Unit-8-Text-B-travel-with-Sandy

0.Thisistheon-linetravelogueofTreveKneeboneandKatrinaLomax.Thecouple,fromthesmallEnglishtowofWindsor,wereembarkingonanepicvoyageofdsovetothefourcornersoftheworldfromJune2005toJanuary2006.1.MerryChristmasfolksfromChristchurchontheSouthIslandofNewZeland!2.We'vejustspentafantasticthreeweekstouringNewZealandinourtrustycampervan,Sandy.We'veseensuchdiverselandscapesonthesebeautifulislandsandcanonlyattempttogiveyouabriefsnapshotofouradventureshere...3.OurKiwi2adventurebeganonachillyeveningonthelastdayofNovember,wherebargainingforataxitotakeustocentralAucklandremindedusverymuchofBangkok.AswepulleduptotheAucklandCityHotelwerealisedthatonceagainwewerestayingintheredlightdistrict.4.Feelingrefreshedafteragoodnight'sSleepwesetouttoexplorethedizzyheightsofcentralAuckland.ThissophisticatedwaterfrontcitywasinasimilarveintoSydney,butofcoursemuchsmaller.Weexploredthecoffeeshopsandboutiquesofthesidestreetsandvisitedtheexcellentartgallery.5.Thefollowingday,therentalcampervanwasdeliveredanditwastimetohittheroad,Basicallyatransitvanwithmattress,coolboxandgasstoveintheback,SandyÒ»astheownershadfondlynamedher-wouldbeourhouseonwheelsforthenextthreeandahalfweeks.AfterafewcautiouslapsaroundthecarparkwehitHighway1southtothetownofRotorua.6.It'struewhatpeoplehadwarnedus-thewholeplacestankofthesulphurspewedoutbythemanygeysersthatlitterRotoruaandthesurroundinglandscape.Itwasamazingtoseeandwalkamongstthebubblingmudpoolsandhotsprings-geographyteacherswouldhaveafielddayhere!7.Sowithournosesfullofthedeliciousaromaofrotteneggs,weheadedsouthtowardsthe¡°kingdomofMordor¡±nearTarangi,justsouthofLakeTaupo.TherewewereoverwhelmedbyalargegroupofschoolkidswhowouldbetacklingthefamousTongariroCrossingthefollowingday.Thisisachallengingfullday'strekacrossthevolcaniclandscapethattoweredaboveus.Weploddedupthelowerflanksinthevanthefollowingday,onlytobeengulfedbythethickfogshroudingthepeaks.8.ThesceneryasweracedsouthwardstowardsWellingtonlookedlikeasetforHobionf,withroundedgrassyknolls!Thesewereterracedfromtoptobottomcreatedbytheconstanttrampingofgrazingsheep.9.¡°WindyWelly¡±certainlyliveduptoitsnickname,asweblewintothesouthernmosttownoftheNorthIsland.Wellington,beingthecapitalcityofNewZealand,isalargeandbustlingplacebuiltaroundanactiveport.10.Whilstwaitingforthe3a.m.ferryacrosstotheSouthIsland,wesnatchedsomesleepintheport-sidecarparkÒ»ourfirstexperienceofroughcampinginthevanandprobablynotourlast.TheroughcrossingtoPictonpassedlikeadreamaswecrashedoutonthecafeteriaseats.At6a.m.weawoketoamazingviewsoffjordssetbesideglassywaterandknewthatourtrueKiwiadventurehadjustbegun.WehadheardsomuchabouttheSouthandknewthatwewouldn'tbedisappointed.11.Wedrovebleary-eyedthroughremotevillagesandrollingcountrysideuntilwefoundanotherkip-spotinalay-bysurroundedbyhillsandsheep.WewerenearlysuffocatedafewhourslaterastheremarkablystrongKiwisunburnttheroofofourtin-shedonwheelsandwefeltlikeacoupleofroastchickensinanoven.12.Treve'scousinSimonhademigratedtoNewZealandwithhiswifeSooanddaughterElla3yearspreviously,sowewereverykeentopopinandcatchupwithafewfriendlyfaces.13.PullingintotheirdustydriveintherollinghillsjustoutsideNelson,weweregreetedbymorefacesthanwehadbargainedforastheirtroopoffurryalpacascameboundingtowardsthefence.14.Simonandthefamilyseemedtohavebecomegreatexpertsatallthingsalpaca-relatedandtheywereveryexcitedtohavejustsentofftheirfirstbatchofwoolthattheyhadhand-shearedÒ»itwouldsoonbereturningasballsofthehighestqualitywool.15.WetookthechancetovisitNelson,anattractivetownfullofcafes.WealsodidanamazingcoastalwalkintheAbelTasmanNationalPark,watchingseakayakersglideinbetweentherainforest-cladislandsthatltteredthebay.16.ItwouldhavebeengreattohavebeenabletospendafewmoredayswithSimon,SooandElla,butwithsomuchtoseedownsouthwithsolittletime,itwastimetohittheroadagain.17.WeclimbedsouthwestoutofNelson,upintheNelsonLakesNationalPark,gingerlywindingourwaythroughforestedmountainpasses,stoppingalltoobrieflytoenjoythetranquilsceneatLakeRotoiti.Weweresoonchasedawaybytheinfamousnibblingsandfly.Pressingeverfurthersouthwest,wefinallyemergedonthewestcoastatFoulwindBaynearWestport.18.Furthersouth,thecoastallandscapebecamemoredramaticasthemountainsslopeddownsharplytomeettheseaandstacksofrockjuttedoutfromthecraggyshoreline.19.AnotherfewhoursofdrivingandwearrivedinHokitika,whereNewZealandjadeismined.Thetown'sonlyreasonfor¡°beingsestobethepddingofjade,orgreenstoneasitscalledhere.ThejadeitselfisownedbythelocalMaoritribeandhastobeairliftedoutbyhelicopterfromtheinaccessiblemountainsjustinland.20.Itwasfromherethatwegotourfirstglimpseofthesnow-coveredhighmountainsoftheSouthernAlps,quitebizarrelyfromthebeach.21.Wearrivedatthealpine-styletownshipofFranzJosef,ThemaintouristeventtherewasthetrektotheFranzJosefGlacier-anhour'swalkupthevalley,carvedoutbythemightyglacier.Thisawe-inspiringfeaturedominatedthewide,deep-sidedvalley,glisteningatitssnow-coveredpeakandsnakingitswayfurtherup,endinginablue-tingedcraggyface,splitwithbottomlessravines.ThephotosofVictoriantouristsmessingaboutinrowingboatsatthefootoftheglacierillus