New Zealand Index

Auckland
Northland
Heading South
Wellington
Traveling again
West Coast
Picking Apples
Road to Qtown
Kinloch
Southland
Queenstown
Heading North
Queen Charlette Wilderness Park
to Taranaki
Central Plateau
The End

I arrived in Picton, and tried to find the place that Ron had told me I could park, after a little while I found it, parked, and decided to wonder around Picton a little. As I was looking for a phone to call and find out what the plan for meeting Ron and the boat was Gerry called me. They where just leaving and would be here in two hours. So I waited. When they arrived they were unloading a lot of meat from the boat. I found it a bit odd that they were bringing all this meat back, because I thought that the park was a reserve, and what was this all about. On the boat trip back to the park, Ron explained that they were trying to get rid of all the introduced animals, and bring the bush back native. And I had arrived when they had a few hunters out doing this. The first day, I went along with them, while they hunter Pigs and Goats. The nice thing was I was seeing a good portion of the park, as we were driving around in the land rover. I had never been around hunting before, and since this was for a good purpose, and I could understand that, I figured that this would be my chance be around that. It was a very surreal experience, and not one I had expected to have. So the following day the hunters left, and I pretty much had the day free, so I went on a walk. Found a nice train going around the cove, and had nice day. The time out here really flew, most of the work I did was helping finish the renovation of Ron and Gerry’s house. (by the way, if you haven’t figured out, they’re the owners.) The park wasn’t open yet, they close in winter, so during the week, it was just me and Ron, and then Gerry came back on the weekends, and was here the last week. Ron was defiantly one of the more interest people I have met on this trip. He’s become very much an authority on Carbon Credits, and global warming. He also has very strong political opinions about the current US administration, and we had some very interesting talks about these subjects. I manages to get out walking most day’s, even if it was just up to the saddle, to set up my hammock, and relax. The largest walk I did was out to cape Jackson, the far end of the park. The other walk of not was to the old gold mine. This was in a small bay, and almost at sea level. But really it was just a nice relaxing time to walk, read, and update this website. and to recoup my energy for the last month of so of New Zealand. A great three weeks, but time for traveling again.