Jaded

The jade is from the beaches around Greymouth. Enjoyed a very nice day there, swimming, hiking and jade hunting with some people from the hostel, prior to watching a sunset into the ocean. Such a nice way to finish a great day.

After a few days in Arthur's Pass, I decided to hitch-hike to Christchurch on a really cold morning. Greg from Auckland picked me up, drove me thru some stunning scenery, bought me a coffee and dropped me off in Cathedral Square. Spent the gorgeous afternoon walking the Avon River and tooling about the Botanical Gardens, easily one of the nicest I've ever seen. Spent a few days in town, did some museums, some walking, a full laundry including footwear, a full day off reading and a night watching the NZ All-Whites attain a spot in the soccer World Cup.

Monday, I got up nice and early and walked the 54 kms to Amberley to do some Wwoofing on Stone Circle farms with Michelle and John (friends of Sue Green's sister Judy). Google Maps done me wrong...I was only supposed to walk 47 kms, but Google had a back road in Amberley extending thru an area that it definitely does not. I even spent an afternoon on the bike trying to find an old path or lane that excuse such an error, but no luck.

Spent the next week or so up weeding at 7:00 AM, outdoors all days, eating mostly organic (I kept some snack treats in my trailer and treated myself to fish&chips on Friday) and generally enjoying a fair bit of time to myself, mostly reading a few books. All this travelling can wear you down a bit, especially when you are in shared accommodations most nights. A real treat to be by myself for a few days.

Will walk back in Christchurch tomorrow, spent a few days with Sue's sister Judy, then fly to Auckland and see if I can swing a Chinese visa before leaving NZ. The trip to Invercargill fell thru, and with it, a possible shimmy up to Queenstown and/or Mt. Cook. Would rather get the Chinese visa and spent a few days walking the Coromandel Peninsula, a place I had to skip to even get to South Island.

No matter what you decide to see in New Zealand, you are skipping over amazing things. I did not have any 'have-to's on the trip and will keep that frame of mind. I don't like rushing or chasing. I enjoy scenery, scents, walking, hostels, new people, other travellers, the sense of freedom.