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[jacknealephotography]

We have been walking for about three hours if you could call the steady climb up stairs followed by a near vertical climb across loose stone walking. Stopping out of breath, sweat pouring from my forehead into my eyes making them sting from the suncream I keep trying to make stay on my face. There is not a cloud in the sky and the siring sun reflects back at us across glacial ice and snow. I take a moment to reflect and observe the mountains on all sides. Great cracks from the glacial shiftings break the silence and the thunderous boom of an avalanche on the opposite slope captures my attention and I watch as ice and snow falls hundreds of feet to the valley floor. Looking Up my eyes fall upon the next part of the climb which turns from loose stone to snow and ice! It is at this point Ali reaches me huffing and puffing and looking a little nervous. After a small chat and not much persuasion she agrees to join me for the final accent to the top.  Cutting steps in the shallow snow we climb to the ridge where Ali clings to me asking how on earth we are going to get back down. Putting that thought aside for now we cook ourselves some food on the high ridge and play the game of how many avalanches you can spot on the opposite cliff.

The route that we had just climbed is known as the stairway to heaven, which consists of over 2,200 stairs followed by  a polled route straight up the side of a near vertical mountain. At the top is Mueller hut – and for those more organised than ourselves one can rest a night in the hut then make their way back down the mountain the next day. However this involves booking way in advance which we did not do. What is meant to be a two day hike we did in one heading back down as clouds started to form on the peaks.

The next morning we embarked on a slightly more chilled walk to the hooker glacier a 3 hour return walk at a steady incline. However this seemed not adventurous enough for me and after eating some lunch we headed along the lake shore at the foot of the glacier in an attempt to reach one of the icebergs floating close to the edge. On reaching the ice I am distracted by a flock of Kea; the only parrot to live above the snow line. I watch as they land above us to feed and spotting a rout up the again near shear scree I start to climb, Ali close behind. Carefully I test every stone so as not to send them tumbling down on top of her. Motivated on by the Kea I quickly climb leaving Ali behind. Five minutes later I am sat beside the curious parrots camera in hand. Just as the Kea start to hop closer to investigate my arrival I hear a plaintive call from Ali who is out of sight below the ridge. I am torn between the Parrots who I had been wanting to photograph as soon as I found out about there existence and Ali who I was pretty sure would be able to work out how to climb up without my help. Sure enough before I had time to think Ali appeared stating that she had not wanted to use her hands to climb just in case the berries on the bushes were poisonous.

I spent the rest of the afternoon with the Kea. Such incredible birds with more intelligence than you could imagine. Very inquisitive they came right up close allowing me to get many different angles. I soon realised that they responded to the sound of the camera in a curious way rather than in fear like other birds and that the sound of an avalanche made them all jump ready to fly. I can only imagine that they have learned that the sound of snow falling could be dangerous to them but they had not yet worked out what the sound of the camera meant and wanted to find out. Taking off the tripod plate I rubbed the two pieces together. The sound quickly caught the attention of a couple of birds who came over to investigate much like Dusky dolphins when making noise under water.

I wondered if like Robbins they would respond to soil being turned over. Picking up a rock I dug a small hole. To my utmost surprise one of the birds also picked up a rock! When I tossed the rock to the side the same Parrot picked up another one (having dropped the previous stone). Instead of just dropping the new stone it tried to toss it away as I had done. Realising that they would investigate noise I threw a stone over to a perch that I had been wanting one of the birds to sit on as it would make an interesting shot. As I had predicted the sound caught one of the parrots attention who flew up to where I had throne the stone.

An amazing experience to observe these birds living so high up in the mountains and to be able to see first hand the inquisitive nature that has allowed them to survive in such extreme conditions. Unfortunately the same intelligence is killing them as they realise how to get easy meals from tourists feeding them. Firstly this is not their normal diet and does not give them the nutrients they need to survive and secondly it is making them lazy and idle forgetting their natural way of life. This has lead to these Parrots rapid decline.

MOUNT COOK We have been walking for about three hours if you could call the steady climb up stairs followed by a near vertical climb across loose stone walking.

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The period over Ali’s birthday we spent relaxing in bunkers backpackers and exploring the surrounding area of Oban the only settlement on Stewart island. I cannot begin to explain how good a bed felt and to have the comforts of a homely building after a few weeks battling with the elements. Of course as soon as we had these comforts the sun came out and showed no sign of retreating for the majority of our stay on the island. 

Well rested and ready for another adventure we headed out into the bush/rainforest that makes up most of the island. Walking all day we found a secret and secluded bay where we set up camp for the night. The sand was untouched completely smooth with tiny waves lapping along its shore line, great trees fringed the waters edge their roots twisting though the sand and long vines hanging from the high branches. Id like to say we slept well that night but the only area of land that we managed to find big enough for our small tent proved to be quite bumpy, or maybe we had just got soft after a few nights not on the ground. 

The next morning we woke up to crystal clear water and dolphins jumping in the bay. It was like some kind of fairy tail world that we had accidentally walked into. Packing down the tent we collected some muscles to eat. This lead to me using up almost all of our remaining cooking fuel to cook the muscles, not my cleverest move but luckily through carful meal planning we managed to make every drop last for the remainder of our adventure. 

After a few days out in the wild we hiked back to what felt like civilisation again but really we were still only in the tiny village of Oban. 

Back on the mainland life was a bit of a shock with a few people walking around the streets and a couple of cars on the road, we felt like we were in the busiest place on earth, however Invercagill is probably the quietest town I have ever been in. 

A stressful 12 hours later with last minute bus bookings and trying to find some kind of accommodation we found ourselves on a bus to Fiordland which we had thought to miss out due to the savage rain in the area (200 days a year) the second rainiest place on earth! however it looked like we had three glorious days ahead and hence all the last minute bookings. The lady at the information desk found us quite amusing I think booking on the day for a place people book a year in advance. 

The day of our arrival the rain did beat down like nothing else a relentless downpour with the intensity of a 5 minute shower. It was this that we found ourselves pitching camp at Guns campsite. A quirky campsite that is completely self sufficient. All the lights are turned off at 10pm and I imagine on a clear night the stars would be amazing, we just had rain! 

After gleaning some information from our bus driver our plan was to hike from guns camp 8km up the dirt road to the divide and from there hike up to lake Marian where we planned to spend the night. After fighting our way though crowds of tourists who all seemed to want to get a picture of us and our packs we started the accent along a rocky river bed which quickly turned to a steeper climb that with 12kg on my back proved to be quite slow. At the top however we were rewarded with the most incredible view of a small lake of emerald blue water nestled within steep sided snow capped  mountains. Again finding a place to pitch the tent was tricky, in the end we were forced to retreat back within the trees slightly to find a small area flat enough. 

Again we did not sleep that well as the temperature dropped to way below freezing forcing us to squeeze into one sleeping bag for extra warmth and from there I must have drifted off. I then woke at 5am to witness the stars above us.  Stumbling  in the dark to a vantage point I sat and watched the stars fade with the grey light of dawn. I watched as the mountain peaks turned orange, Alpine parrots screeched high above and my body began to freeze in the shade of the high mountains. I began to long for the orange glow so high above to reach me deep down in the valleys basin. An hour past before I celebrated as the sun made it above the peak and was instantly bathed in a warm light. I stretched my cold body out and let the sun warm my bones as I watched the path of light make its way down to our tent where Ali lay sleeping.

We cooked breakfast on the lake shore before packing our bags and making our way back down the valley. Being so close to Milford Sound we felt we should pay the place a visit so we hitched a ride with a Canadian traveler and arrived some 30 minutes later at what is meant to be the eighth wonder of the world. It is however also one of the biggest tourist destinations with cruise ships and helicopters. We felt content to take in the view having just had such an epic wild few weeks. There was something reassuring being back in the presence of people. 

FROM A REMOTE ISLAND TO GLACIER CARVED MOUNTAINS The period over Ali’s birthday we spent relaxing in bunkers backpackers and exploring the surrounding area of Oban the only settlement on Stewart island.

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  Rain beats down with an unforgiving monotony as we trudge along the wet road to the coach stop in Dunedin. Since arriving the rain, or threat of rain here, has been non-stop. We spent a few days exploring the Otago peninsula just outside Dunedin, however I found the whole experience very strange; it was wild and remote yet almost like visiting a zoo with large restrictions and entry fees to gain access. I understand that the money all goes toward the protection of the wildlife in the area, however it was more the attitude of the the receptionists who did not really seem to give a rats arse about the wildlife or our experience.  On trying to gain some information about the area I was told that the only place to view Yellow eyed penguins in the world was within their reserve. When I replied with “I saw three yesterday walking up the beach while watching the sunset” the receptionist seemed shocked and did not really know how to reply. All in all I found most people to be very unhelpful toward us and our stay. This is except every single bus driver who we gleaned more information from than anyone on the whole trip, in fact it was pretty hard to get a word in on both our bus trips to and from the peninsula, and it was with a smile that we stepped of thinking how different these bus drivers were to the ones back in the UK.

Balclutha is a very small town on the outskirts of the Catlins and could be seen as the gateway to and from. This was the end of our link with the world of public transport, from here on it was just our feet and thumbs to travel our way through the remote Catlins coast. We stayed a night at Balclutha motor site where a very helpful man invited us in with open arms showing us around and generally making me regain my faith in humanity. It was with sadness that we left such a welcoming host but we had a 6 hour hike ahead of us if we couldn’t find a hitch. Cardboard sign in hand we hit the road to Kaka point. Whether it was Ali’s shorts riding up revealing her bum again or just the simple kindness of an old man we were picked up in seconds by him and his van, which towed a trailer of gravel.  While Ali sat in the back trying to avoid buckets of bleach and other carpet cleaning chemicals (her worst nightmare) I sat up front unaware of her distress blissfully chatting in true English style about the weather.

As we neared Kaka Point I found myself captivated by huge spray visible behind the dunes, driving over the brow of the hill an empty beach of pounding surf met my eyes and as we continued along the coast I was astonished at the vast array of points and reefs lighting up with clean lines and offshore winds with not a surfer in sight. Enough surf chat! We arrived at our campsite and saying farewell to our ride we went to the office to check in. It was closed with a note saying pitch up and pay later my faith in mankind now fully restored and feeling happy in the sunshine we set up camp and went exploring.

Sunrise at nugget point was something to behold, and for us with no transport it meant getting out of bed at 4am and making the 2 hour hike along the gravel road from Kaka to the nuggets. Luckily seeing as we hadn’t quite managed to get up in time we got a hitch from some kiwi bird watchers who were heading to the point in search of the rare Yellow Eyed Penguin, more on that later.

As the sun broke over the horizon our eyes were greeted by huge stacks of rock stretching out to sea from the lighthouse behind us. On one side great swell rolled in a light wind rippling over the face of the water, on the other side a calm sea lay at rest, very much like the 4 German tourist who we stubbled upon in sleeping bags at the point. What a great idea and I found myself wishing I had thought to sleep on the point under the starry nights sky followed by an awesome sunrise.

After a number of hitches and much walking the following day we found our selves at the most incredible campsite. Again it was raining however we were able to pitch our tent right on the beach tucked away in the shelter of a cliff. The campsite was run by DOC and on the honesty of the campers to pay and use the site responsibly. We watched as our ride drove off into the distance and it dawned on me that it was about a 7 mile walk back up to any kind of road and as far as I could see there was no one else around.

Now let me try to describe to you where we are. It is late afternoon and as I said before the rain is coming down in sheets, what I failed to mention was the wind which is gusting 100km sending sand skipping down the beach from the dunes to the ocean that heaved and pounded against the fine sand beach and tall steep cliffs at the far side of the bay. As the rain stopped the sun shone through the heavy  clouds with a piercing strength lighting up the spray from the waves with rainbows of colour. I realised I was somewhere truly magical. With a loud crack I was bought back to reality as one of our tent poles snapped in the wind! fan-bloody-tastic we are in the middle of nowhere with unpredictable weather and a broken shelter! luckily I was able to fashion together a slightly smaller but just as effective pole from the old one with some old string and some tape allowing me to get back to observing the landscape.

Forced to leave due to being out of drinking water and cash for the honesty payments we started a long trudge up the road in the rain stopping only to watch a baby Sealion trying to capture Black Backed gulls washing in the river. Luckily we managed to get a ride with one of the only cars to pass us up to the main road. When I say main road there was still only about 1 car every 10 mins but we had a good place to shelter from the elements and were soon picked up. Getting dropped of by a little store in Papatowai to pick up some supplies and gain some local information on the area we again hit the road. This time we had no luck with a ride so decided to go and check out a local artist who made art out of junk and exhibited it in an old bus. The only way I can describe it is quirky and incredible right down to the finest detail.

When we left the sun was shining again (Newzealand weather is so changeable) we hoisted our packs, asked a kissing couple if they had room for two, I meant in their car! and after being turned down started the uphill climb to the lookout over Tautuku beach.

We stopped on the beach and cooked some lunch in the sun before checking out lake Wilkie. From here we got a ride up to the whistling frog campsite for a chance to unwind and make the most of the facilities.

Mcclean falls were like walking into a magical land, Ali started seeing fairies everywhere she looked, making me wonder what was in the Orange juice she is always so keen to drink. Mosses and lichens hung like long bears from the damp branches. Ferns strived for light in the shadows of the branches and creepers twisted round one another. The low light of the sun reflected down through the canopy of leaves. The falls themselves cascaded down and with the high rain levels were much bigger and more impressive than any of the pictures I had seen. The downside to the high level of water was the amount of mist in the air creating a constant drizzle limiting angles for photographs.

We next managed to get a ride to Curio bay where we explored the fossil forest, this for me was one of the most fascinating experiences within the Catlins coast. When we first walked down onto the hard rocks I strolled around not really seeing what I was looking for. Suddenly it clicked and there at my feet was a tree turned to rock its grain and colour still visible in the stone. From there it was as though I was transported back to a swampy forest, where the waves washing over the rocks became fresh water rivers running through a boggy land of moss and grass. Embedded within the mud lie fallen trees rotting in the soggy soil. In a flash I am transported back to the present day, seeing the shapes as rock formations. The soggy soil is now hard rock with great wood like shapes running through. Small lumps (tree stumps)  stretch away into the distance and I am again looking at a boggy forrest. Fascinated and enjoying the subconscious switch of my brain I wonder over the rocks for quite some time stopping only to watch the waves crash against the edge sending spray shimmering in the light of a comforting warm sun after so many cold days.

Later that evening we sat watching the sunset when we found ourselves suddenly in the presence of not one but three of the elusive yellow eyed penguins that tourist from all around the world spend hours trying to spot even from a distance. Here we were with them waddling up the rocks to their nests right in front of us. As they returned to their nests we could here the chicks calling out for food. I felt so privileged to have experienced something so rare and a great way to end our trip through the Catlins.

We travelled though the Catlins in a very unusual way and a way that is not recommended in any guide book, hitching and trekking. It was very hard at times and quite testing with challenging weather. We did miss a couple of things such as the most southerly point, Slope point. However I feel that we experienced the Catlins in a much more unique way to most. We felt the rain and the wind on our skin and in our hair and we spent sleepless nights wondering if our tent was going to hold up in the wind but it made the whole experience.

Catching rides we were able to chat to other tourists and travellers about their experiences and I found it fascinating how much people missed. We spent a week  making our way from place to place and I still feel as though there was so much more to see. How people manage to pass through in a matter of hours, ticking of each attraction from the comfort of their cars I cannot understand.

If I could recommend anything to anyone traveling to the Catlins, it is to go to the places in between the points of interest in the guide books, then you will get a real idea of the remote and rugged land.

CATLINS Rain beats down with an unforgiving monotony as we trudge along the wet road to the coach stop in Dunedin.

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Imagine having the chance to knock down your house then rebuild it exactly as you wanted, then upscale that to a whole city. Back in 2011 Christchurch was near flattened by an earthquake causing many of the building to be severely damaged. Six years on the effects are still very apparent with building being propped up, abandoned multi-storey structures with boarded up windows contrast heavily with the new modern architecture which reflect back in massive tinted windows the scaffolding of the new buildings. The whole city feels like a piece of art that is only half finished.

In my recent visit to Kaikoura, recently effected by an earthquake, I experienced for the first time a couple of aftershocks. It is the strangest feeling having the ground beneath you move and shake and although I was only experiencing very small shocks each one sent my heart racing and I can only imagine what it is like to be in an actual quake. Judging by friends reaction to one of the shocks I cant imagine that it is very nice; she grabbed her dog and ran out of the door before the rest of us had even registered what was going on. Nice to know that we were all second to her dog in an emergency!

We only stayed one night in the city before moving south but judging by what I have seen of the work in progress it is going to be a very beautiful city in a few years time. A great city with a good up and coming feeling.

CHRISTCHURCH Imagine having the chance to knock down your house then rebuild it exactly as you wanted, then upscale that to a whole city.

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The road from Christchurch to Kaikoura turns quickly from road to gravel then back to tarmac again as we drive through areas hit by the earthquake back in November. scarred hillsides reveal the extent of the damage and the size of the landslides. Signs inform us that the road is open however to be aware of obstacles. As we drive along what seems more like a winding rally track with potholes and cracks we come to a broken bridge  across a river and have to drive over the newly erected army style bridge to the side. The whole drive felt as though we were heading into an abandoned town and I guess that is kind of the case. Kaikoura has somewhat been taken off the map due to Highway one south being closed forcing everyone to travel nearly to Christchurch before making there way back up, too far for most tourists to make the detour.

Arriving in the quiet town where buildings are still propped up by scaffolding I am surprised by just how much of the town is still open for business. Each building has a paper note pinned to the door explaining which ones are safe to use.

  Hot black pebbles soak up the suns rase as I sit camera in hand. I am completely surrounded by Red Billed gulls who seem to have no fear. I am trying to capture wide angle photographs of the birds in flight with the mountains in the background. Holding a piece of bread close to the camera as the birds fly around taking pieces from my hand. They become so trusting that they start landing on the camera then on myself. Three hover inches from my face their beady eyes looking at me then at the bread in my hand. Such incredible birds using the wind to stay motionless in the air.

Exploring the coastline we find wildlife around every corner ranging from ducklings to great Fur Seals lazing in the sun. Lying flat to the ground I edge closer to the sleeping seals on the rocks. They seem not to mind my presence in the slightest coughing and snoring as they sleep in the sun.  I lie there for hours watching them on the rocks and taking some snaps. I find myself wondering what would happen if one came up behind me. I was quickly distracted by a seal pulling itself out of the water. As I watched it started to shuffle toward me past the other sleeping seals who stirred slightly in their sleep. Suddenly I realised that I was actually very close to the seals and became apprehensive, I quickly planned an escape rout if it came much closer. The seal stopped spotting me. For a long while we starred at one another before the seal yawned and lay down.

It is incredible how unafraid of humans the wildlife is here allowing for some much more varried approaches to photography a must visit location if wildlife is one of your passions.

Cover photograph Ali Russell

  KAIKOURA The road from Christchurch to Kaikoura turns quickly from road to gravel then back to tarmac again as we drive through areas hit by the earthquake back in November.

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It is 5am and the first rays of red light from the rising sun are starting to send steaks across a heavy sky. A still breeze sends ripples across the still water as the boat from Dolphin Encounter cuts a clean path through leaving a trail of white in its wake. Such a contrast from our previous attempt that had waves crashing over the small boat forcing us to turn around and head back to shore. As we head round the coast in search of Dolphins I find myself hoping that the sun will rise high enough in the sky to get over the cloud and give more light under the water. We pass a few Albatross sitting on the water and I cant help but feel that these majestic birds look more like big ducks when they are not in flight.

  A dolphin is sighted and the sleepy boat comes to life as everyone starts to look out for more. Soon there are a few plying with the boat and grabbing my camera we are hustled to the back of the boat. My mind is still half asleep and despite the warm wind my body is still telling me that it should be in a warm bed and not slipping into the cold water. However with the blast of the horn and a pod of Dusky Dolphins waiting to play with my well rehearsed sounds and squeaks I immerse myself in the water and immediately forget the cold and how early it is. Looking down through my snorkel I am met with three Dolphins coming toward me. Diving down they follow me, swimming round me in circles so close I could reach out and touch them. I bang my fist on the side of the camera housing attracting more Dolphins. I make dive after dive, each time the dolphins follow me circling around me at incredible speed. One slows as I sit under the water we look at one another,  time as I know it stopping. I find myself wondering what they think of us swimming around making strange noises, those eyes seem far too wise to be amused by our attempts at being in their under water world.   The sound of the horn blasted out across the water signalling for us to return to the boat. I had no idea how long I had been in the water and was feeling a little dazed from diving down holding my breath but I find that I have been in the water for over half an hour.

We do one more dive with a much bigger pod however the visibility closer to the shore was not as good and returning to the boat We observe as A pod of common dolphins comes and joins and it becomes one big party of acrobatics, even the baby ones give jumping a go however they have not quite mastered it not making it very high out of the water. Their attempts however are very endearing and great to watch.

It seems that everywhere I go in this amazing country I so wonderfully inspired by the natural world and with every encounter or experience I feel that nothing can beat what I have just seen or experienced. However with every new place that I go I am met with a wonder that again I feel cannot be beaten. Swimming with wild dolphins has been one of those experiences.

SUNRISE WITH THE DUSKY DOLPHIN It is 5am and the first rays of red light from the rising sun are starting to send steaks across a heavy sky.

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Christmas in in the northland was epic with sweet food, lots of it drink and merriment and all too soon we found our selves heading back down to Auckland on the next leg of our journey. Now I feel that I have mist out a lot over the past weeks so I am going to try and fill you in, it has been action packed.

On reconnecting with my wallet we were not impressed with how unhelpful the lady had been at Central backpackers in Rotorua so we picked up our packs and headed back to the main street to look for something else ending up in YHA. Don’t get me wrong the rooms and facilities were amazing at central backpackers and if it hadn’t been for how unhelpful the owners seemed we would have loved to stay another night.  YHA was very clean and had good facilities however lacked character.

Sitting down on the last seat on Mannor Bus I prepared for the 6 hour trip by myself. Ali had to get an earlier bus due to there not being any seats with the busy Christmas period in full swing.

Stepping off the bus I was met with a view of high rise buildings and a marina full of shiny yachts and massive cruise ships. Ali had found us a hostel and after tracking down her location through “find my friends” (an app that allows one to show ones location to selected friends) we walked up the road to surf and snow, Ali mentioning that we could move if I didn’t like the hostel. I reminded her that I had lived for four months in a van in freezing conditions and assured her that it would be fine. It was a little on the unusual side and a little run down but we made the most of it and headed out into town to treat our selves to a Christmas meal out, which turned into less food and more drinks at some really interesting bars.

After Christmas our plan was to meet up with some friends from home and go on a bit of a surf adventure around Taranaki and this was exactly what we did!

A long road stretches around the coast south from New Plymouth with tiny side roads leading to world class boulder point breaks. As we drive I am astonished by the scenery; on one side is the ocean and the other is mount Taranaki a lone, snow capped peak towering over the flat plains. The road ahead stretches out empty of any other traffic we are the only ones around. after consulting maps and surf guides we explore every possible road to the ocean in search of waves. Tarmac turns to gravel and wheels turn to feet. Nothing can stop the search for waves apart from a herd of cows making their way along the road for milking. We wait and watch as the never ending line continues to meander along.

Finding a cove with what would be a perfect right peeling down an outcrop of boulders. We decide to set up camp and enjoy a day in the sun at our new found private cove and see if the surf would pick up with the dropping tide.

  Days flew by finding new empty beaches and reefs down every lane, Sometimes we surfed sometimes we couldn’t. A week went like the click of my fingers and we soon found it time to say our farewells.

It was unfortunate that we never experienced a massive swell however getting my toes back in the wax was epic.

THE SURF HIGHWAY Christmas in in the northland was epic with sweet food, lots of it drink and merriment and all too soon we found our selves heading back down to Auckland on the next leg of our journey.

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PARADISE ON THE COROMANDEL

PARADISE ON THE COROMANDEL

We have set up camp along the edge of a beach of golden sand with crystal clear waves lapping along the shoreline there is no other way to describe this place than paradise. Little islands stretch to the horizon, outcrops of land on which cling trees surrounded by a tropical blue water. In contrast to the previous days in mountain air, the hot sun shines down warming our skin and airing out our…

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THE ALPINE CROSSING

In the past two days we have climbed a volcano and looked down into its  live  crater, seen smoke rising from the ground, seen clear blue lakes of mineral laden water and seen rusty rivers tumble over old lava flows. To witness all of this we have also walked/climbed over 50km up and down mountains and steep sided valleys! When people speak of the Alpine crossing through Tongario  national park…

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Last night was the first night up in the mountains 2000 metres above sea level and to put in bluntly we froze in our tent. waking in the morning after a very cold nights sleep the hard ground that I have become accustomed to sleeping upon felt surprisingly soft almost as if I was floating on water. The rain was pouring down so hard it seemed to be trying to pierce through the thin lining of the tent. Becoming all of a sudden fully awake I realised that we were surrounded by water which had risen a a couple of inches up the side of the inner tent and had completely flooded our rucksacks. Outside in the porch, a sandle floated out of site under the edge of the tent. I became slightly worried that the ground sheet would not hold and start letting the water in and we therefore started operation move tent. This went surprisingly smoothly considering and a quick towel down of the inside of the tent we were all set in our new location (the top of the hill). Thankfully nothing had got too wet and we sat down to a late breakfast.

The clouds cleared in the late afternoon allowing us to go and explore the rugged land that we found ourselves in. Rugged is and understatement for this place where even plants struggle to find a hold. Rivers and streams run through steep gouges orange and silver filled with toxic substances left behind from the smouldering mountains. Hills of hard rock snake through the land and its is easy to imagine them as red lava spilling out from the top of the peaks. If aliens landed on this area of earth they would think the whole place was uninhabitable!

Tonight the temperature is forecast to drop to the comfort limit of our sleeping bags (-6) so we are set for a pretty chilly night!

RAIN AND AN UNFORGIVING LANDSCAPE Last night was the first night up in the mountains 2000 metres above sea level and to put in bluntly we froze in our tent.

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LAVA AND GAS

After being stuck down by the lake due to sever weather on the mountains we decided to risk the snow and cold wind and head up into Tongariro national park. It was a 40 minute climb to the small village of Whakapapa, pronounced by the Mauri as fuck-a-papa providing endless amusement for my immature mind. As the road climbs a landscape unfolds before us that can only be compared to that of the…

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It is late in the afternoon and the shadows are growing longer. Tall Redwood trees compete with each other to touch the sky, brown needle leaves scatter the forest floor, layer upon layer making a soft silent cushion for our feet to tread along. An old truck lies rusting away creepers twisting through its long seized engine.

We are walking through the forest down to Huka falls to watch the sunset and have a quiet drink on our last night in Taupo. Despite it being a very active week and both looking forward to a bit of down time we are sad to be leaving the banks of such a majestic river. Hearing myth of a hidden cave we set about walking down the other side to where we had explored before. Finding a quiet grassy bank we sat down and chilled for a while in the evening light.

Feeling restless I jumped up and and wandered into the bush along an overgrown path leaving Ali to take in the sights of the falls from our grassy spot. Climbing down a 15 foot drop to the water edge I found myself wondering if I could get back up again but my excitement was strong. I half ran, half walked along the edge of the fast flowing water the sound of the thundering falls getting ever closer. Having scouted the path I ran back to find Ali, helping her down the climb to the hidden path along the river and up to the falls.

The thundering sound of the water tumbling over the edge  drowned out any other sounds and forced us to shout to one another in amazement. In front of us thundered 100 tons of water a second, rainbows twinkled in the spray. Looking out from behind the falls we could see all the other tourists standing on man made lookouts none of them really feeling the power of the falls, this is exactly what we had both wanted for our last night. What an amazing end to the week.

THE HIDDEN FALLS It is late in the afternoon and the shadows are growing longer. Tall Redwood trees compete with each other to touch the sky, brown needle leaves scatter the forest floor, layer upon layer making a soft silent cushion for our feet to tread along.

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A narrow strip of shingle runs 8km from our tent at Clifton campsite to cape kidnappers, towering above are sheer cliffs, crumbling in the wind. Great mounds of dust and rubble give reminders of just how unstable these  cliffs can be. Tiny dried up streams have carved out huge canyons offering a little shade from the scorching sun, high above circle hawks and other scavenging birds.

Waves lap along a shoreline of fossilised shells and fish giving a false sense of ease, however each wave slides a little further up the narrow shore with the incoming tide. We are walking along the the base of the cliffs heading for the cape to witness one of the largest gatherings of mainland Gannets in the world. These birds have come ashore to nest and raise a family on the windswept cliff edge of the cape.

Standing on the top of the cape after a very speedy climb, we had left it a bit late with the tide and needed to allow time to get back along the narrow shore. We could not help but feel slightly as though we had come to a zoo of Gannets. In front of us was a chain to prevent tourists from disturbing or getting too close to the birds.Within this chain nested, a lot of Gannets. Above us these huge birds dipped and dived in the wind bringing back fish and nest material. In front of us sat hundreds of birds on little mounds. Some seemed content to just sit, while others performed a rather interesting and awkward dance. While in the air these birds were incredibly gracefu,l souring on wind currents hardly moving a muscle, on huge wings designed to cope with ocean storms. However on the ground these wings seemed somewhat cumbersome. Waddling along a more open area of ground one of these performers dipped its head then looked up to the clouds, its wings open, as it chatted away to another – must be its mate. Every time a bird returned from the sea this rather bizarre  greeting took place then one would leave again, taking off into the wind and disappearing between the ocean and sky.

As I sat crossed legged on the dirt one of the Gannets decided to make a running start into the wind, wings open it took flight flapping frantically to get airborne but not quite making it over the chain it came to an abrupt halt less than an arms reach from me. Standing it was as tall as me sitting. Feeling somewhat intimidated, I was defiantly within striking distance of that huge beak, I shuffled back a couple if inches. Looking up I realised that I was now the centre of attention to all the other tourists who all had their camera aimed on me sitting next to this huge bird.

All too soon we realised that we were going to have to head back or risk being cut of by the tide. An incredible experience and a lifelong dream to be within such close proximity to such majestic and wild creatures. The walk in itself is incredible with the opportunity to see lots of wildlife and rock formations along the way, don’t linger for long as the tide quickly covers the stony beach!

RACE AGAINST THE TIDE A narrow strip of shingle runs 8km from our tent at Clifton campsite to cape kidnappers, towering above are sheer cliffs, crumbling in the wind.

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The two hours from Hastings to Taupo went very quickly and was almost entirely an uphill zigzag up the side of what was once a massive volcano; so big that within its grater sits  lake Taupo over 600sq km. On its banks sits the town of Taupo and the hub of almost every extreme free falling sport on earth.

We had herd tail of a free camping spot on the banks of the great Waikato river and despite Ali feeling a little apprehensive about how safe this spot might be we decided that it was worth spending a week camping next to the crystal clear blue water. After stopping for a much needed coffee and a bite to eat we departed on our trek round the lake. Clear blue skies reflected back on the rippling surface of the clear blue lake so large that it was hard not to mistake it for being the sea. Black swans cruised by as we walked. Hitchhikers lined the roadside holding up scribbled cardboard signs to nearby towns and villages. Sunbathers lounged along the lakes undulating banks soaking up the first days of summer sun. Despite us spending the past weeks in baking sun it was the first sunny day the lake had seen in weeks with the grips of winter only just coming to an end. Hire shops still had skis in the windows which over our stay quickly changed to mountain biking, water sports and hiking equipment. As the cloud around the mountains in the distance cleared we could see snow a chilly reminder that despite it being very hot we were in a much more unsettled environment and that the weather could change any minute.

After 3 hours walking and a split in the road I asked Ali who had the maps which way we should go? It was only then we realised that we had been walking in entirely the wrong direction putting me in a pretty bad mood as I had thought we were almost at our destination! However we all make mistakes and its hard to stay angry at Ali for long. We soon found ourselves a lift back into town. Feeling a little disgruntled we set off again to  find this elusive site only to bump into three familiar faces who were also camping at Reids Farm. They assured us that we were on the right track and that it was still a way to walk but that it wouldn’t take too long. Hosting our bags we continued google maps in hand. Google kindly took us up the longest hill ever then back down to the river, we continued our destination in sight. We stood high up on the cliff looking down on the campground a beautiful spot dotted with tents and camper vans hidden amongst the trees, the great blue river winding past its strong current visible through eddies and whirl pools. The bridge that was apparent on our phone screen lay in pieces!!! we were the wrong side of the river! What! After walking now for about 8 hours with our packs I was done. This campsite was so close yet so fare away; walking round would take us another couple of hours. I schemed about crossing the river at a wide shallower part however even here the water looked too strong.

This was one of the most testing days of our trip and to top it all off Ali announced that she had misplaced her wallet containing……everything. We set about heading back the way we had come finding the wallet on the side of the road we gave up on the campground and checked into one of the campsites on the side of the river we were on. It had now gone 7pm making the total time on foot about 10 hours!!

With so much to see and do in Taupo it was hard to know where to start however after trying to walk everywhere and not having much luck we rented mountain bikes. Oh yea I forgot to mention that we did eventually find Reids farm. Arriving mid morning we had lots of options for tent spots and after walking round a few times found a quiet, hidden away spot just up from the river. As we set up our tent accompanied by families of ducks, the soothing sound of the river flowing past and a baby blackbird sitting chirping in the bush we felt like we had arrived at a paradise equal to that of the movie “the beach”. It had most certainly been almost as hard to find! We walked back down to the lake and watched the sun set while playing cards and eating dinner. The sun sets here are spectacular with the mountains and the vast expanse of water it was a tranquil and peaceful evening.

Returning to camp through the town of Taupo we observed as the Saturday nights crowd of drunks descended upon the bars and clubs. Camp was a party!! and was packed out with pimped out sports cars biker gangs and travellers in falling apart vans. The base boomed out across the river drowning out its peaceful sound, shiny cars with dark windows came and went dropping of…..well lets just say I don’t think it was legal. We scurried to our tents and got into bed only to find that a large group of German travellers had set up camp next to us and were doing there best at being louder than the party going on down the other side. We did not have the best nights sleep but figured we would give it one more night as it had been a Weekend.

Back to mountain biking, we rented two bikes for two days with the intention of cycling round the lake to an off-road single track. Off we went on a hot sunny day. We ended up getting a bit lost, of course but in doing so found a beautiful area of lake hidden away. Having a break and eating some peanuts we backtracked then continued on our quest. Basically the km miles thing confused us a little bit and we ended up cycling 13km off road plus 20km on the road and got pretty shattered. It was all worth it for the stunning views of the lake and to get out into the rugged countryside. The next day we set off again on the bikes not wanting to waste anytime but found we were too shattered to really cover any distance so decided to have a bit more of a chilled ride down the river to the water fall and back.

Huka falls is incredible however a bit touristy; the massive river gets funnelled down a narrow shoot then over the edge. The sound and power of that much water flowing is incredible however the railings and viewing points take away from its awe inspiring power making it almost seem man made.

Im going to finish up with hot springs, I have never encountered these before and looking down at the water I could only imagine that it was freezing cold. however everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and did not look cold. In fact it seemed that the gasps were mostly from being scalded. A small stream runs down into the main river and where it meets there is steam rising. Jumping in I realise that the water coming from the stream is hotter than the hottest bath I could cope with being in, and I can sit in a pretty hot bath tub. Where the stream runs into the main river there are areas of hot water next to areas of freezing water depending on how the currents are mixing. However the further into the gorge one goes the hotter it becomes till I was lying in a still pool at bath temperature, which was awesome as I needed a good wash. I lay here for a good time basking in the heat of naturally heated water from the molten lava beneath.

TAUPO The two hours from Hastings to Taupo went very quickly and was almost entirely an uphill zigzag up the side of what was once a massive volcano; so big that within its grater sits  lake Taupo over 600sq km.

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Turn the saturation on your computer up and that is the experience we got walking through Wellington city, quiet multi story building reflect back the rays of sun and clear blue water. Uncrowded roads wind there way down the sides of the steep hills to the ice cold blue sea as a dangerously strong sun beats down. A flock of white gulls fly over the still water returning to land on the railings.

We are walking almost in a daze as we take in our new surroundings, two lost souls taken from the grips of winter to the middle of summer, our minds and bodies still fighting to adjust to the change in time. We jump in unison as a siren sounds, then both smile sheepishly as we realise that it is just the sound of the zebra crossing. Anna our host; a smilie kiwi teacher in her late 20s who kindly took us under her wing till we found our bearings, chuckled at our expressions.

This incredible city holds a dangerous secret, the steep hills and water leave little room for expansion and therefore the majority of the city is built upon reclaimed land that was thrust up through the water with an earthquake no more than a few hundred years ago. It is widely known amongst the local residence that with another earthquake the city could sink back into the sea. The only road out of the city winds its way through steep sided hills that could easily collapse blocking the only evacuation.

As I write this I am sat on a bus winding through the countryside, steep sided mountain roads quickly turn to flat plains with rolling hills on the horizon. We are on the way to Napier to shake of the last of our jet lag.

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Most nights just after sundown there is a lighting display with large flashes of lightning and heavy clouds. 

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I have been exploring much of the country side in Sri Lanka. Here we have a Blue Tailed Bee Eater checking out his next meal. 

From what I observed in the short time I was able to spend with them they seemed to have one preferred twig or branch which they returned after each catch.