Freeloading

G'day! Now I'm in Tasmania. I'm renting a car on Sunday to travel round the state, but in the meantime I'm staying with Helen, my new friend. There's a site on the interweb called Global Freeloaders, and basically you email people where you want to go, and they put you up, for free. Dead neat eh? I've hosted a couple of times before, but never been a guest.

Managed to pretty much do Hobart over the last few days: I've been round the streets; I've been up Mt. Wellington (easy - only 850m accent - getting used to this now); I've been on the Lady Nelson, a replica of a small exploration square rigger, on a cruise round the harbour; I've been to Salamanca Market and I've had a fair few flat whites - great to know they are as good in Oz as they are in NZ.

So, loads of camping over the next week or so. Looking forward to seeing the scenery.

Awesome

Whale
Originally uploaded by Johnnie Shannon.

It's the classic shot, but you've got to admit it's still impresive. After Iona left me, I headed up to Kaikoura, where whale watching is king.

Went out on the standard cruise, saw three sperm whales, loads of dusky dolphins and even some albatros, which was all good. Then decided to have another go in a plane, and took control round he skies above Kaikoura.

Next day I went up Mount Fyffe. Realy superb views (see pics on Flickr) but boy was it tough. Really sunny (good), hot (not so good) and unrelentingly up. I'd guess there was about four minutes of flat or downward slope on the way up, and as it goes up 1600m or so (5500 feet ish) then it's no real suprise I'm still feeling it now, quite a few days later.

Got a speeding ticket after coming back down, which was a bit of a drag. The officer was very nice about it, and all but suggested it wasn't worth me paying, but I'm a good boy and coughed up the 80 bucks.

And after heading down to Christchurch again, that's about it for New Zealand. Managed to do pretty much everything I missed out on last time, but I reckon it's still good for another visit sometime. Or maybe just emigrate to Nelson. Hmmmm ...

Better to travel hopefully ... ?

What to do? To run around like a mad thing in the hope of seeing all the things you want to, or to chill, take it easy, realise you can't fit everything you want to do in the time available and just enjoy what you can?

Fortunately, Iona's chilled approach won the day, so instead of heading way down south, we've been taking it easy-ish for the last week and a half.

After Nelson, we headed down the coast to Punakaiki; home of pancake rocks and rather magnificent blowholes. Weather was kind to us, and we had a fabulous walk in the rain forest. We then took the road less travelled. Rather than heading south to glaciers and fiordland, we took the Arthurs Pass road to Arthurs Pass Village. There's some great walking around here, and we were dead impressed with the sunny walk up to Devils Punchbowl waterfall. Unfortunately, the rain set in that evening, and the next day dawned grey and wet also. Fortunately, we'd taken the precaution of booking into a fab backpackers cottage, with roaring log stove and comfy sofas. That day passed happily doing nowt in particular, but when Sunday dawned with the same weather, we though we'd better get out in the open. So, a couple of wet walks later we were back to the log fire.

Next day was a beaut, and we headed off to climb Avalanche Peak. We got above the treeline and had some fab views, but the going got a bit hairy and Iona suffered some terrible wounds*, so we just enjoyed the view and headed back down.

Looking at the map, we thought the Banks Peninsular would be a good way to round off the hols, and we were right. NZ is a pretty chilled place, and Akaroa, the main town on the Banks, is the epitome of chilledness. More great scenery, more great walks, and some sea kayaking, lying on deserted beaches and even a trip to a sixteen seat cinema meant we headed to Christchurch quite relaxed.

Had a great birthday here. Well, a great birthday except for a terrible round of golf. Fortunately, a plush meal and a bottle of champers bought from our wine tour took the edge off that.

Then it was time to take Iona to the airport. We've had an absolutely terrific time together, and I'm going to miss her like crazy. The next three months can't go too quickly really.

*Slight exageration

It's the Pitts

Pitts Special
Originally uploaded by Johnnie Shannon.

"OK, raise the nose a little ... that's fine, hold it there. Now stick hard over to the left ... harder ... that's good"

With those words, I found myself upside down over the Abel Tasman Nationl Park. Fortunately, I was strapped into the forward cockpit of a Pitts Special. Even more fortunately, Vincent, award winning stunt pilot and all round good guy, was strapped into the rear cockpit and was telling me exactly what to do.

For those of you who may not know it, a Pitts Special is a tiny biplane that is the aircraft of choice for most professional aerobatics performers. Two years ago when I was in NZ, Dan, our driver on the Flying Kiwi tour I was on, told me most emphatically that going up in the Pitts Special would be the best thing I ever did. Well, that time, weather thwarted me, but this time I was back, it was a beautiful afternoon, and I was going up.

There aren't that many places in the world where there are two seated Pitts Specials. There are even few places where they let members of joe public go up in one. There are even fewer places (approximate guess: zero) where they let you take control of the aircraft within a minute of take off, and then teach you within five minutes to perform a credible roll. But that's what Vincent let me do.

For starters it was just a few wing waggles to get the feel of using the joystick. But then came the run through of how to do a roll, and then we were off! Rolls to the left, rolls to the right. The Abel Tasman Park stretched out below us, but I wasn't really concentrating on that. I just had a huge grin as we rolled over and over again.

Vincent took over (actually, as I was doing the rolls I bet he was doing nifty things with the rudder to keep me on the straight and narrow) and we did a loop the loop. I was a trifle worried I may throw up, but even with this I felt fine and was able to enjoy the views. Then it was all too soon time to head back to the airfield, but time enough for another couple of rolls from me to show Iona on the ground, and a rather more competant aerobatics display from Vincent, including loop the loops, barrel rolls and a heap of other stuff that has totally negated any need for me to go on another roller coaster in my life.

This experience was amazing, awesome and anything else you can think of like that. I strongly urge you all to go and do it. And when you do, tell Alison or Vincent that Johnnie sent you, as if enough of you do, I get a free flight, which will be worth the trip back to NZ. Email them here - go on, you know you want to.

Heading South

We're now in the South Island, but on the way we stopped off in Tongariro National Park. There's a walk here that is promoted as the best one day walk in New Zealand, so we had to do it natch. Jackie and her brother Andrew joined us as well, but Mike couldn't make it due to him having to empty a skip out (best not ask).

The day dawned, well, dark, dreary and wet - so no real change there. Our driver said it was safe to do the walk, but we wwouldn't see much. Well, we were there, so we felt obliged to give it a go. The driver was right, we didn't see much. It rained pretty much all of the way over the top, so we missed out on the fabulous crater views, and the impressive red col0urs of the volcano. Oh well.

After that we pretty much headed straight for Blenheim on the South Island. I persuaded Iona to take a wine tour by bike. She wasn't altogether keen, as she doesn't drink wine, but that changed by the end of the day.

We like the South Island. It's sunny! Cycling round the wine district was fab, as was sampling the many wines. Had lunch at one vineyard which had tremendous views, then on to more vineyards in the afternoon. Only a couple of them charged a minimal fee for tastings, so a lot of wine could be drunk for not much. Favourite was Forest Hills Estate: tasted 7 wines, all good.

Then it was on to Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park. Great walk along the coast there, and we love Nelson; a really chilled, relaxed town which also happens to be the sunniest town in NZ.

By the way, thanks to everyone who said hi, sent regards or love via Iona. Same back to you, in spades.