Victory! Queenstown to Bluff

As the title suggests, I am writing this blog from the tail end of my journey.  However, tales from my recent trip are quite interesting and still convoluted in my mind, so I will try to start at the beginning and recollect, to the best of my memory, what exactly happened in the week since …

Dry and Dusty

At long last, I have made it to the famous Queenstown, the capital of New Zealand tourism!  I must admit that if I had gobs of money to blow, this is where I would be most likely to spend it in all the places I've visited so far.  There are innumerable cool places and ways …

Welcoming in the New Year

The ancient Athenians were known to have preserved the ship of one of their greats, Theseus, as a kind of monument to his greatness.  Over the years, as parts of the ship rotted, they were replaced, and the ship strengthened by Athenian craftsmen.  This led to the classic thought experiment, the Ship of Theseus, which …

South Island Beginnings

I'm writing this on the fly, as I have exited the mountains temporarily for a Christmas buffet and a little vacation before entering the scenic Nelson Lakes.  Thus, this update will be a little bit short, but hopefully, interesting.  Also, it may be the last update I write for some time, as the following sections …

Coast to Capital

This section took me from the delta of the Whanganui River through the Tararua range to the capital, Wellington, where I touched the south coast of the North Island, thereby finishing the first part of my trek.  The mountains were cold yet beautiful, an apt introduction to the South Island, while the capital city is …

Whanganui River Walk

The Whanganui River is often compared to a giant rope, being woven together of many streams twisting their way through the chasms and gorges of Whanganui until they join the center plait of the river.  Along this river follows a river road, which passes through many of the historic places that give the area its …

Mountains to the Sea

Maori legend tells of the great wizard, Ngatoro-i-rangi, who discovered the now famous mountains in the Central Plateau.  He climbed what was then the highest peak, and was about to die of cold.  So, he called on the powers of Hawaiki in the north, and the south wind (Tonga) carried away (riro) his words.  The gods …

New Zealand Clouds

There was once a Maori navigator named Kupe who sailed the oceans.  One day, he saw a long cloud in the distance and his wife called out, "He ao!  Aotearoa!"  which means, "Behold, a cloud!  A long, white cloud!"  Thus, the Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa or, roughly, "The land of the long …

On the Fly

  I rolled into town here in Ngaruawahia and was immensely surprised to discover that there was a library with easy internet access.  However, I have only half an hour to type as quickly as I can, so here goes. November 22, 2015 I actually took a zero.  Doesn't happen often, but between updating my …

Made it to Auckland

At long last, I have made it to the beautiful hub of New Zealand, as well as a computer at the home of my wonderful hosts.  So at last, after a week and a half, I am able to bring you a lengthy update on my adventures here in New Zealand. November 12, 2015 After leaving …