06.03.2010
The 1st photo session on the trails of Sticky Forest (I think my bike was already broke by that time *grmpf*). We both didn't know it'd take THAT long till the next one...
getting used to being the model :)
1st try without bike...
hen with bike :)
the step up
landing zone and spot for me taking the pic were actually only few cms from each other ;)
05.02.2010
Plan was to leave late in the day for this 8h return trek to arrive on top in the evening, then pitch the tent to take some nice sunset and sunrise pics and walk down next morning.
Most of my stuff was waiting for me in DOC center, to be picked up afterwards. Then I just wanted to make the 30kms to Fox.
That was the plan and it does still sound nice and I still wold recommend it to everybody who's equipped for it.
Left Franz Jo village at 1 midday. Start of the trek is 4km outside (typical for NZ was the fact that they advertised for an "eco friendly shuttle service" by bus to the start. Couldn't figure out what exactly made it eco friendly, as everybody who's fit enough for the trek itself would sure be able to walk that bit on the roadside aswell ;) )
was a cloudy day so far with only few holes in the clouds during the morning. Still the trek and the atmosphere around was great
love treks like that! Some roots and rocks everywhere to keep it interesting :) Was sooo funny to meet Katie (we worked together in Punakaiki) right at this spot again :D She was on her way down already. We didn't even know we were in Franz Jo during the same time :)
perhaps Santa was hiding in the clouds somewhere. Couldn't find him though
Without the clouds it might not have been that nice actually
then on top it really looked like it was about to clear as I was hoping. Was only a thin layer of clouds above me
and then the very moment I had made myself comfortable - with some nuts and raisins to reward myself for the climb - it cleared right in front of me :D
thats Franz Josef glacier just in front of me :)
was just soooo perfect!!! Was really excited about pitching my tent up here later for a nice clear night. Nobody around at all (last person I saw was Katie some 3 hours ago and won't see anybody for the first few hours of my way back down aswell)
but then while walking round on top in search for a nice spot for panorama picture I tripped into a little, grass covered hole in the ground and twisting my left ankle badly. Realized directly it was not necessarily broken but still not to be ignored :( After 30mins of waiting and thinking bout the opportunities I had, I came to the conclusion that the only thing to do, was to go down again and try to find a doc in Franz Jo or at least some ice. It was supposed to rain next day and I had to get down anyway. Even if somebody elso was around, the track was way too narrow for walking besides each other. Was clear that biking to Fox and over Haast was not possible anymore, so hitching a ride or fetching a bus to Wanaka - as that would be the nearest place for a hospital or at least somethng like that.
That was then the only pic I took on the way down (started 6.30 in the evening and took till 2 at night including twisting it a 2nd time even though I taped it and was “walking” with the help of a stick). It was - as far as I could tell – a perfectly clear night, the sunset must have been just stunning on top, not to mention the sunrise the following morning... ;(((((((
03.02.2010
Another cyclist told me about a possibility to shorten the distance a bit on the way to Franz Josef... Sounds great to shorten a distance of round 130kms to Franz of course ;) In the end I have to say that I'm not completely sure if he really meant the way I took, but it brought me to Ross and it was indeed some km shorter then the distance on the road around. But it definitely was more exhausting then just to stick to the normal road!! :) Anyway it was a nice little “side adventure”
don't know how long this sign is already standing there...
...but it doesn't look like they are really trying to build or repair something here ;)
really lot's of those old wood bridges around here and I am constantly wondering when the one is coming that is simply too old and damaged to actually make a save way over it... but as I don't want to turn round and go back all the way, I just keep going and see how far I can get ;)
the view to the left...
...and the view to the right... not much of a difference
I wonder if my tripod is still lying there on the other side *damn* realized that of course few days later
after 136kms I was sooooo happy to finally arrive in Franz Jo in the hostel. The last kms and few hills were really hard and uncomfortable ones! ;)
02.02.2010
Plan for the day in Hokitika, was to round Lake Kaniere, as I was told that would be a nice thing to do for an easy day. But then the campsite owner told me it'd be way better to go out to Hokitika Gorge (would be gorgeous she told me :) )... well then :)
Now that was well worth it :) Just a pity that I realized when I took this pic, that the SD card for my cam is still 30km away on the campsite *d'oh*
01.02.2010
On the 1st of Feb I finally moved out of Punakaiki and followed the west coast road to Hokitika
lovely road along the seaside...
...with lots of little hills to keep it interesting and keep the legs busy :)
1st view of the mountains *jiippiiiee*, this is what I'm heading to :)
...but at the moment it only seems so near thanks to the good zoom of my cam... ;)
during a long, straight, even (there for booooooring) stretch of road, things like that are more then welcome
after I pitched my tent on a recommended campsite in Hokitika, I headed for the town itself and its beach and found that standing round. *hmmmm tattoo....* ;)
the whole town seems to meet down by the beach
remains from the driftwood festival that took place last few weeks. Missed it by few days I found out :(
Punakaiki Beach; even beautiful on a cloudy / rainy day
on the walk along the Pororari river
