks like a big mosquito, emits a light to attract its food, builds a nest with silky threads coated with mucus hanging like fishing lines where insects are caught and then devoured. Intricate precise job.

Nov. 24

Back to Auckland after another scenic drive past Pirongia Forest and through  Hamilton, a big city about 100 km south from Auckland. We don't stop except for coffee as the weather is not inviting and we have errands to do in the city. First, the tickets to Melbourne, then decision has to be made about transporting to south island. I thought about taking a train to Wellington, but got convinced to save money for another, more exciting railway trip through Southern Alps. So we buy air tickets to Christchurch for Dec. 4. Can we stay in Auckland so long? I should have consulted the dates with Jacek - our next accommodating host. When timidly I tell him our plans later that day, it doesn't make any impression on him. His house is empty now after his family went on a trip to Poland, so we will not bother anybody, especially during the day when he is at work. His hospitality extends to letting us choose a room, use his computers, and drive his second car. To give us all the most privacy, we settle in a basement room, immediately use the computer to see our latest pictures and  - no, the car is manual - I don't even want to try. Again then, I'm withdrawing from a Favour Bank not knowing when I will have a chance to deposit anything. I took this term from  Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita G. Gelman which I read sometimes in Borders. The whole world is one giant Favor Bank. We go through life making deposits whenever we do favors for people, and that means that whenever we need a favour, we are entitled to a withdrawal. It's just as important to take out as it is to put in, because each time we accept a favor we are allowing someone to make a deposit.

Nov. 25

The last day with our rented car - we do grocery shopping for the nine days here and rent five movies. At last I have time to thoroughly see all the pictures Leszek put on our site and the ones he took of his new place and our cat, write e-mails, empty our packs and sort things out. And cook chicken noodle soup in the kitchen with a view of the Auckland skyline from the window. Jacek is showing us his collection of pictures of volcanoes in Tongariro  Park. Rock formation, landscape origins, volcanoes, glaciers - this is his passion and he has extensive knowledge about those. He prepared a CD for The University of Auckland Natural Landscapes - Tongariro National Park which was distributed to NZ schools.

Nov. 26

Right after returning our Toyota we get soaking wet in a cold rain and hail in the city. This finally convinces me to buy waterproof overpants for myself  /Kamila already has a pair/, a purchase I have been putting off since the beginning of our trip. South island is even more erratic in weather conditions, they say, and rain on its west coast is almost 100 % guaranteed every day. There are two good  travel stores, equivalent to our Mountain Coop - Kathmandu and Bivouac. In the latter I get waterproof/breathable pair for $100 and light gloves and a fleece hat for Kamila who often complains about cold hands /and a nose, but they don't have any nose warmers/.Sounds as if we are approaching winter like at home. Well, most of the time it is summery and warm - except those moments of sudden cold rain for which we must be prepared even more in the south. In the evening I'm introduced to another of Jacek's passions - Polish contributions to NZ . He found out for example that the first Pole in New Zealand was a naturalist on Captain Cook's second expedition. His most fervent  fascination is Ignacy Paderewski's visits in NZ in 1905 and 1927 and his enthusiastically applauded piano recitals on both islands. I got hooked on the story and started reading The Paderewski Memoirs scribed in English by Mary Lawton, later translated into Polish. One big chapter is devoted to Australia and New Zealand tours with lots of interesting episodes and the most charming experiences the big pianist and a statesman had here; there is a picture of Paderewski and Madame Paderewska in Maori dress on the NZ tour. Jacek is trying to recreate his tours by searching for more and more details in old newspapers and any possible sources. He has so many interesting books on his shelves here that now I regret I didnt book our flight later in December.

Nov. 27 - 30

Reading, watching movies, chilling out. Last Sunday we went to the Polish church with Jacek and in the afternoon to the city to watch Santa Claus parade.

December 1

It's been four months since we left home and it's not even half yet. It's shocking and gratifying at the same time. There is still so much ahead of us. Wish us luck friends.

December 1-4

Having a free access to computer we spend lots of hours trying to sort out our pictures from the four disks we have made so far. There are so many of them. With a digital camera we tend to be not as selective as we used to be and as a result multitudes of shots have to be dealt with. We managed to put Sydney pictures but got stuck with the NZ series - the site doesn't seem to  accept them. Frustrating. All things are packed already for tomorrow. We are flying to Christchurch - he more British than any other British cities as they say. I remember hearing some tourists from England saying they didn't like the city because it gave  the impression that, after so many thousands of kilometers of traveling, they had never left home.

December 5

In Christchurch, after saying bye to Jacek and a little over an hour flight. Saw some of the city from a shuttle bus that brought us to 404 Hereford St - not much because of quite a heavy rain. I didn't know what to expect - only had an address and a name of our contact. The place turned out to be a big boarding house surrounded by a pretty garden. Yet, it was all locked up and on all sides. The woman driver agreed to call some numbers that I had. Heather, the owner of the house is presently in Auckland - told us to knock harder on the doors - before we tried, some young people appeared and let us in. One of them      /a professional cricket player from Pakistan/ helped us with bags, showed us around and after contacting Heather again - led us to our room with four beds and sighs of two girls occupying it.One girl was actually nearby talking on the phone in a familiar sounding language - Czech; I found out later but nothing else about her as she avoids eye contact with us and doesn't seem to be too friendly. Another Czech we met in the kitchen made a strange impression on us too - laughed in very surprising moments while we were talking, but at least he talked. There is also a Korean man who seems to be in charge during Heather's absence - explained kitchen rules to us and later invited for a movie night in the living room. There Kamila had a pleasant surprise - a big black dog, Tobby, was sprawling on one of the armchairs and came to lie beside her right when she called him. That sweetened the whole impression of the place because on the whole we feel weird and somehow out of place here. Heather, who I hear has a very outgoing and caring personality will not be back before Wednesday, neither will Linda, our principal contact / has a farm somewhere around where we want to stay for a while/  so now we have a decision to make whether to stay here or look for another place. Outside, still a rainy day, doesn't invite for a walk, though I have to get some milk for breakfast. I'm writing in a hall where there is a computer for everybody to use - nice feature - while Kamila is still sleeping - watched the movie with the dog beside her until midnight.The trivial thing - our impressions are always affected by a state of mind in a particular moment - proved to be true this time too. Last Saturday evening, in spite of being independent and experienced hostel dwellers, we needed somebody to take care of us and the moment was not good for that. Nobody knew we were coming and what to do with us. The young people who live here are all /except Tauseef from Pakistan/ students at the language school.  Their English is at different levels and their aloofness is just shyness and reluctance to use it. It is especially true in case of Hana the Chech girl whose room we invaded without any warning. Petr, the other Chech turned out to be a knowledgeable good-humoured man who told me a lot of interesting things about Christchurch. Sunday was a rainy and cool day so everybody was inside and we could get to know them. Petr started the fireplace in the TV room and that's where we spent most of the day.

December 6

A school day for the boarders, so everybody was out already when we got up. Inspired by sunshine we go to explore the city. In the very center - Cathedral Square, we admire a huge Christmas tree inside the church and climb the cathedral tower - in the far west we can see snowcapped mountains which fill me with anticipation of getting close to them. Outside we listen to a speech of the Wizard - a well known local eccentric in a long black velvet robe, who appears everyday in the square to talk glibly and irreverently about bureaucracy, the weakness of the male gender, Americans, priests, feminism, insurance companies and what not. 

The rest of the day we spent in a picture perfect Botanical Gardens smelling roses, lying on the watching ducks and swans, and punts on the Avon River.

December 7 - 21

Two weeks to write about.  It was mainly the farm in Staging Post / Hawkswood, 50 km south from Kaikoura. Staging Post is the beginning and the end of The Kaikoura Coast Track, one of a few privately operated tracks on the south island. Have a peek at www.kaikouratrack.co.nz .

Quick highlights of the stay /more to be added/  :

People:

Linda -

has the best possible combination of personality traits; chocolate and coffee connoisseur; excellent latte, hot chocolate and savoury meals maker; a loving dog keeper; a painter; a generous host; keen observer of people's inclinations; inspiring self-esteem booster; drives the walkers to the beginning of the track every morning; feeds the builders who are erecting a new house for the farm leasers; Mike, Linda's partner - stays on the farm on weekends - weekdays works in Christchurch in his Investment Consulting office; active in land-use issues in the Hawkswood area so that the environment, biodiversity and farm profitability are maintained or improved ; takes pride

in his new tree growths, conservation of native bush ; taught me a lot about forestry and farming; a gentleman J D , Mike's father   - a 84 years old former proprietor of the farm; a descendant of John Macfarlane who came to NZ about 1840 from Scotland; a very idiosyncratic persona Gypsy, JD's housekeeper - takes care of the tourist lodgings and million other things the dogs  - Fred, Hamish, Jane, Harry the builders - Hamish and his lovely wife Kim - we may see them again in Christchurch Pastimes: - walking dogs to the river for bunnies chase /wallago you little scaliwag!!!/ - waiting for sunny weather by the fire place - watching movies, reading, sipping latte or wine - walking the first day of the track to Ngaroma - the ocean and snowcapped mountains around us - visiting a little museum with collection of maps and photos covering the history of Hawkswood - cooking for the builders - feeding lambs - sliding on a flying fox - snoozing on the hill with a view of the mountains / once for five hours!!/ - a trip to Hanmer Springs - walks and hot pool indulgence - meeting Aska and her family / Kamila wrote about it in her journal/ - Kaikoura Pennisula walk with seals all the way

Dec. 19 and 20

Those two days we were in Picton where the ferries leave for Wellington to connect south and North Island. We took a boat to a Ship cove and walked 5 hours on a Queen Charlotte Track.

Dec. 21

We are in Nelson. Here together with Ela we'll spend Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL OF YOU MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

December 23

Christmas shopping in Nelson. Yesterday we decorated our hostel room with a Christmas tree cut out of green crepe paper, some tinsel, pieces of gold wrapping paper and a Santa's hat. In the morning most of it was on the floor - must find a better way to stick those on the wall than a scotch tape.

Now I've been looking for the present for Kamila - a cuddly little sheep. Surprisingly it was not an easy task until somebody directed me to a ship-skin shop with all kinds of kiwianas. So I got three little and cute lambs and I am looking forward to seeing her smile when she unpacks them tomorrow.I'm indulging in free time in town by myself now because Kamila rented the extended version /4 hours/ of The Return of The King. Must be almost finishing it by now.Ela must be in Auckland now, enjoying the festive mood on Queens Avenue probably - jet leg permitting. She is landing in Nelson about 9:30 tonight.

It's so exciting!

Dec.  24

Ela is with us. We are doing what majority of Christmas celebrating people - shopping for tonight's 'wigilia' /that's our Polish specialty actually/ and Christmas Day. Ela brought an instant beetroot soup from Leszek, wafers to share and with the fish we bought, we had an almost a traditional Christmas Eve meal. After the supper we opened all the boxes under our paper tree.Thank you Leszek!About 11 we went to the Cathedral to listen to some carols.

Dec. 25

This day we started with a church again and a stroll around the town. An older couple stopped us and invited for Christmas lunch at their church. We stopped for a while but the main celebrations we had in the hostel itself - pot luck dinner with all other dwellers and Pavlova dessert from the YHA staff.

Dec. 26

Off we go to Marahau and loaded with backpacks to Anchorage Bay DOC hut for

the night, about 5 hours away. It took us a bit more - all those views and hills had to be taken in strides especially by Ela for whom everything was so new. The hut - like in old times - just bunk beds joined together, no electricity. We have our own gas stove, pots and plenty of noodles to eat.Garbage has to be taken in our packs with us on the next day.

Dec. 27

To the next hut - Bark Bay. Stopping at Cleopatra Pools for sunbathing and cold water dip. Kamila had fun sliding down on a waterfall that curved sideways and was mossy enough to have a smooth ride.

Dec. 28

Today Ela decides to stay for a day around the hut. Kamila and I start very early in the morning to avoid high tide when a beach crossing on part of the trek is impassable.  We get to Awaroa Lodge about 11am where we reward ourselves with a splendid lunch in the famous for good food /veggies grown in their own garden/  Awaroa Cafe. Water taxi picks us up at 3 pm then it stops in other bays to get other hikers including Ela at Bark Bay and we are back in Marahau about 5.  A bus takes us back to Nelson where we are happy to get the same room at YHA.

Dec. 29

We have a car from today and as soon as we are all done with internet we are going south to Punakaiki. The car is more expensive than I expected - it's the high season and with the upgraded insurance costs us $ 64 a day. Well we pay for the freedom to move at our own pace. The drive to Punakaiki is in dark clouds, sometimes heavy rain and a strong wind that seems to push our car off the road especially when we stop to try to get a better view of some of the amazing coastal shapes and ocean vistas. At the end we are rewarded with a lovely, cozy little hostel in Punakaiki where the girl in the office tells us we just missed a call from Toronto. It was Leszek who has a map and a list of all the YHA hostels and knew we would be staying here. The hostel is occupied by a international group studying together in Dunedin. The predominant topic of conversation is the tragedy on the Indian Ocean. I just find out about it from an e-mail from p.Kepler, now the first pages glare with the news. I get on the Internet to write to Lori, Klara, Jan. Next day Klara answers - she is far away from the affected area. Lori answers -  she is OK - was in thr Phukai area five days before it happened! Witek and Joasia with kids are still in Thailand - were on a trip to the coast just a day before! The name of one of the islands swept away by tsunami is in my notebook as recommended to me for a stay when we are there. God played Russian roulette again?

Playing scrabble at night and sipping red wine from a casket provided with an honour system payment. Pay to Budda says the note under a figurine of the prophet.

December 30

We wake up to a smell of freshly baked muffins - another nice feature of the hostel.  After a walk to the beach, they are all gone - there aren't any left for us. Big disappointment. Leszek calls again while we are eating breakfast. Nice surprise.Ela takes up driving. After the initial confusion, she quickly gets used to left side and all the levers in the car. We stop to see Pancake Rocks and Blowholes - limestone rocks that through a weathering process have formed into what looks like stacks of pancakes. The water surges into holes below the rocks and squirts out in impressive geyser-like blowholes. Excellent show even a few hours before the high tide when it is supposed to be even better. Stopping for coffee in Hokaiki, a gold mining town and checking in at YHA in Franz Josef.

December 31

First we see Franz Josef Glacier from a distance while taking a walk to a recommended viewpoint. Then we drive to Fox Glacier and take another walk from a car park where we encounter for the first time keas - green native parrots. To get to the glacier we have to negotiate a few streams on the way - when I almost give up at one, Ela finds a good crossing. Later we take off our shoes and walk through a swift freezing current. Beside us guided groups equipped with rubber boots cross the obstacles with ease. Well, but we save $150 each on that free cross adventure! all that after crossing a rope with an attached warning that  the road is closed and safe only with qualified guides. We are not the only ones who ignore the sign of course. We saw others first doing it. So finally we get so close to the river of ice that we can touch this bluish monster and hear thumping sounds inside of it. In Queenstown later we fail to find any affordable accommodation - people start partying already when we arrive. To Kamila's disappointment - no fireworks at midnight - we decide to drive on to our next destination. About 11 pm we find beds in a little village called Athol and greet a new year with champagne with two young couples - one from NZ, another from Switzerland.

January 1

To Te Anau. At DOC information center, tickets for the Kepler track huts await us. We check in at Lakefront Backpackers and start planning, shopping and packing for our four day tramp.

January 2-5

Just came back from the four day tramp along the Kepler Trek. Officially it is named after the German astronomer but I know better - it has a name of Jan of Pabianice, presently of Orinda. In Australia any walk in the wild is called a bush walk, here it is a tramp. Our legs are all sore now, especially calves, but we are happy and proud of ourselves for accomplishing this difficult feat.The huts on the way are equipped with gas stoves and flush toilets, so our backpacks are loaded with essentials /you have to carry all garbage you produce /, food and pots as we start in the morning on Jan. 2 - all of us including Ela. The trek skirts the Te Anau Lake to Brod Bay winding through a growth of tree ferns while crown ferns carpet the forest floor. After a snack stop, we start a steep steady climb for almost three hours. Most of the trek is well maintained, planked and benched, however at times there are damaged sections caused by rain storms and we have to walk in almost ankle deep mud. Oh joy! /I'm using Kamila's expression/. About 4 pm we have a glorious panorama of Te Anau Lake, Manapouri Lake, Luxmore Mountain and a lot of other snow capped ridges all around. When we get to the 40 bunk beds  Luxmore Hut about 6 pm the sky clears completely and we have beautiful vistas all evening. The hut warden tells us it is the second sunny evening in two months.Next morning after breakfast we say bye to Ela who is returning to Te Anau by the same route, we continue the second day /6 hours/ to Iris Burn Hut.

 It's a cold morning and looks like rain. We dress in rain jackets and rain pants and walk a long time in alpine terrain on top of amazing steep- sided slopes. It's very windy and in two hours there is even an emergency shelter built in case the wind is too much to bear and another one in two more hours. From the latter the trek goes down to the bush and zigzags down for the last two hours - a killer for knees and ankles. Very tired we get to the hut but cannot sit too long outside in spite of a sunny evening due to vicious sandflies. Another noodle in a cup dinner and early to bed. The next morning - Jan. 4, we wake up in pouring rain which lasted the whole night. We already know better than getting discouraged by bad weather in New Zealand. Probably the most distinctive feature of the mountain environment in NZ is the erratic and changeable weather that can virtually bring all seasons within the compass of one day" I read in The Alpine World book. First we have to take care of Kamila's nose bleed , then getting dressed with all possible rain protection and the moment we step out of the hut the sun comes out and accompanies us all the way. And it is an easy flat walk today - a short climb at the beginning , through an open clearing caused by huge landslide, down the valley, often close to the river, very muddy at times, through an incredibly moss covered ground, tree trunks and gnarled branches. At the end Lake Manapouri emerges and the Motorau Hut with the view of the lake from the kitchen. After throwing our bags on the bunk beds we go to take a dip in the lake - in T-shirts and underwear /I didn't think of loading swim suits in bags - every little thing counts when you have to carry it uphill/. After a few days without shower it feels great though very cold. It is difficult to tell our shoes from others next morning /Jan. 5/- they all look the same covered with thick mud. We leave quite early saying good bye to all the trampers we met during those three days. The last day walk runs along a river most of the time. We take breaks for snacks and rest but mainly we walk in silence. We could end it easy way - after an hour and a half there is an exit and a shuttle bus could take us where shuttle bus takes trampers back to town. We want to complete the entire loop and go on for another five hours. At the end going through the Wildlife Center we are rewarded with encounters with takehas, flightless birds similarly to kiwis, but bigger and even more rare. In the backpackers we find a message from Anish /our Sydney landlady/- she is staying next door. Ela is leaving soon for her horseback ride. My only desire is to lie down with my legs up and rest, but there is little time for it - laundry has to be done and other preparations for Milford Sound visit next day. Ela booked us a nature cruise for 10 am and it's about 2 hour drive. The evening is eventful - finally we meet Anish, Ela comes back full of excitement about the ride and two guys staying in the next room come from Queenstown full of stories about their thrilling bungi jump. One of them turns out to be an opera singer and asks me to pick up an aria to sing. And so we listen to Cavaradossi's aria from Tosca in our little backpacker's lounge.

January 6

Milford Sound. One of the pictures I saw from the area - people on a big boat with beautiful fiords in the background - had this caption: Sound of Silence or a Grand Central. Indeed, the sound is crowded with boats and cars, and a buzz of little planes and helicopters hovers constantly over the area. We arrive there before ten. It is unusual to have a good weather at Milford Sound - it's the wettest part of this wet country. We even heard: 'Visiting MS without rain is like going to a bar and not having a beer'. And we didn't have the beer!! The fiord showed itself to us in full glory lit with sun, all parts uncovered. The numerous waterfalls were may be not in their full force but still very impressive. The astounding views made us forget about the crowds and commercial side of the adventure. We also had an interesting, yet too short stop at underwater observatory.

Jan. 7

Bye to Anish - we will probably hook up with her again. Driving to Queenstown - a lovely town on a lake. Ela gets a shiatsu massage. Kamila watches a street performer. Next destination - Wanaka - another picturesque town. Here again we are debating the possibility of taking some of those crazy daring rides or jumps. Negative decision disappoints Kamila. Next part of today's drive takes us though incredibly winding roads up and between hills covered with colourful lupin and tussock - brownish plants that look like grazing sheep from a distance. We get to Otamatata for the night.

January 8

Ela's birthday!!!

There is a Welsh guy in the same hostel who overpowers our morning with his loud talk and weird sense of humour. We have to scheme together to avoid his intention to get a ride with us to the nearest town. The rest of the day goes perfectly well. We go to Mt.Cook, have lovely lunch with a view of magnificent mountains and a toast for Ela. We'll stay in the area till tomorrow hoping for the clouds to uncover the highest parts of the Cook and his companions. No, Mt. Cook never showed its face to us on that day and not on the next. The YHA in Mt. Cook is full - we spend the night 15 min drive from there in Glentanner's backpacker. Playing cards and drinking delicious wine and juice we celebrate Ela's birthday. Since we are in a dorm, we decide to put off delivering a gift for Elka - 30 min foot massage, for more private surroundings. Ela makes up her mind about the rest of her itinerary: she will skip the north island and stay with us till Jan 13. She books her flight from Christchurch to Auckland and the next four nights of our trio - two in Oamaru and two in Akaroa. Hurray!

January 9

On the way to the east coast lakes Pukaki and Tekapo bewilder with their bright turquoise colour. A lady in the information center, similarly to the hitchhiker we took yesterday, explains that the glacier scours the rocks beneath producing 'rock flour' or 'dust' which floats on the surface of the glacial melt water. These finely ground particles give the water a milky quality and with sunlight the bright turquoise colour. In Kurow we get a fresh fish for dinner which we cook at YHA in Oamaru. Somehow YHA here accumulated a lot of seniors that night - so Elka and I call it SHA and we feel exceptionally young!  I talk to a man who in 1964, being a medical student in England, was spending a month in Lodz doing his practicum in a hospital. At dinner, a couple in their early sixties, also from England told us about their upcoming wedding in a week somewhere in North Island. Later in the lounge we chat with a retired couple from Oregon - perpetual travelers, on the road for a few years already, two years on each continent, already nine months in New Zealand. On top of that - who comes in to the kitchen as well? - Roger!!! the retired butcher from Bristol - our friend from the north island whom we meet for the fourth time.

January 10

About a 40 min drive to see the Moeraki boulders - spherical concretions like giant marbles or gigantic potatoes which formed within the surrounding mudstone millions of years ago when this area was covered by sea. The forming process was similar to the way a pearl is formed around a particle, the particle in this case being a fossil shell, a bone fragment, or a scrap of wood. Later in town we transfer our camera chips on a CD - there are about 900 pictures from the south island already!! For dinner we have delicious new potatoes and other vegetables from a nearby farm. Then comes the highlight of Oamaru stay - penguins. First, we see the yellow-eyed penguins from a hide which was constructed so these beautiful but very shy birds can be observed without being disturbed. Then, at dusk we watch blue penguins return from fishing at sea to their juvenile offspring nesting among the shrubs on the shore. No pictures allowed - camera flash apparently permanently damages their eyes.

January 11

Another quick look at Oamaru - a town full of surprisingly pretty buildings erected as a result of early prosperity and an abundance of sandstone in the area. Ela stays in town. Kamila and I go to the beach to look for paua shells as advised by Clair from our dorm. We found some, but the best what happens - a close encounter with a yellow-eyed penguin which was sitting on the beach and allowed us to see him from very close. Awesome!! To Akaroa on Banks Pennisula. About 7 pm we get to Mt. Vernon Lodge - supposed to be YHA associated - turns out it's not and a little pricy. Those are the last two days with Ela so we won't skimp. The location is perfect - on a hill with a view of a bay. The weather is also perfect: finally Ela sees the Southern Cross in the night sky after we set the alarm for 2 am to get up to watch it.

January 12

Last full day with Ela. Kamila plays and feeds the donkey, Ela enjoys the sun and I my long morning coffee listening and finally ignoring constant shrieks of three peacocks, occasional grunts of two black pigs, and brays of the donkey.

Around noon we walk down to the village, stroll the harbour, find out about the town's French heritage reflected in many French names - the South Island could have been French - the French settlers were late a few days arriving here, according to some accounts or about two years to others. Unfortunately no signs of my fleece jacket I lost the day before while coming back from the store in town. At least it's very warm and I don't need it now. In the evening we descend our hill again to have a well reputed fish-and-chips dinner in town. - heavily overeaten then have trouble going back up. Tonight Elka gets her birthday foot massage - doesn't express any complains and sweetly falls asleep right after.  Maybe we should start doing it to fellow travelers as a source of income?

January 13

We take a long scenic route on Banks Peninsula. It was formed by two giant volcanic eruptions in the distant past. The result - many tiny inlets and bays all around the peninsula's coast. Clear sky lets us see them all from the Summit Road drive. Quick look at Christchurch Cathedral Square, a visit to the Mediterranean store Linda had showed us long time ago to buy a "Music from Chocolate Lands CD and off in a hurry we go to the airport for Ela to catch 1:35 flight to Auckland. At least one more week together would be nice - well, time played the usual trick on us and shrunk somehow. Tired and sad we find YHA hostel full and decide to try Heather and John's place where we stayed after arriving in Christchurch before. Taseef, the Young cricket player from Pakistan lets us in. John and Heather are away but we think they wouldn't mind if we stay here for a night.

January 14

Kamila wants to see "Sponge Bob". I am definitely not in fond of the animation technique used in the movie but she needs a company and I am the only one around. After the movie we hang around in town, buy a new sweater for me and late in the afternoon we go north to Staging Post. Linda puts us up for the night, it feels like home, and next morning we head for Hanmer Springs.

January 15

We start with a visit to Planet Rojo - the internet and ice cream place run by Aska from Krakov and her husband from Australia. We met a month ago during our first trip here. At YHA we meet Julia - the hostel employee and Kamila's buddy for viewing TV "Survivor". We join her and her two friends - Laura and Julius for barbecue this evening.

January 16

Driving through Lewis Pass - spectacular views. However, we are experiencing a kind of a 'traveler's burn out' and are not easily impressed. The last four weeks were packed with sights of so many places that now a good bed and a good book would be the best that can happen. Back in Nelson in the same YHA where we waited for Ela. The plan is to go to Kaikoura for two days and then back to Linda's farm and chill out.

January 17

Before leaving for Kaikoura a visit to a doctor to get some drops for my chronic ear condition. $90 for a visit, $20 for drops. Not bad. On a bus to Blenheim and another to Kaikoura. Good relax for me after holding the wheel for a few days. I can close my eyes whenever I feel like it.  About 8 pm we get to Lazy Shag backpacker's. About a month ago we stayed here at Dusky Lodge but somehow the info center attendant couldn't connect with them. Kaikoura is the place to go whale watching. Should we this time round? Let's sleep on it.

January 18

The decision is yes. And now we have a tale of a whale's tail. First we move to Dusky Lodge backpackers - they have a swimming pool, a hot pool and a sauna. Our whale watching boat trip is at 1:45. Spotting and glaring at the Moby Dicks is of course a big industry here. Kaikoura is located very near a big underwater cliff creating a huge canyon - it gets deep very near the shore. Male sperm whales find this area suitable for their hangouts /females and kids prefer warmer waters/ and so can be seen regularly. There are four boats that constantly take tourists to sea, ocean rather. As soon as a whale is spotted on the surface the boat comes as close as it can so everybody can admire the giant creature, take as many pictures as possible until it makes the final move and dives again showing its magnificent tail. They usually stay on the surface for up to 10 minutes, and remain deep down from 30 to 60 min., unless they go for a record which is 2 hours. Among a few extreme statistics they hold is that they have the largest brain that have ever existed. I'm jealous of that! So we came up to four of them - the first flicked his tail too soon for everybody to see it. The next three let us take a long good look at them and yes it was breathtaking and worth the money. I'm glad the case of severe budgetitis didn't grip my mental qualities this time.

January 19 - 24

A fire alarm woke us at Dusky Lodge before 7 am completely ruining a good plan to sleep in on that day. Well, instead we had fun watching all kinds of night garments on a crowd of sleepy bodies gathered outside. We never found out what was the cause of this awakening but as long as there was no fire - who cares? Late afternoon at Hawkswood after an hour trip by bus. After an initial confusion as to where we are going to stay, we settle in a Log Cabin, a lodging place belonging to the Kaikoura Coastal Trek for the first three days and then in Linda's house for another three nights. Then come days of tough decisions whether to lie in a shade or in the sun, to drink hot or iced coffee, read a book, listen to the chimes on Linda's porch, snooze or give more attention to the surrounding mountains, sheep, peacocks and dogs. Get to know the area even better by doing the routine 2-hour walks with Linda and the dogs every morning. All of us - three people and six dogs /there was big black Toby from Christchurch staying on the farm for a month/ pack in Linda's car and drove to the river which has to be crossed several times - for that we have a second pair of shoes we carry with us. Get to know better the people here with their idiosyncrasies, tensions between the old and new owners, contentions about what is accessible to tourists what is not, concerns about JD's frail state of health and what will happen after him. There were two trips to Kaikoura - first with Linda and her friend Liz, whose pretty house with an incredible ocean view I had a pleasure to visit later - then with Kamila. We got a ride with a German couple and their aloof teenage daughter, and back we hitched a ride in a huge truck loaded with ready to turn into hamburgers slaughtered cattle. It didn't help Kamila to feel better - she had a bout of weakness and a slight fever before in town. 

January 25

Kamila feels OK - must have been some virus trying without success to stall our plans. Bye to Gypsy, JD and Hawkswood farm. To Christchurch with Linda. An interesting stop for coffee with her friends running a native plant nursery, snacking on apricots straight from the trees. Then one more night at Linda's city house. This personal contact with Linda and her realm was certainly the highlight of our south island journey. As well as  Ela's visit of course!

January 26

Renting a car again - a small white Toyota Starlet - and going south to Dunedin - 'New Edinburgh' in Celtic. The building of YHA in Dunedin, previously an old hospital has a reputation of being haunted. One of the TV lounges was an operation room, the other a morgue. Kamila doesn't want to stay up late here.

January 27

A trip to Otago Peninsula. Heavy mist obstructs views that we expected there. Kamila goes on an hour tour to see a colony of royal albatrosses which have their nesting and hatching sites there.

January 28

Drive through an orchard country, stop for apricot picking.  In a town called Alexandra a necessary stop for pictures to be sent to Kamila's friend Alexandra.

Laka Takapo hostel for the night with a view of a lake and mountains on a horizon in a perfect sunset light.  In a guest book somebody wrote: it feels as if my eyes are being sucked away by the view and my soul being pulled out from my body with a desire to stay here for ever.

January 29

After a very early rise we drive to Mt.Cook for the second attempt to see him. First with Ela was unsuccessful. This time we get lucky - walk to Kea Point and yes we see him in full magnificence.

January 30

According to Kamila's calculations today is exactly the middle of our trip. We celebrate with a dinner out in the city. But before that, we pay for a real Antarctic /or rather Canadian/ experience in the International Antarctic Center. You are given a warm jacket and boots and enter a chamber which gets cold up to -20 and windy for at least 10 minutes. Ha! Apart from that it is a great educational place with zillions information about the icy continent. We also take a very bumpy ride around the center's back blocks in all-terrain vehicle called hagglund.

January 31

Our farewell treat on the TranzAlpine train. Again we are given a chance to admire the full splendor of rugged wilderness of the Southern Alps - the mountains that run from the south-west of the island to the north -east. The train leaves Christchurch in the morning and goes across the island to Greymouth passing through Arthur's Pass, along gorges and braided ice-fed Waimakariri River and 16 tunnels - one 8 km long. After one hour stop in Greymouth we are starting back and arrive in Christchurch at 6:30

February 1

We are leaving kiwiland, or 'the land of a long white cloud' today at 7 pm.