Fiordland lightplay 1, originally uploaded by strativari.

The magic of this unique landscape makes you frequently speechless, believe me! All three lightplay pictures were taken on one day!

Rohans on the flight, originally uploaded by strativari.

Maybe you recognize it. Otherwise watch The Two Towers again!

I’m getting fat and lazy this way! Spending hours and hours on keeping you folks up to date. Right now the counter shows 2:25h , continuing. Internet works different down here. I can get used to a lot of things but that still annoys me. Just that you know it.

…later…much later…even later…
Damn! Uploading pics takes too long. Sorry guys but the second part of the Kepler Track and the Milford Sound will follow later.

Now, back in some kind of civilization, some people doubt it as I am in Invercargill, it’s time for a small Fiordland review. In short: Amaaaaaaaazing!

It sure is. Travelling with Verena, who left for Christchurch this moring we went on the Kepler Track, one of the nine Great Walks. Great is at first he hut price of 40$ a night. But it becomes clear the money is well invested as the maintenance of huts and track are fairly expensive. The Kepler Track combines forest walks with alpine terrain and ridgewalks providing beautiful panoramic views of the Fiordland mountainside. We proved extremely lucky having one week of sunshine which is pretty unusual to this area.

To see what we experienced look at the pictures. They tell more than anything I could express in words! Enjoy.

Hey folks. I’m in Milford Sound Township right now. We survived the Kepler Track and our feet deserve a break. So we will go on a small boat trip tomorrow to enjoy the beauty of the most renowned place in NZ. To do the Milford Track which I had loved to, it’s necessary to book months ahead. That’s a pitty. Anyway, the Kepler Track was a real ripper! Beaut! We had four days of sunlight! Completely untypical for the Fiordlands. Pictures follow as soon as possible.

On top of the World, originally uploaded by strativari.

Look closely guys! These mountains can be seen in LOTR - The Two Towers. More on Flickr. And by the way, Charlie did a great job carrying us safely up to the top of Cardrona Saddle, it’s 1109 m!

P1030759, originally uploaded by strativari.

This sign says: Whatever happens, stay relaxed and keep on singing and dancing! Doesn’t it? Seen at Franz Josef Glacier.

My new beanie…, originally uploaded by strativari.

Huh! Done it. I crouched, walked and slipped a little around the surface of Fox Glacier, a massive blue iced 7km icecube, moving down into the valley at a speed of 20cm a day. For a glacier that is like Formula 1 speed!

The NZ Glaciers are some of the few glaciers in the world which don’t melt away in a few years.

We’re in Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Adrenalin City, you could call it. Bungy Jumping, Canyon Swing, Skydiving, Jetboating, Rafting… whatever you like, you can get it in Queenstown. But it’s a very touristy place.

Visiting Franz Josef and Fox Glacier I picked up Verena and Rob and we travelled on to  Wanaka and - passing “Rohan” - to Queenstown. There are a few LOTR spots around here and we try to visit some today. We try arriving in Te Anau in the evening, the gate to the Fjordlands. Then the adventure begins. Kepler, Routeburn, Milford, Hollyford or the challenging Dusky Track. Many options! Let’s see…

Hey folks. I arrived safely at Fox Glacier. After some windy and rainy days in Punakaiki and Greymouth the weather is clearing up again at the west coast. Unluckily I am not able to write emails here. Must be a Windows malfunction. Tomorrow I will hike up the Glacier and to visit New Zealand’s most photographed Lake, Lake Matheson. I hope the visibility is good tomorrow. Paul, the american biker I picked up on my way to Greymouth already left today to the lake and will cicle north again. We spent the last three days together. As he is doing forestry in Oregon I could learn a lot about trees, shrubs, other plants and forest growth. Another interesting and entertaining part of my travel.
I will be on air again soon. So long!