tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:13:04 +0000Follow my solo adventure across New Zealand.http://newzealand.tibay.org/noreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)Blogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3057497503240289467Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:22:00 +00002007-02-06T17:38:48.593+13:00Day 24 - Bungy Jumping off the Kawarau Bridge"Do you want to touch the water?" - was the question they asked me as they strapped me into the bungy line. My answer was "YES". (This jump-style goes out to Ryan.) I penguin-shuffled to a plank leading to a spectacular view of a gorge and the river below. It's the Kawarau Bridge, where the first bungy jump was "performed". Unlike the canyon swing http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/02/day-24-end-with-bungy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-216314453189462643Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:38:00 +00002007-02-02T12:54:19.971+13:00Day 23 - Canyon SwingHaving seen the brochures and even featurettes on television (ala MTV) shows like "Jack Osbourne: Adrenalin Junkie", I knew that the Shotover Canyon Swing was for me. I got up real early and caught the 9:30 am trip to Shotover Canyon. I would be the second person to jump, and selected my "jump-style"... that is, how you jump off. You get your assortment of styles with http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/02/day-23-canyon-swing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6901865134426236315Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:48:00 +00002007-01-31T20:05:04.468+13:00Day 22 - Rainy Day in QueenstownIt's raining heavy in Queenstown. No kidding. But I gladly accepted a day of sitting back and resting the dogs for a while. After a long night of sleep, I walked out to town for egg-bacon-sausage-toast breakfast at a bar called the Loaded Hog. I did a little shopping and bought a rugby jersey and a few other souvenirs. >With plenty of ours to kill, I caught a http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-22-rainy-day-in-queenstown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-8703416744266920368Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:24:00 +00002007-01-31T01:44:57.124+13:00Day 21 - Routeburn TrackThis morning I woke up and got the crazy notion to do the Routeburn Track. Not all 3 days of it - just the first day's worth of hiking. If you recall, this is the hike I cancelled to accomodate an overnight cruise. In the end I would meet 2 cool travelers - Alon and Tom, who would prove to be good company on the way up and down respectively on a hike that would measure http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-21-routeburn-track.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-7607425328217835370Mon, 29 Jan 2007 08:49:00 +00002007-01-31T01:46:23.950+13:00 Day 19,20 - Overnight Cruise in Milford Sound(Even more photos waiting to be uploaded.)"Ploop!" That was the sound of my $75 polarizer filter (like sunglasses for your camera) as it plopped into Milford Sound. Somehow it managed to unsecure itself from my camera lens and jettison into the dark, deep glacial waters of Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park. Like a naval serviceman's burial at http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-1920-cruising-in-milford-sound.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6528800267600563571Sat, 27 Jan 2007 13:36:00 +00002007-01-31T01:46:59.610+13:00Night 18 - Comets & The Night SkyIf you haven't heard, there's a new comet in the skies -though, I heard it may be only visible from the souther hemisphere. Tonight, en route to Queenstown from Wanaka on the Crown Ridge Road, I made a 2-hour pit stop at a carpark to photograph the clear night sky with it's many stars and direct view of the McNaught comet.http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/night-18-mcnaught-comet.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3953392208488896205Sat, 27 Jan 2007 06:40:00 +00002007-01-31T01:48:12.254+13:00Day 18 - Deep CanyonYesterday, I made a very difficult decision. Of my mere 24 days in New Zealand - and I've skipped a lot to make most of it happen - I had allocated 3 glorious days to the famed Routeburn Track, which is a beautiful hike up steep glacial mountains for a good view of the souther alps. I even had packed some of my camping gear for the trek. Last night, however, I realized I http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-18-leap-of-faith.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6959407474221391031Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:44:00 +00002007-01-26T21:49:15.478+13:00 Watch New Zealand's South Island landscape zip by, as I drive 300km from Franz Josef on the west coast to the edge of the Southern Alps in Wanaka. Soundtrack song "Deliverance" by Bubba Sparxxx.http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/video-highlight-west-coast-drive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-5438156048226575139Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:08:00 +00002007-01-31T01:48:43.292+13:00 Day 17 - West Coast Drive No specific plans for today. Just another long drive... this time from Franz Josef to Wanaka. It started out as another usuall New Zealand day (from my experience) chilly, overcast and slightly wet. More winding roads followed the coast until I reached the small town of Haast. From there, I started heading west and got my first taste of New Zealand's southern alps. Ithttp://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-17-west-coast-drive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6506310800090939984Fri, 26 Jan 2007 03:57:00 +00002007-01-27T20:37:35.505+13:00 Watch some scenes from my guided hike onto Franz Josef Glacier. Soundtrack by Vanilla Ice, "Ice Ice Baby".http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/video-highlight-franz-josef-glacier.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-4949573706851437882Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:16:00 +00002007-01-31T01:49:52.632+13:00Day 16 - Franz Josef GlacierI've always wanted to hunt for Yeti, so I today I hiked onto the ice of Franz Josef Glacier - named for an Austrian emperor that's never been to New Zealand, but nevertheless there you have it. Unfortunately, I remember after I signed up for the 8-hour guided trek that landmass that composes New Zealand had drifted away from Gondwanaland millions of years ago before http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-16-walking-on-thick-ice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6326934275494718955Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:28:00 +00002007-01-31T01:50:46.785+13:00Day 15 - Long Haul South, West CoastToday was a day of recovery after 2 days of kayaking... and by "recovery", I mean it in the Jude-sense. That is, wake up at the break of dawn and head south to the town of Franz Josef Glacier which is 500km or 310 miles. For those of you that are geographically-challenged, that's longer than a drive from LA to Las Vegas, or New York to Washington DC. The only http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-15-long-haul-south-on-hwy-6.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-4966626823078671160Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:37:00 +00002007-01-31T01:52:03.720+13:00Day 13,14 - Adventures in Abel TasmanI spent the last two days on a grand kayaking adventure exploring South Island's Abel Tasman National Park (from the water) and the adjacent Tonga Island Marine Reserve (like a national park, but on/under the water). With me were 5 companions (all hailing from different lands) and our our wicked-awesome guide Stephen (from Wellington). First, there was a nice http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-13-14-kayak-adventures-in-abel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-8496420245085903438Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:36:00 +00002007-01-31T01:52:40.769+13:00Day 12 - Exploring Golden BayThe forecast doesn't look good for my 2-day kayak trip through Abel Tasman; but then again, when has the weather here in New Zealand ever worked for me? I think it's warmer in the States than it is here... or maybe it's just the gloomy rain. I'll admit that I was expecting an austral summer here in the southern hemisphere, but it was warmer in Alaska in August. http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-12-exploring-golden-bay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-8481482741471160566Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:32:00 +00002007-01-31T01:53:24.028+13:00Day 11 - Golden BayToday was all about taking it very easy, driving east from Picton west to Takaka/Golden Bay. I drove through winding switchbacks that skirt the contours of the Marlborough Sounds, had a nice stroll in the town of Nelson, and finally drove over a mountain pass to Takaka in Golden Bay. With a whole afternoon of sun, I explored the many beaches and tide pools at low tide with http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-11-drive-to-golden-bay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3155148340505125814Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:28:00 +00002007-01-31T01:53:57.413+13:00Day 10 - Crossing Cook StraitToday, I spent the day exploring Wellington at an easy pace, before boarding the luxurious Interislander Ferry to cross Cook Strait to New Zealand's South Island. The ferry has three accesible decks, complete with arcade, movie theatre, play area, bar, cafe and many lounges. Spent the night in the hub town of Picton where I picked up my new rental car - a new Toyota http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-10-crossing-cook-strait.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3697689759645753219Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:12:00 +00002007-01-31T01:55:45.283+13:00Hostel LifeCheck out some photos of some hostels that I've stayed at so far. Those featured are mainly of big-city hostels that are very well maintained, such as Auckland, Wellington and Whitianga. Keep looking to this gallery for more interesting scenes of hostel life. Especially for those who had not had the experience. A hostel is a low-cost option of accomodation. The quality can range http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/travel-highlight-hostel-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3459326120243919239Fri, 19 Jan 2007 04:54:00 +00002007-01-31T01:54:58.951+13:00Day 09 - Wanganui to WellingtonAs soon as I woke up, I packed up and left the town called "National Park" near the Tongariro National Park and headed for Wellington - my last destination on New Zealand's north island. The road to Wellington passes through pastures where thousands of sheep graze and winds through steep mountain passes and narrow valleys. I made a brief stop in the town of http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-9-road-to-wellington.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-6242745109666892211Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:06:00 +00002007-01-31T01:57:23.401+13:00Day 08 - Tongariro CrossingToday, I did the Tongariro Crossing which is about an 8-hour day hike in Tongariro National Park. The hike starts in the highlands above tree line, before encountering 2 steep but short ascents. The trail winds through 2 dormant volcanoes, 3 emerald-colored lakes (because of high mineral content, and geothermically active features such as fumaroles and springs. I http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-8-walking-through-mordor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-4858336298575563073Tue, 16 Jan 2007 12:31:00 +00002007-01-31T01:58:01.409+13:00Day 07 - Rest and RelaxationOn my 7th day on the North Island, I decide to take it easy and treat myself to a morning hot mineral-rich bath at the Polynesian Spa in downtown Rotorua near Lake Rotorua. After so many days of hiking, driving and sleeping in hostels; it's about time I actually make a vacation out of this trip. The Polynesian Spa's pools are fed with steaming water naturally heated http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-7-r-in-rotorua-and-taupo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-2287575331211882784Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:17:00 +00002007-01-31T02:04:31.397+13:00Day 06 - Maori CultureI spent the evening of day 6 with Mitai, which puts on a daily show of Maori culture and serves dinner according to Maori hangi preparations. http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-6-maori-culture.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-2684890603044686841Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:32:00 +00002007-01-31T02:05:08.247+13:00Day 06 - Rotorua, Wai-o-tapuI arrived late the night before in Rotorua, a beautiful city that lies in the heart of North Island as well as Maori culture. As I approved the city, I already noticed steaming geothermal vents and the odor of sulfur (also better known as "rotten eggs"). Almost 1 week in New Zealand, I decided to take it easy in Rotorua and soak in some sights, culture and hot springshttp://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/rotorua-spanish-for-rotten-eggs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3030931354335994021Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:50:00 +00002007-01-31T02:06:24.084+13:00Day 05 - Taking the plunge...My first taste of true New Zealand adrenalin... abseiling, rock climbing, cliff diving - ALL in a cave a few hundred meters below ground! When I walked into the small town of Waitomo Caves, little did I know I would drop $350 NZD on one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thanks to Waitomo Adventures and very special thanks to our guides Ryan and Gavin. The http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-5-taking-plunge.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-5393809654828302939Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:13:00 +00002007-01-15T11:27:15.947+13:00 Another rainy day on the North Island, but a well spent day at Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel Peninsula. Soundtrack by Jack Johnson, "F-stop Blues" from his "Brushfire Fairytales" album.http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-548184087198224324.post-3069854845454903883Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:22:00 +00002007-01-31T02:02:16.097+13:00Day 04 - Cathedral CoveYet another day of the "F-stop blues" (reference to Jack Johnson song and photography science). No sun, gray skies and enough rain to make the Gobi an oasis. But who says you need sun to have fun? Anticipating uncooperative weather, I decided to sleep in (actually, this meant getting up at 7:15 AM). Though after taking one look out the window and looking upon choppy water http://newzealand.tibay.org/2007/01/day-4-cathedral-cove.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jude Tibay)0