Snippets from the South Island

As there is so much to see in New Zealand and I (still) don't drive, I decided to go on a tour instead. This would also be a good opportunity to meet some people in addition to exploring the South Island - exciting!


Dec. 14: Fox Glacier
Surprisingly blue, surprisingly craggy, surprisingly 'dirty' (dust etc. on the ice). Walk up through light rain forest and rocks until reach the ice...pretty cool but very much on a trail. It stretches out and out and seems to get craggier the higher it gets.
Was great to just concentrate on walking; although at times I was a little nervous it felt like a good achievement. I've missed and should do more physical exercise...I hate the gym so much: it makes me feel like a farm animal. If there was a glacier on my doorstep would I walk on it though?

Dec 17
The landscape from Queenstown to Milford Sound (through the Southern Alps) reminded me of South Wales. The same low hills (with mountains in the distance though), scrubby bush, valleys and rivers. New Zealand's South Island truly is very unpopulated, and everywhere you look there seem to be mountains, lakes and waterfalls. NZ used to be a land full of birds who evolved not to fly as there were no predators) and evergreen trees. Any grass, mammals (other than some bats) and deciduous trees were brought here...crazy to think. Even the widespread foxgloves are not native.
I try to imagine what it was like before the European settlers came. Trees all over, many kinds of bird running around; the land theirs. No sheep. It's hard to picture.