Ev and Nicoles Excellent Adventure

Hello again,
So its two more days before we head home and New Zealand has been helping us out with some terrible weather, making it easy enough to want to come back to beautiful, warm summertime in the States. At the moment we're staying out at New Brighton Beach, a bit outside of Christchurch and enjoying some lazy inside days. While the rain, wind, and hail from time to time act enough of a deterrent to keep us from going out too much we have been down to the beach a few times, mostly to hang out on the pier and watch surfers.

It has been an amazing three months here, and I can't believe its practically over. I suppose this will be the last real post on this thread, I'm guessing nobody is going to want to hear about the 10+ hour flight back (here's a taste...we read a little, then we sleep a little, maybe some Flight of the Conchords around meal time, bit more napping, then I get up and pace around the back going stir-crazy while ev sleeps some more :o) Thanks a bunch to anyone who has actually been reading this thing :o) Hope it inspired at least a few people to want to come out here, I know I hope to come back (We have an actual list of hikes still left to do). Tuesday May 26th is the day, 6pm is the time. Hopefully see you all soon.
much love,
nicole and everett

Hello!
So we managed to squeeze in this last hike before saying goodbye to the campervan and heading into christchurch once again. We spent four glorious days on in the Abel Tasman National Park on the Coastal Trail, and a little bit of the Inland Track to round it out. The weather was AMAZING, sunny and warm the whole time, and it was practically deserted out there (we actually got a whole hut that sleeps twenty to ourselves).




The first day we got yet another water taxi out to near the far end of the trail, with a nice little tour of fur seal spots and dolphin sightings on the way. The next few days were spent basically hiking from one beautiful golden cove to the next.

There were a few tidal crossings to keep things interesting, our first few days low tide was around 6 am/pm so we had some early mornings to get across on time... and then some patient waiting at the end of the day to cross yet another, but it was time well spent. I've never enjoyed sunrise as much as I did two hours into a hike crossing a tidal river :o)

All and all it was the perfect way to wrap up the out-doors adventure portion of this trip.

Heya,
We realized that the trip will soon be over and decided to make our way out of the mountains and over to the Tasman Sea, we spent some soggy days on the West Coast doing day trips through Arrowtown, Wanaka, Hawea Conservation park, Glacier Country (Franz-Josef Glacier AWESOME ) and Paparoa National Park. Updated the Flickr site so there are a few new ones on there. Nothing too eventful to report :o) We just finally made our way into Nelson, a funky and artistic town about the size of Corvallis but is actually pretty big for a town around here, and will be exploring the area by bike tomorrow. We have the marvelous campervan



for another 10 days and then its 5 more in Christchurch settling everything up before we head out. But before all of our sad goodbyes to New Zealand we will be doing one more track big track here... The Abel Tasman, just north of Nelson. Its all coastal so it can also be kayaked (very cool) and it should be about three days starting with yet another water taxi (hooray). Can't wait for the track, we'll be posting pictures soon...

Oh yeah, and Ev hears back from his job interview with the WA conservation people on the 14th so fingers crossed :o)
see ya,
nicole and ev

Hello!
It’s been an exciting week or so since we last updated this thing. We are officially in month three of the New Zealand adventure and we kicked the month off right with two of the Great Walks, the Routeburn and the Milford tracks. The journey began Saturday night as we bade a hearty farewell to civilization and enjoyed the best of Queenstown with Soulsystem (best reggae/Dub so far) at the Dux de Lux (best beer by far). The following morning was a beautiful, if a bit hung-over, first day on the Routeburn. We managed three sunny and rain-free days hiking, an occurrence unheard of in these parts.


Despite the lack of rain there were some beautiful waterfalls. We stopped to have lunch at the Earland Falls

From the top of the pass you could see all the way out to the Tasman Sea


All of the great walks are immaculately maintained, some sections looked better than most Forest Service roads, there were even toilets set in scenic locations every few miles



Leave it to the Kiwis to make sure that there are clean public loos just about everywhere. On the last day of the Routeburn we made it up to Key Summit for sunrise

which was probably my favorite part of the tramp despite the cold.


That afternoon we made it to The Divide (end of the tramp) by 10 am and had hitched a ride into Te Anua by 1 (sorry moms, but it really is safe here.)
We spent a day or two in town doing laundry and internet. Ev found out he has a Washington State Dept. of Ecology job interview all lined up so good news there! We got our hut tickets and bus to the boat all lined up and that Friday we headed out on the Milford.


Is was a beautiful first day, clear skies, warm sun, and a nice easy walk to the first hut. The second day was much the same, although we were told to expect rain in the afternoon it managed to hold out until later in the evening when everyone had made it to the second hut. About 6pm that evening the rain began, and then kept going… 630ml and 48 hours later it was still going strong and we were still stuck at the second hut as the ENTIRE track was closed.


Even if we had felt like braving the rain, the 120 km/hr wind up on the pass was a bit of a deterrent. The formerly barren rock face facing the hut quickly became covered in roaring waterfalls


After an extra day and a half at hut #2 (and about a million games of cards) the decision was made to airlift everyone on the track one hut further along with hopes that the next day would be nice enough to walk out. So we got NZ chopper ride number two up and over the pass (with stunning views of the McKinnon memorial, Sutherland falls, and the waterfalls/rivers that used to be the Milford Track) and got dropped right in front of hut #3
Very Cool.
It stormed that night, thunder and all, and we were all pretty sure we’d be catching another chopper out the following morning. However when we woke up the storm had passed, the wind had quieted down and we were told the track was open. Besides a bit of rain in the morning it turned out to be an amazing day, all of the waterfalls were still gushing water, and the boat ride through the Milford sound at the end of the track was the perfect end.







For the moment we are back in Kinloch, now with a campervan, taking care of laundry and getting ready for the next adventure. More soon…
Nicole and Ev

Check out the Flickr page ...http://www.flickr.com/photos/pacificcrest/sets/