Milford Sound II & Lake Te Anau

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A new day. Some people who were involved in yesterday’s kiting permission ask how it was. Short and sweet! Everyone who hears the question immediately gets their camera out and shows me pictures. I must have put a nice splash of colour in Milford Sound. I keep asking around: Has anyone done it before me? No one has ever seen one.

We take the boat out onto Milford Sound early. If there had been anything going on at that time of day, I would have tried to top yesterday. Out with the boat, chat to the captain and then 15 kilometres downwinder to the entrance. But the wind didn’t arrive until much later. The captain was already in Regensburg, which gave me a great view from the bridge for a while. (more…)

Ripping the Milford Sound

Post
#155

0801

2008

Tue

23:58

day #

214

3.5 k
views

Did I say something like “I was kiting in the most beautiful place in the world” the day before yesterday? Me Thor! But who could have imagined a day like today? Not me. But from the beginning:

Two lovely days in Te Anau. A short tour over 40 kilometres of gravel road to the Mavora Lakes. A nice Swiss woman accompanies me. I stop to chase an escaped sheep. I really wanted to shear a sheep in New Zealand. A Kiwi had already enquired: unfortunately it is forbidden for foreigners for disease control reasons. So today, privately and without a razor: plucking. When the sheep runs into an electric fence in panic, the fun stops for the actually very funny Swiss woman. I have to abandon the plan without success. (more…)

Kitesurfing on the Southern Lakes

Post
#154

0601

2008

Sun

22:47

day #

212

3.8 k
views

Forget Queenstown for kiting! Completely overcrowded beach, almost never enough wind. One boat after the other. And the more remote boardwalks: thick trees every 10 metres and nice big rocks everywhere on a 5-metre-wide launch zone. I’m really pissed off that someone seriously gave me the “tip” to come kitesurfing here. Then I hire a car.

I drive 45 kilometres north along the adjacent Lake Wakatipu. There are more and more white chops on the lake. Wind!!! I’m coming!!! The end of the lake is reached in Glenorchy. Isengart used to be here, and the Routeburn Track still starts here. The only important thing for me: the wind is chopping at up to 30 knots. Very gusty, sometimes only 5, but it’s blowing. Kite on the gravel bank and off we go. (more…)

Gold rush & jetboat in Skippers Canyon

Post
#153

0401

2008

Fri

21:21

day #

210

4.4 k
views

Georg and Arnulf go on a day trip to Milford Sound, I book a jetboat trip in an old gold mining canyon in the mountains north of Queenstown. First we go up to the ski resorts, then on a gold rush gravel track through spectacular high mountain scenery. Next to the track you can see the footpaths of the gold miners of 1862. T

he gold rush only lasted 7 years, then it was all over. The 7km long track was completed after 7 years at the end of the gold rush. Huge amounts of equipment were hauled up the steep slopes. If it wasn’t lost on the way, crashed during transport or washed away by the first tidal wave after 2 weeks of use, every piece was still for nothing after 3 years at the latest. Gold. Everyone does everything for it. (more…)

Burnout in Queenstown

Post
#152

0301

2008

Thu

19:20

day #

209

3.1 k
views

Our last stop together is Queenstown, the capital of adrenalin. The world’s first bungee jump took place just a few kilometres away. Jetboating through narrow gorges, paragliding, aerobatics. Downhill mountain biking, speed luging, windsurfing, sailing, water skiing, climbing, canyoning, rafting. Choose the colour you want to paint a boring life an exciting colour!

There are twice as many tourists and three times as many bars for every 16,000 inhabitants. Queenstown is nevertheless nice and small, and still much quieter than Zell am See in the high season. The weather is absolutely unpredictable: Rain in the morning, sun in the afternoon, storms in the evening. Unfortunately, I didn’t find a single good kite spot for the same. Which devil had recommended Queenstown for kitesurfing? (more…)

Through the New Zealand Alps

Post
#151

0201

2008

Wed

18:32

day #

208

3 k
views

We drive further south. The mountains get higher, the valleys deeper, the meadows greener and the petrol most expensive. There are only a few villages left, and they are small. The roads look as if they were built exclusively for the summer tourist crowds. You simply couldn’t designate anything as a scenic road. Otherwise the next road would be a stinker.

My head is great after the New Year’s Eve party, as is my stomach. I look forward to every single bend on the 300 kilometres to Lake Wanaka. There are countless of them. Shortly before Wanaka, we stop at Lake Hawea, a very thermally active mountain lake. Unfortunately, there is not enough wind for kiting. On to Lake Wanaka. The wind is blowing strongly here. (more…)

New Year’s Eve on New Zealand’s glaciers

Post
#150

0101

2008

Tue

21:23

day #

207

3.8 k
views

We continue south to New Zealand’s highest peaks. Our accommodation is right next to Franz Josef Glacier. We take a short tour to the glacier break. Chunks of ice up to 1 metre in size lie everywhere in the valley. A DOC ranger tries to stop the crowds from going as far as the last barrier in front of the quarry. The chunks all came down in a big wave yesterday.

The evening is quiet in Franz Josef Village. The next day we continue to the neighbouring Fox Glacier. Less crowded. We have booked a tour over the glacier tongue. The ascent first goes through the valley, then 200 metres up a steep face next to the glacier break. After an hour we reach the starting point for all the glacier tours. We are given crampons and ice sticks, then off we go. (more…)

Grade 5 Heli-Rafting at Mt. Cook

Post
#149

2912

2007

Sat

22:27

day #

204

3.9 k
views

As soon as we get up, Captain Josh from EcoRafting picks us up. We head south to Mount Cook in a VW bus. Numerous rivers pour into the Tasman Sea in endlessly wide gravel beds. At around nine we reach the helicopter landing site in a lonely mountain valley near the New Zealand glaciers. We will fly up the Whataroa River by helicopter, then raft 10 kilometres over grade 5 white water back to the sea.

We are given thick neoprene suits for the ice-cold glacier water. Thermal overalls and jackets, thick life jackets and helmets. Two rafting boats, a kayak and the rest of the equipment are stowed in a large net. Then the helicopter arrives and the net is hooked in at the bottom. (more…)

Clubbing in Nelson

Post
#148

2812

2007

Fri

16:18

day #

203

3.1 k
views

I hitchhike from Golden Bay back to Nelson. It’s much better on the South Island. I need a good four hours for 160 kilometres and nice drivers from Jena, Israel and Holland. I arrive in Nelson exactly five minutes before Georg and Arnulf. I still know Georg from Fiji and we’ll be touring the South Island together for the next few days.

We take another hostel right on the beach, there are far fewer children here. Georg and Arnulf are both 26, which is old for world travellers and a real blessing for me – as much as I like travelling with younger people. We hang out on the beach and play poker. Then they also go to Abel Tasman National Park for a day. Meanwhile, I wander around Nelson. (more…)

Christmas in Golden Bay

Post
#147

2512

2007

Tue

20:20

day #

200

3 k
views

The next day, I’m still feeling under the weather. I hitchhike from Pahara to Takaka, where I realise as it starts to rain that I’ve forgotten my rain jacket in the hostel. I hitchhike back. Nothing. Back to Takaka. Ah yes, it was in my rucksack the whole time.

Takaka is a nice little hippy town in Golden Bay. There are three clothing shops. All of them sell hippie wear. A few fair trade and organic products shops. And that’s about it. A toboggan gives me the first lift to Collingwood, a young German couple the second. The Sommerset Hostel is an old Sunday school above the 19th century church. (more…)

Abel Tasman Coastal Track XL

Post
#146

2312

2007

Sun

18:12

day #

198

4.1 k
views

We set off at 9 o’clock in the morning. The Abel Tasman Coastal Track winds all the way through the hills along the coast. On the left is always dense jungle or forest, on the right the azure blue sea and golden yellow beach. Lots of boats and kayaks are touring around. Wild chickens keep crossing the path, sometimes with chicks. The southern part is rather unspectacular. Have I been to Fiji before? Have I seen the most beautiful beaches in the world?

The evening before, I even tore off the parts of the map I no longer needed to reduce my weight. My rucksack is still too heavy. My shoulders are really tense and I can’t tighten my waist belt because the buckle is wrong. A full 17kg is a big difference to my usual daypack. (more…)

Before the big hike

Post
#145

2012

2007

Thu

21:31

day #

195

17.5 k
views

I take the bus to Abel Tasman National Park. The same sign flies past several times at the side of the road: “Home Kills”. That means something like “home kills”. I have to grin. It could also be translated differently.

My last stop before the big hike really is the very last hostel before the Abel Tasman National Park. The Barn, a small farm, campsite and dorm. The last place is already 15 kilometres behind me. Chimes and flowers blowing in the wind. Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing. There’s a saying on the wall: “Life does not consist of the number of breaths we take, but of the places and moments that take our breath away.” (more…)

The concrete wave & a change of direction

Post
#144

1912

2007

Wed

18:49

day #

194

3.1 k
views

The third day in Nelson finally brings all my dreams: up to 60 km/h wind, side-onshore and very stable. The waves are up to 1.5 metres high and sometimes just as close together. I’ve never been out in conditions like this before. Several times I take waves at the wrong angle at the wrong time and get a good wash. The rest is jumping, jumping, jumping.

After more than two hours on the water, the wind gets even stronger. I can hardly feel my knees any more, but I’m still having fun. Then I misjudge a big wave. I crash into it almost head-on and at high speed – just as it breaks. It feels like riding into a concrete wall. Shortly afterwards, I realise that my harness has snapped. (more…)

Advents-Kite in Nelson

Post
#143

1612

2007

Sun

20:52

day #

191

3.4 k
views

The crossing to the South Island is steep. Firstly, I was still three local beers short the night before, and secondly, the night was only four hours short again because of the concert. The sea was comparatively calm. Nevertheless, the ship rocked quite a bit and there were nice white bags hanging behind every seat. After 1.5 hours, I see the South Island for the first time.

The entrance is into a long fjord. The Queen Charlotte Track runs along to the right. A few fishermen’s houses cling to the steep slopes. The sun is finally back. We are told to change cars in Picton because of a crack in the windscreen. The local Indian has no idea what to do, who is who, etc. After 15 minutes I advise him to call his company’s hotline, then something will happen. (more…)

High waves in Wellington

Post
#142

1412

2007

Fri

23:55

day #

189

3 k
views

The waves are crashing in Wellington, three whole nights. On the first, I go to a small indie club. Good music, but not enough people. Back out into the night, and after five minutes of walking it’s clear why: there’s a club every 50 metres where something is being performed live. Wellington is hardly any bigger than Regensburg, but has probably 10 times as many clubs. That thins out the crowd a bit.

In the second club, a noisy rock band is playing, a mixture of Hives and Black Crowes. There’s a lot of jumping around until one o’clock, then I’m suddenly standing next to a really wild punk. I go through a few clubs with her, then I ask about her parents. “My stepfather’s in prison,” she says, “I got him in.” I ask why, then there’s a long silence. (more…)

Off to the south

Post
#141

1312

2007

Thu

12:28

day #

188

3 k
views

On the journey to Wellington, we stop off in Palmerston North for another day. The mood is a little tense. Very little happens, so I’ll just philosophise about a saying that I come across every day on the trip. It’s mainly used as a slogan for hostels and bars. The slogan is: “Your home away from home.”. I ponder.

Why is the slogan so successful? What is home, and how many bars can claim to be home? Do travellers from faraway countries have to drink more beer to get home? Are Germans also at home in Irish pubs? What is the difference to “You come as a stranger and leave as a friend”? In my home country, the saying is at the entrance to the Palais d’Amour. (more…)

Napier: Art Déco and wine

Post
#140

1012

2007

Mon

18:27

day #

185

3.2 k
views

From Gisborne, we head south along the east coast. Shortly before Napier we stop in Bay View. The girls let me kite. Good wind at last, fully onshore at 15 knots. Problem: the lava shingle beach drops off steeply. waves 1.5 metres high break directly on the beach. I get washed so hard three times that I find gravel in my wetsuit above my knees. Then I give up. Not my day.

In Napier, Ilka offered us accommodation. We are warmly welcomed and have a nice little asparagus feast for our first dinner. The lemons for the hollondaise come from the tree in the backyard. At night, Quentin drives us into town to celebrate the half-year anniversary. A few bars, some 80s, then home again. Not much happens, just can’t always. (more…)

Half time

Post
#139

0712

2007

Fri

23:55

day #

182

2.9 k
views

Today is exactly the halfway point of my world trip. 182 days. It’s raining, but it doesn’t matter. I let the girls drive me from Gisborne to Napier. Taking a breather. Half a year of travelling is over. I set off to find something. I don’t know exactly what. All I know is that I haven’t found it yet. But I’m on my way. And will recognise it when it’s there.

Travelling means something of everything to me, the bad and the good. Much more of both than at home. From all directions. I can no longer imagine how that would work: living in one place. What would there be to experience? How could I beat boredom? How could I sit so still in my favourite pub for so long? Values of screaming restlessness… (more…)

Go east, life is peaceful there

Post
#138

0612

2007

Thu

13:12

day #

181

2.9 k
views

The East Cape is the loneliest and quietest corner of the entire North Island of New Zealand. A brochure points out all the tourist attractions. Unbelievable: you can swim, picnic and fish on the beaches here. Aha. There are rivers where you can go jet boating. If you have one. Oh yes, and you can ride horses. And that’s about it.

The landscape is wild, the land rises steeply directly behind the coast. The sea breaks hard on lava rocks. The only petrol station for 100km is almost invisible, a pump in the middle of nowhere. Immediately afterwards: horses, sheep, cows. On the road and beside it. The sky hangs low in the coastal mountains. The sound of an approaching car startles me. (more…)

Advent in the Pirate Bay

Post
#137

0412

2007

Tue

23:24

day #

179

3.1 k
views

The next morning we go shopping in the last big supermarket before the loneliness. There’s a singing Father Christmas next to the entrance. I dance with him, but the Christmas spirit just isn’t there at 24 degrees. There are palm trees outside, and I get a bit cold barefoot and in shorts next to the meat shelf.

Somehow Kiwis are completely different, but always only half. They drive on the wrong side of the road, but still have the right before the left. Christmas is in midsummer, but instead of “Let the sun shine” they play “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” for Advent shopping. I float past the gingerbread and Christmas beer and out into the glistening sun. (more…)

Hitchhiking in New Zealand

Post
#136

0312

2007

Mon

22:55

day #

178

4.3 k
views

Another two days at Yaping House in Auckland. Free WiFi and lots of work. Some old friends are still there. Luckily I realise on Sunday that I don’t have to return my car on Monday. The car hire company could have charged me $100 for the one-hour delay. But they don’t. A lost hubcap is also overlooked, as is the sand from 90 Mile Beach that trickles outside when I open the door.

Early the next morning, I make my way back to Tauranga. I want to try something. Everyone said that hitchhiking would be super easy in New Zealand. Unfortunately, I think this idea is a bit outdated. (more…)

Lousy Kite & Taupo Hot Tubs

Post
#135

2911

2007

Thu

23:14

day #

174

3 k
views

Took a few days off for work. The girls want to do the Tongariro Crossing. So we move to Turangi at the southern end of Lake Taupo. The road goes right through the heartland of the North Island. Long stretches of gravel track. It’s called “The Forgotten World Highway”. I couldn’t think of a more fitting name.

Early in the morning, I take the girls to the start of the Tongariro Crossing up into the national park. Within just two weeks, a lot of snow has melted on the volcano and the weather is also much better. From the start you can already see Mount Taranaki 150 kilometres further along the coast. The crowds of visitors are also increasing. Today there must be 200 people at the start before 8am. (more…)

Mount Taranaki

Post
#134

2511

2007

Sun

23:55

day #

170

3.1 k
views

Somehow I’m gradually developing a soft spot for heavy physical exercise after short, heavy nights. This night was very short again and my head was quite cloudy in the morning. We check out of the hostel and make our way to the nearby Mount Taranaki / Mount Egmont at around 10am. a 2500 metre volcano rises directly from the sea into the sky.

Even the journey there is awe-inspiring. After half a round trip, we arrive at the top car park at just under 1000m around midday. Unfortunately, we are a little too late for a full ascent. From 2000 metres upwards, you need high alpine equipment because the thing is still glaciated at the top. We set off on shaky legs. (more…)

Waitomo Caves & A Wild Party

Post
#133

2411

2007

Sat

23:04

day #

169

3.2 k
views

Unfortunately, the good wind didn’t materialise. On the last day, my kite simply fell out of the sky. Should probably go on. On the way to New Plymouth, we stop off in Waitomo. Glow worms await us in the largest caves in New Zealand. Our guide Tim gives an impressive and gory description of how it’s better not to abseil. Then we descend 30 metres vertically.

We walk along an underground river. A few hundred metres from the entrance, we switch off our lamps. All the walls glow green in the light of millions of glowworms. One fly caught makes the arse of the glowworms glow for three months. It would be pretty cool if humans could do the same: glow with their bums after eating instead of stinking… (more…)

Kitesurfing in New Zealand: Raglan

Post
#132

2211

2007

Thu

16:27

day #

167