End of Break

From the end of the Kepler track in Te Anu I headed north up the west coast. I traveled with Colleen, Margaux, and Bea for a few days. They were in a camper, and let me crash there for a few nights to save money. In hindsight, I would've paid the extra for a hostel, because there were at least two people too many in the camper. We went through Queenstown again, and further north to the glaciers. Franz Joseph and Fox are the two main glaciers. We signed up for a glacier walk on Franz Joseph, but it poured during our scheduled time, and the trip was cancelled.

Franz Joseph Glacier

I only had a few days left, so I went to the top of the South Island to Abel Tasman National Park. I wanted to kyak, but no one rented single person kyaks and I didn't want to go with a guide. Instead I took a water taxi into the park and hiked a ways, then caught another water taxi back to the start.

Abel Tasman walk

Boats at a summer home area in the park

I went a little off the beaten trail after Abel Tasman. Heading to the absolute top of the South Island brought me to Farewell Spit, which is a narrow sandbar that extends dozens of miles into the sea. The night before I spent in a wonderful hostel in a backwoods town. The owner introduced me to everyone else staying in the hostel, and had fresh made bread waiting for us in the morning. That night I drove a few miles out of the town to the Mussel Inn. This place was really in the middle of nowhere, but has a big reputation in NZ. Supposedly even George Harrison was seen visiting once. The live music was great and they brew their own beer. I tried one with a chili pepper in the bottle. A group of geology students from Wellington were there at the end of a field trip, and it was fun to get to know a few of them.

Michael, myself, and Frazier (plaid in force)

I finished off in Picton and caught the ferry to Wellington. The boat left at 6 AM, but the sunrise on the sounds were worth it.

Farewell to the South Island