This may be my last post for a bit, as I’m off traveling again. I think I will head north, though nothing is written in stone. I just came to the realization that I haven’t seen the ocean in over 2 months; the longest period in my entire life. I can hear the sea calling my name and to her I must go, I think. Here’s a few random photos in the meantime.
So I’m using my day off today to drive into Queenstown to have a WOF (warrant of fitness) check done on my van. About 10 minutes from town while driving along the winding road between QT and Glenorchy at about 100km/hr, I suddenly hear a large “boom!” and my windshield is completely shattered, couldn’t see a thing. The semi-truck in front of me threw a rock off the back wheel right at me, never saw it coming. Luckily it was on a straight section of road, else I probably would have gone off the edge. I pulled into a turnout, and then proceeded to remove the shattered remains of my windshield. So then there I was, driving into QT without a window on my van, must of been a pretty funny sight. Luckily I found a repair shop and will get it fixed tomorrow, which means the hour drive back to QT again. I just hope there isn’t a southerly or it might not be a fun ride. No rain allowed either! On the way back north I got stung in the ear by a bee, it’s still hurting several hours later.
Lake Wakatipu, where upon the northern shores my days pass. Every morning as the light awakens me I walk by and gaze while on my way to breakfast. At Lunch, I sit on the lawn or sometimes down by the shore. After dinner I may take a short walk, just to look at the light. The mountains above Glenorchy see the last light of the day as the sun falls in the west. Not a bad view day in and day out…
By accident while wandering along a riverbank in Mt. Aspiring nat park, I found myself under attack. At first I was scared, until I realized the bird wouldn’t hit me. Then I thought it might make a good photo oprotunity, thus I subjected myself to 20 minutes of attacks by various birds. Here are the results:
If I were to stop and take a picture of every waterfall I have seen, I would have filled up my computer’s hard drive long ago. Though, sometimes I am unable to restrain myself; there is something about water and its movement that I am fascinated with. Here are a few of my observations:
The hills above Glenorchy and Kinloch got a fresh dusting last night. While I was working in the restaurant I kept standing in the doorway, watching the clouds dance their way across the peaks; light of the setting sun shining brilliantly, bringing the valley further and further into darkness, until only the final high summits where illuminated. North towards Mt. earnslaw, the sky was on fire in a brilliant orange. I took a stroll down to the lake, leaving my camera, I just wanted to sit and watch, I don’t need to photograph everything…
Well, I finally got around to putting some photos together, only problem is that I don’t have a driver for my jump drive (Windows 98 on this ‘ol beast), thus, nothing yet…
Other than that, it is quite the bit gloomy at the moment, or rather, quite a bit rainy. Though I shouldn’t really complain, seeing as how I’ve been constantly commenting on how it just doesn’t “feel right” to have it light so late at this time of year. Yesterday was rather brilliant however, my legs are red from floating on a kayak for 2 hours.
It’s almost time for breakfast and I’m quite starving at the moment, so nothing else for now… Not like anything really happens out here anyhow, especially with boring old Cody here…
I think I have landed in paradise, well, ‘Paradise’ is literally about 20km down (or rather up) the road, so I’m not too far off in my current setting; 300 miles from the nearest traffic light. I get to wake up every moring with a view of (slightly) snow-capped mountains stretching into the horizon in every direction, and the ever changing colors of lake Wakatipu. I don’t think I have seen the lake retain the same color for more than a few hours. Brilliant blue, turquoise, grey, green, brown from river sediment; calm and reflective, fierce and white capped. Such is my view, day in and day out.
I set up a Christmas tree yesterday. It is light until 10pm and Midsummer is little more than a week away, yet Christmas is coming; so strange… Even Orion is in the sky, who’s midnight rising I used to watch on those first cool nights of autumn; becoming a permanent fixture by Midwinter on his yearly circle round the heavens. The rest of the sky remains quite foreign to a northerner’s eyes, yet I’m sure they have their own tales of conquest and tragedy, love and defeat; as we find in the north.
Be weary of reading books about travels while traveling onesself, you may find yourself never looking at home on a map again, much less, occupy your thoughts…
…Email your address to my hotmail account and I’ll send you one. Try to do so within 10 days, as I’m a 30 minute drive from the nearest town where I can find a post office, so I want to send them all at once. Though I might be heading into Queenstown on Mon (Sunday for you California peoples), I’m going through chocolate withdrawals out here.
Sand flies: f$%# S$^# A@& M%*^&$ F$*%&#$ !!! Sorry, had to get that out. Nasty little buggers. wearing sandals around, my feet are now completely covered with bite marks, which are bright red dots, that last a good while. Not to mention itch and the usual annoyances than come with having insects sucking your blood. I’m not sure if I’m glad they don’t make any noise or not, a warning would be nice, but I’m sure a constant mosquito like buzzing would drive me insane. I’m about 30 meters from a lake, so they are everywhere here.
All right, I’ve got 30 gigs worth of pictures to edit, lots to write, and look for a good place to shoot tonight, though it’s been a bit rainy today and I’m feeling a bit lazy.
…before getting my van stuck! Driving down some dirt road in the middle of nowhere trying to get to some beach, it ends with a fence and nowhere to turn around. So instead of listening to my own advice, I actually say out loud that I’m going to get stuck turning around, I listen to one of the other guys who says, “it’s ok here.”
Long story short, it took us about an hour to get out, myself having to jack up my back tire so we could put a log underneath to get some traction, and then repeat about 10 times.
Kungsleden Trail Hiking Guide