Southbound

Lake Marian in Fiordland Ntnl Park

Meet Leona. I met this wonderful woman on the street in Christchurch before I went to Hopewell... nearly two months ago. We really hit it off and decided to take a road trip together for some hiking adventures as soon as we both had the chance. So when I left Hopewell, I spent a week in Nelson, because I love it there, two days in Picton, because that's where the infamous, hilarious public toilets are located*, then I jumped on the coastal train to Christchurch to meet up with my new travel buddy.
*The Picton Public Toilets are a fully automated system that welcomes each customer through the doors with surround-sound elevator music and full commentary. Once you lock the door, a loud voice announces that you have 10 minutes. The toilet flushes automatically, but only once you have activated the automatic soap dispenser and have begun to wash your hands under the automatic faucet. The voice then reminds you to gather your belongings and to have a nice day. 

Lake Tekapo

Our adventure started heading south west to Lake Tekapo. Within a few hours, we had left the ocean and found ourselves at the beautiful mountain lake, staring into that intoxicating blue that you simply can't wrap your mind around., surrounded by the sprinkling of wildflowers along the shore. We camped there for two nights enjoying amazing starry skies, beautiful day hikes and relaxing in the hot pools.

A Tekapo Sunset

From there, we continued on to Wanaka. It was interesting to return there as that was my first stop on my adventure with Swiss buddy Luk about one week into my New Zealand adventure. When I headed there that first time, I was going to jump out of the car there... stick around for a while, look for work... maybe buy my own car... and it's crazy to think about all of the places I've been, all of the things I've experienced and all of the groovy people I've met since then because I kept moving... it's funny how plans change when you allow for adventure to intercept you and whisk you away where it pleases.

We camped in Wanaka for two nights, right by the lake again. We did yoga each morning, had some nice day walks, checked out the picturesque little lake-side town, ate our picnic meals and drank wine under the light of the full moon... not too shabby.

Mount Cook

From there, we took a bit of a detour from our route up to Mount Cook, and I'm so glad we did. The drive up was absolutely incredible. Epically rugged, snow covered mountain peaks came into view and just seemed to get bigger, bigger and bigger. We stepped out of the car into that familiar crisp mountain air, in absolute awe of the beauty surrounding us. The photo doesn't do justice to the grandeur of this mountain, but it will give you the idea.

We continued our drive all the way to Milford Sound that day. We drove over the steep windy pass between Wanaka and Queenstown, across the rolling hills of the Otago farmland into Southland, through Homer Tunnel, the longest, creepiest tunnel ever that goes straight through the heart of a mountain, which is of course unstable and under construction, and into... Fiordland**. We had a cozy little campsite in the trees for two nights next to a beautiful lodge in the heart of Milford. I managed to snag two majorly discounted tickets for a cruise of Milford Sound, so that's what we woke up to! Somehow, we managed to get there on the first sunny day they have had all summer and... this is the part I've been dreading. I don't know how to describe it. It seems sacrilegious to put Milford Sound into words. It seems sacrilegious to attempt to capture it with a camera. I got overwhelmed. I almost threw my camera overboard, because taking a photo seemed like such a silly attempt that would surly be in vein, but that would be littering. And I am not a litter bug. So I held onto it and I tried. This is what I've got:

 What the pictures don't convey (and what is really deceptive when you're actually at the base of these mountains) is that some of these peaks are more than 5 times the height of the Empire State Building... and the water is about as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. They are fucking massive and you feel so insignificant in their presence. It's truly amazing.
There are waterfalls pouring over every face as you wind through the fjord, all the way out to sea. Fur seals hanging out on the rocks, ice cold wind ripping around... I can't even imagine what it must have been like for the Maori when they first entered into

this surreal paradise. They must have thought that they had somehow entered into another world. I felt like I had entered into another world.
It's no wonder it immediately became a place of spiritual significance for the Maori. People would return annually to gather precious greenstone (pounamu) from the banks, and many legends take place in these Fjords.

**Funny fact: Within 'Fiordland' are many 'sounds' including the famous Milford Sound and the infamous Doubtful Sound, but they are not actually 'Sounds'. They are valleys that have been carved out by glaciers, which means that they are actually fjords. When the Kiwis realized the mistake in title, they tried to make up for it by naming the area Fiordland... come to find out, they spelled it incorrectly, with an i instead of a j... they just left it at that. 

Sterling Falls (I think) in Milford Sound

 After our two wonderful days in Milford Sound, full of amazing day hikes and stunning views, we took the southern scenic route across to the Catlins, in the south-east corner of the island. We camped in the area for two nights, yet again, and filled our time with coastal walks and hikes to one incredible waterfall after the next. The Catlins are filled with beautiful forests, waterfalls, rugged coast lines and marine wildlife.

On top of Key Summit, Fiordland Ntnl Park

Lake Marian, Fiordland National Park

Petrified Forest, Catlins 

Within the Catlins area... I'm not quite sure where... we stumbled upon an extraordinarily, beautifully odd gallery called The Lost Gypsy Gallery. It was started roughly twenty years ago by a brilliant man, who I had the honor of meeting and hanging out with for a while, with awe-inspiring ingenuity. From collected junk and scraps, odds and ends, he creates all sorts of contraptions and works of art, ranging from objects you can hold in your hand to giant towers. It's a hands-on gallery where you are welcomed to give in to your temptations to push the mysterious button and pull the intriguing lever... but you might get a surprise.

"There are many temptations in life, this button being
one of them."

A masterpiece from The Lost Gypsy Gallery

And we headed up to Dunedin, which is where I write you from. We explored the city for a day, camped on the Otago Peninsula, checked out the groovy, not so old, but New Zealand's only, Scottish Castle, looked for albatros and blue penguins, didn't see any, but knew they were there, scooted on back to the city and Leona and I parted ways. (I know I like my run-ons, but I think that's a personal record for summing up so much in one phrase... this post is getting far too long.) She continued on to her home away from home in Akaroa and I've been in Dunedin for about ten days now working for my accommodation at a hostel. I've met some great people here and checked out some amazing spots... those photos will come later. I'm leaving here soon... headed for other adventures... a solo backpacking adventure on the Greenstone Track... but for now, I need dinner. And you need to back away from the computer before your eyes begin to cross.

I am sending all of my love and support, the most massive of hugs and simply the grooviest of vibes from Dunedin. I hope you all are well, happy and just loving life. You are in my heart and on my mind.

To infinity and beyond :)