Kaikoura = eating crayfish!!

Went down to Christchurch for Queen's birthday and spent a day on the KAikoura Coast. Ben was keen to hunt for crays and generally provide... I opted to stay onshore and make sure the seals didn't steal the car. well, you never know...

Ben, algae-eater extraordinaire, wrestling through kelp to hunt and provide...

Go Green Fins, go!

Hullo, Seal....

Rock pool

Tongariro Crossing April 07

Edit (25-o2-2009): According to my SiteMeter most of my hits are people searching for info on doing the Crossing in April. So, for you peoples who have arrived at my blog because of this, here are some links to help you out :)

http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/ - good site on general info with a forum to post your questions

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/tongariro-taupo/ruapehu-area/tongariro-alpine-crossing/ - Department of Conservation information on the Crossing, including what weather conditions to expect, what gear to take and how to be prepared. It is not called and "alpine" crossing for nothing. Please respect the mountain and take heed of their advice!

http://www.thetongarirocrossing.co.nz/ - this is the shuttle we used. there are loads of transport options available, these are just one option. Their website has some fairly useful info on it as well.

Accommodation: Of course I'm not going to even try listing all the accommodation options, but the closest places to stay are Whakapapa Village, National Park and Ohakune. Note that these are very small localities and can book out in peak season (especially during the ski season, which runs from around beginning of July to the end of October). There are more options available at Turangi and Taupo, which are still within about an hour or so of the starting point. Handy tip: if you want to soak your tired aching bones afterwards, aim to stay in Taupo ;)

Enjoy!

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On the weekend, Nadene and I went and did the Tongariro Crossing in the middle of the North Is, reputably NZ's best day walk. To say it was challenging would be an understatement for us, but we are so pleased to have done it, even if we couldn't walk the next day...

Bottom of Mt Ngauruhoe, after climbing the Devil's Ladder

Steep! (and a tiny patch of snow)

Note how steep Mt Ngauruhoe is behind me!

Hmm, now do we get down from here....!

AKA Mt Doom. We made it as far as the red rocks near the top before we ran out of time to do reach the summit... :(

Mt Tongariro from Mt Ngauruhoe

Nadene and I, top of Red Crater looking across to Mt Ngauruhoe

Top of Red Crater.

Emerald Lakes.

Nadene by and Emerald Lake

Looking across Central Crater to the Red Crater.

Reaching the last of the climbs.

Yay we made the last bus home!

Back from Oz

Hi all, long time no post I know. Been flat out with work and just got back from a 2 week stint in Oz. Apologies to those I missed out on catching up on!! Flew to Brisbane first where I stayed with the family for the weekend. Timed it so I could attend Kel & Dan's engagement party. It was awesome to see them so happy, and also to catch up with Matene & Mel (and her partner Bear) at the same time. After many Toohey's Olds, we ended back at Kel & Dan's house playing bocce from the light of the moon in their backyard. Somehow I managed to step in dog poo (this was no easy feat - as far as I know they don't even have a dog?!), I can't even manage to be a lady-like for one night!! Thanks to mum for cleaning my heels in the morning (while I was still in bed) and to Matene for bringing the bocce set!

The happy couple.

Marine Biology reunion.

Why does my brother have better hair than me?!

A not-so-dignified Oscar sporting his collar after nasty run in with the fence (?!).

After Brissie I flew on to Adelaide to complete a gruelling 2 weeks of parasite counting. Lizzie kindly let me camp at her place. Honestly, I don't know how I would've got it done without her - many thanks for running around after me, keeping me motivated, helping me out in the lab, keeping me well fed and taking me out diving!! She made sure I was in at uni by 8am every day (except Good Friday when we got in at 9!) and because of that I managed to squeeze 2 dives in with my favourite dive club. It was awesome to go down to Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula, camp out with the club (I'd forgotten how much I like camping!) and dive with the NZ fur seals (ironic I was diving with NZ fur seals in Australia...?!).

I really enjoyed being back in Adelaide and catching up with people and generally slotting right back into the university lifestyle. I felt like a real tourist, gawking at the emu's at Innes National Park and the various parrots (rosellas, galahs, lorikeets and corellas) in the parklands on the way to uni! The cute little ringtail possums were a welcome change to the feral brushtails NZ has to deal with. All in all it was an refreshing if hectic visit and I'm looking forward to heading back in the near future, hopefully for the final draft and hand in!

I am a dreamer

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My roots

Kooringal, looking North towards the Sandhills. Photo: J. Riddell

Photo: J. Riddell

... just thought I'd put up some photos of where I spent my childhood, Moreton Is. Unfortunately I can't take any credit for them, but many thanks to Jodie for sending them to me. Will have to get back there someday...

another weekend

Well I've had a pretty crap weekend, I won't elaborate but I am feeling all alone over here at the moment!! You people out there reading this - leave a comment and say g'day! I'd love to hear from you.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Oz to do an epidemiology course in Geelong - don't ask! - but it's for work. Not sure if it will be "fun", looks like a fair bit of stats and stuff, but hopefully will learn something! I love travelling for whatever reason, so I'm looking forward to it if only for that.

Apart from that, doesn't look like I'll be doing too much travelling, so might be a while before I put anymore interesting pictures up. I'll be in Adelaide again in April, doing lab work for my PhD, but I might try and get some happy snaps of you Adelaideans, I haven't got enough pictures of my friends!

Anyway, I am starving, haven't eaten much, so I might go grab a sammie....

Tschuess!

To the health of our parents...

Just read Rundave's update on his blog. His dad just had a triple bypass, so I'm glad to hear he's recovering well. I dont like hospitals at all. As my Dad says, "Hospitals are for sick people!"! Makes me wonder about my own dad, he has smoked since he was 12 (yes, since when they were free around the war years....!) and he's now 76. Apart from being a heavy smoker he's always been pretty active, and although I wouldn't call him diet-conscious, his diet isn't terrible. He and Mum religiously have half a grapefruit with breakfast every morning! I can't recall a time in my life when Dad hasn't had a project of some sort on the go, some of his more recent ones... installing a downstairs toilet (!), restoring all our fishing reels, repairing the pavers in the driveway, making biodiesel, landscaping the garden... Hopefully I will be blessed with same longevity, health and vitality that my dad has. My mum hasn't done too bad herself and has come into her own in more recent years. She used to spend a lot of time in the house, but nowadays she has done exceptionally well to give up coffee, monitor her diet and start regular walking and lose a lot of weight. She does several km every day, much more than I can manage at my current fitness level! I am missing my beach volleyball that's for sure, so maybe I'll have to look into starting up netball again. I am also considering going to the gym, but I want to be sure I will use it enough to make it worthwhile!! It's not like I need to lose weight, but I am young and in good health so I should make the most of it!

North Island Road Trip

Did a bit of a road trip on the weekend from Wellington to Auckland and back with a few side detours... went to Big Day Out, my first one, which was lots of fun!! Then came back via Waitomo caves (about 2 2/1 hours southwest of Auckland) and Ohakune. Weather was fantastic - singlets and shorts, except this time we remembered to slip, slop, slap! Did the Black Water rafting at Waitomo (floating through caves on tyre tubes) and the glow worms were amazing!! Highly recommended. Also were lucky to catch sight of the comet over Lake Taupo on the drive up which was magical. Here are a couple of images, will get a few more off Ben's camera as well....

Mt Ruapehu from Desert Rd

Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe from Desert Rd

Our feet in a stream.

Mt Ruapehu from waterfall walk, on road to Turoa ski field.

More photos

I discovered I had some photos left on my camera - some from Adelaide! - so thought I'd put them up.

Mum & Dad, KI in background

Mum & Dad, Williams Rd

Almond St Crew

Rissa & Sarah, Almond St

Christmas 2006

Christmas is over... but here's to a great 2007!

Mum & Dad

Our latest addition - Oscar.

Jimmy & I at Surfers'.