New Zealand - South Island:- March 1996

The next 3 weeks were spent travelling around the South Island with New Zealand nature Safaris.

If you're ever going to New Zealand and want to see the parts that other tourists don't see and have a great time on the way, I give the official Todd seal of approval to these tours.

Follow this link for more information. You won't regret it...

New Zealand Nature Safaris (as was).

We started in early March 1996 at Nelson, ready for the West Coast Wilderness. My mood wasn't helped when I heard the news that Newcastle had lost to Man Utd - the result that eventually proved the difference between winning the Premier league and finishing second.

The next 3 weeks helped to ease the pain.....

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The South Island... Down the Queen Charlotte Sound - still raining The Pcton Villa - no relation to Aston Villa The Tasman Towers, Nelson - nothing like Fawlty Towers
Day 1 - Flora Saddle - packing up ready for the first hike into Kahurangai National Park A kea watches us packing up - no doubt ready for some mischief as well Day 2 - hiking over Mt Arthur and Gordons Pyramid Time for a dry out and a spot of lunch at Charelston Bay The West Coast arm-wrestling championships - Claudine defeats Naoshi.
Cape Foulwind - home to aptly named fur seals, and of course one of the ubiquitous signposts After a hike up to the Glowworm caves, the group takes a well-earned pose L-R: Naoshi, Andy, Claudine, Mark, Hubert, Angelica, Me, Jane, Avery Day 3 - getting dressed for bed at the Ballroom Shelter after the hike into paparoa National Park. Camp fire time L-R: Andy, Jane, Mark(our intrepid leader), Claudine, Angelica, Peter, Naoshi (standing), Hubert Day 4 - hiking (nay, river crossing) our way back downstream
Hiking downstream - by now the weather was fantastic The Pancake Rocks (Punakaiki) Andy and Claudine at Punakaiki "Magic Moments" time:- L-R Naoshi, Angelica, Hubert, Jane, Claudine, Mark, Andy, Peter, Moi and Avery Day 5 - Kayaking on Okarito lagoon in search of the White Heron.
Naoshi decides to go looking underwater for them.... What the well-dressed kayaker is wearing this season... Day 6 - the Franz Joseph Glacier - no, that's not us crawling up it. The name's Todd... Mike Todd, licensed to pose in front of glaciers. Day 6 - afternoon spent at the West Coast Wild Foods Festival - here I can be seen washing down a bambi-burger with a Worm slammer - delicious....
Day 7 - start of the 7 hour hike up the Copland valley - one of the many swing bridges encountered. Here we see Jane showing no fear...ok, she was petrified. Our Architect poses at an apt signpost Copland Valley And at the end of a 7 hour hike, what better way to relax than in the Warm Flats hotpools - NAKED. Day 8 - supposed "rest" day - we spent it hiking up to a waterfall and generally soaking up the sun and the fantastic scenery
A restful moment L-R: Standing: Moi, Naoshi, Mark, Hubert; Sitting: Andy, Jane, Claudine, Angelica Time for a refreshing dip Day 9 - heading back down the valley. Angelica tries her hand at bridge crossing Barry's secret beach and beach boat - our last camp complete with Sauna. Here we see the launching of the boat. Jane and Angelica up Ship creek
Day 10 - The human pyramid forms for the last time on this trip.. L-R Lying down: Peter, On the bottom Row: Me, Mark, Hubert, Naoshi; Midle Row: Avery, Angelica, Claudine, Jane; Top: Andy Farewell Do - Shanahans, Queenstown, coincided with St Paddys night. Just to prove it, here I am wearing a Shamrock.... I was happy, honest. ...and finally... a game of sardines leads to a broken bunk bed. Not as solid as our human pyramid.