Lots happening since last post... on to New Zedland

Well, for starters, I'm now 7 destinations into New Zealand, and, of the spectacular places I've seen so far here, this may be the most. I spent a couple of days in Auckland, NZ's biggest city, located in the north. Joined a hostel-organized trip to the beach where the locals proved their reputation as outgoing, friendly people... oh, read my previous posting - I just realized I'd started one but hadn't posted it. It's now being posted, without further editing.

Went from Auckland to Christchurch. The center of the city is, actually, a large Catholic cathedral, to which you can contribute 5 backpacker's budget NZD$ for the privelege of climbing up the clock tower... I don't think enough churches in the States have figured out a way to get the tourist's buck yet. No, if you're wondering, I didn't go up it... maybe if they'd had a bungy jump or slingshot swing from the tower, I would have considered it.

Walked along the Avon river (stream?) that runs through the middle of town, along which you can punt... be punted? How very, quaintly British. Went to i-site (travel info booths located in most destinations, which do an impressive job of marketing the area's attractions and helping with bookings) to get info on the traveler's buses... While there, got invited to a homecooked, birthday celebration dinner by a working holiday-visa traveler from Japan. Good food and pecan pie. I contributed a salsa dance lesson for the birthday boy.

Bypassed the bus option, opting for a ride northerly with a guy from England who posted a ride offer. We stopped in Kaikoura, a beach town famous as a place to view whales and dolphins. Apparently the winds were too strong for the whale boat to go out. So, I enjoyed a stroll through the countryside instead... stopping to talk to a lady working in her yard, who talked about her kids for awhile, then suggested I check out the Irish pub/inn "just down another block." This was a country block, mind you, so it took some time to get there, stopping to let the cows cross the road and pet the shepherd dogs who were chilling in the yard (not exactly supervising/directing the herd across the road). Maybe it was after their work hours by that time. Stopped to talk to a guy who'd been out fishing (for green moki), who suggested, without prompting from me, that I apply to work at schools in NZ... Not a bad idea. Caught several km ride back to in-town campground from man with no fewer than 9 dogs in his truck. Finished evening playing "Ringenwormen" - a die rolling game from Germany, with a couple from the Netherlands, who gave me the best explanation for why they're called Dutch (from a German word for... okay, i forget the explanation) and the country often (in some countries, only) refered to as Holland (which comprise only two of the states that make up the country, but were formerly very powerful/rich). Thus, the correct name is Netherlands... but still leaves one wondering to whom are they the nether world?

Continued on to Nelson, in the north west part of the South Island, which contains the geographic center of NZ, as well as being a pleasant hillside/coastal town with lots of outdoor gear stores, coffee shops and eateries, and one of the fanciest BnB caliber backpacker's joints I've seen, Accents on the Park... Stayed there one night before residing another evening in rooms above a loud rock-playing bar. Low and behold, there's no one at the checkout desk at 8AM on a Sunday morning to check me out so I can go attend to transportation options...

But, I digress. (The most convenient transport option was just to catch the bus that was heading where I wanted to go, that another traveler I knew was taking).
From Nelson, I caught a ride to the southern trailhead of the Abel Tasman National Park coastal track. Hiked 3.5 hours (about 12 kms) the first day, to arrive at a campground (with huts, if I'd been willing to shell out the money for that extra comfort, which I wasn't). Swam in the surf, and chatted up a family who hailed from Pt. Townsend (just across the water from Seattle), who I was then able to acquire food supplies from, as they were leaving the next day. So, their contribution provided a couple breakfasts and lunches, that convinced me to extend my hike to 4 days, 3 nights (from an originally planned 2 days, 1 night). Met nice people along the way, the weather was perfect, and the setting was stunning, meandering through lush green forests overlooking blue-green waters in the coves below. One highlight - gathered huge mussels (5-6 inches) from rocks just offshore in Mutton Cove, which also sheltered a family of seals, including footlong baby seals. Cute!

Finished the hike with slightly sand-papered feet and majorly sandfly-bitten calves, refreshed after days in the pristine landscape and sleeping outdoors. Hitchhiking took longer than expected, but only took 3 rides to retrieve a bag I'd stashed in the bushes at the trailhead, and one more to get the rest of the way to Nelson (picked up within minutes by a nice modern-hippy lady (and her 5 year old son) who talked about climbing to Mt. Everest basecamp recently, and plans to build an off-grid house.

Reference to which brings me to my current location, a self-sustainable farm in the hills of Lower Hutt, just north of the capital city of Wellington. Being on a farmer's schedule the next few days means I'd better sign off for now. Up early to feed the "chocks" tomorrow, after eating some of the eggs they've produced. Goodnight.