Wondering where's Waldo's canyon?

This time the hiking boots got a taste of an alpine trail.

3 things you might like to do on an alpine hike.

1. Take a GPS with you.

2. Then completely fail to follow the marked trail and wander off somewhere else.

Photo: The GPS says this way... Models: farmguy and Carol

But at least you end up with view like this

Photo: Pikes Peak

3. Go home and compare the route you took compared with the route you should have taken!

Photo: Route we should have taken.

Photo: Oh Well, close enough.

Photo: But we're still friends. Models: Pikes Peak, Pol, farmguy

Pol's 3 favourite things to do in NZ

Some of my favourite things to do in NZ

1. Driving around – there’s been some phenomenal scenery driving around NZ. Te-Anau to Milford Sound, windy rally style mountain drives along the Queen Charlotte Drive from Nelson to Picton (where I got to do a rather mediocre stig rally car impersonation) and of course the scary NZ drivers. As one New Zealander said, we’re probably the nicest people in the world, until you put us behind the wheel of a car, where we turn into angry, evil maniacs.

2. Having a decent cup of tea after a long hike. Nothing more British than enjoying a cup of tea. Wherever you are! I suppose the hiking’s been quite good fun too.

3. Wondering about the ‘contradictory’ nature of NZ. So sorry Singapore, but NZ is far more contradictory, merlion or not… That and weddings. Everyone loves weddings. Especially for a bit of a boogie on the dancefloor as Gazman shows…

Montana Winery, Blenheim

Wade to Abel Tasman water taxi

Milford Sound boat cruise

Franz Josef Glacier

Te Puia mud pools

David & Kathryn's wedding dancefloor, Auckland (CENSORED on request)

NZ, I’ll be back…

Things to do in Leadville when you're...

Otherwise known as things to do in 'dead'ville.

1. Skiing. Got my first taste of waxy plastic composite and metal on powder snow yesterday. Glad I did upgrade to the Subaru as we had to brush off 4 inches of snow from the car to drive to the Ski Cooper resort. Doubt a 1.4 Toyota Corolla would have been able to handle the drive up into the mountains. Actually, it probably wouldn't have been able to get out of the car park. Weather wasn't too bad until the clouds closed in during the late afternoon. Didn't really matter as I'd somehow managed to get the goggles misted up on the inside so was skiing with only a hazy view of the piste anyway. I'm pretty rubbish skiing in powder, but today was a pretty good confidence builder in preparation for the last leg of this holiday (gosh, time passes quickly) in Whistler.

2. Hot Springs - got to soak in hotsprings about 40mins drive south of Leadville. Not particularly authentic as I think the water was pumped in. But being able to lie in a pool of warm water while snow is falling around you is always nice.

3. Playing Cranium - Went along to a dinner hosted by one of KZ's friends and colleague at the Ski Cooper ski school. Got to eat some delicious, proper American homecooking while watching Ski School (kinda appropriate given the people at the party), followed by a competitive game of Cranium. Cheating accusations were levelled at least 3 times during the evening, but the team I was in won. The charades round for the word 'reproduction' was one of the standout moments (but probably for the wrong reasons).

Relaxing in LAX

Not a great start to the US portion of the trip.

1. At check in, found that Gazman and I were assigned the middle two seats of the 4 in the middle of the aircraft. If you're as tall as Gazman, that means serious knee injury when the seat in front decides to recline. Forgot to remove my Leatherman pocketknife from my backpack (been taking it along for the various hiking trips) so it got confiscated at security. Then the Qantas flight was delayed by an hour and there was no place to sit at the departure gates.

2. The in-flight entertainment selection was excellent - included most of the oscar nominated films, however it broke down halfway through the flight. Thankfully, there was only one incident of comedy clambering over fast asleep occupant of aisle seat to go to toilet. However, the Qantas flight didn't make up any time in the air, due to quite a lot of turbulence over the Pacific (first time I think I've crossed that ocean) so I ended up missing my connecting flight to Denver and had to wait at least an extra 3.5 hours at Los Angeles International Aiport before I could get on the next flight. And I was only on standby as that flight was booked out, so potentially, I could have a 7 hour wait for the next aircraft.

That said, I got a $15 food voucher to spend at the airport from Qantas. Given that I would have a 2 hour drive to Leadville to get to KZ's place upon landing in Denver (which could have been as late as 11pm), I decided to splash some cash on booking a hotel near Denver airport instead. So, bought a paper, a brie baguette and large mocha and wandered round the airport trying to get the feeling back into my legs after an 11 hour flight.

3. Amazingly, I got the last standby place on the 3:05pm flight (lucky as there were 10 people waiting for a standby seat). However the flight didn't leave until 4pm. No food served (unless you were in busines class), but I ordered a tea from the beverage service. Big mistake - I got hot water poured on top of creamer and a Lipton 'tea' bag. If you come to N. America, bring your own tea bags. At least NZ had decent tea (see blog with Gaz pointing to Billy tea sign). Got to the airport and hired the car (Subaru Outback - I was persuaded that I'd be rubbish driving along icy mountain roads covered in snow so upgraded to an All-Wheel Drive model - but it's definitely a cut above the Toyota Corollas we've been driving of late). However, really having to concentrate with remembering to stay on the 'right', right side of the road. The second left turn is always the worst - you're so nervous about the first one that you're extra careful and then get over confident after that! Also the indicator lever is on the other side of the steering wheel to Australia and NZ (though correct for UK), so more comedy windscreen wiper action when I'm turning! This car even has electrically operated seat controls. The words, "no need" spring to mind. Anyway, average temperature in Denver's about 0 deg C and it's dark by 6pm. Think the body's gone into season shock, wondering why it hasn't gone through autumn.

Thoroughly enjoyed NZ and Australia, guess I'd better post my favourite 3 things to do in NZ here too. Watch the space above this post...

Gazman's 3 favourite places in NZ

Yeah, OK, it's a slightly misleading blog as it was all good and if we had our way, we'd stay a lot longer and actually a top 10 of places probably wouldn't be enough either!

1. Fox Glacier

2. Wai-O-Tapu

3. Tongariro Crossing

3 of da_tonester's favourite things to do in NZ

1. Hike the Tongariro Crossing

2. Cruise around the Milford Sound

3. Eat Glacier mints freshly mined from the Fox Glacier (well, ok, maybe not... But hiking round the Fox Glacier in crampons definitely!

Milling around in Milford Sound

Well, this place may have spectacular fiords (check out Gazman in his Starfleet top).

Photo: Milford Sound (though it should be called Milford Fiord as it was created by glacial erosion, not by rivers). Model: (Captain James T.) Gazman

But then...

1. We're staying in an 8 person male dorm in the YHA in Te Anau. And we've got top bunks and

snoring in surround sound. The guy who sounds like he's inhaling his blanket kept me amused for a minute or two, but then he kept me awake for much longer.

2. To get this picture, we had to hike for an hour and a half up a hill and I've got massive blisters on both heels of my feet now....

Photo: Key Summit

3. Didn't get attacked by the sandflies, but then that was probably because of the mosi-guard insect repellent I put on, which was pungent enough to make my stomach feel pretty uneasy. It could probably repel fur seals too...

Photo: Milford Sound. Models: sunbathing fur seals

Yeah OK, I'm really just trying to make you feel better.

Dunedin details and Otago Peninsula pointers

So many things happening, so little space to fit them into a blog.

1. Dunedin models itself on a certain Scottish city and is probably the most Scottish city in New Zealand (there's a statue of Robert Burns in the Octagonal city centre). This was the view from the rooftop garden of our YHA hostel. Apparently it's also home to Bell tea which Gazman and I have been drinking a lot of for breakfast. Given Brett Lee is doing wonders advertising Weetbix, maybe these guys should see what Belly's up to...

Photo: Dunedin and big Bell Tea building. Model: Gazman pointing excitedly

2. Nearby on the way to the Otago peninsula from Dunedin, you'll come across Larnach castle. The only castle in New Zealand. Obviously built as protection from the ferocious brown kiwis...??? Apparently built in the late 1800s by a very rich New Zealander of Scottish descent. Much of the stuff was imported from the UK so must have cost a fortune. Worringly, it also has a 'dairy dungeon' - Probably where cows were imprisoned if they didn't meet their milk quota.

Photo: Larnach Castle.

Still, if you're going to build a castle anywhere, you might as well build it with this view...

Photo: Otago Peninsula viewed from Larnach Castle. Model: Da_Tonester

3. Finally, the Otago peninsula is home to a lot of wildlife. From the spotted shag, to fur seals basking on the rocks, to common sea gulls (though Albatrosses also frequent the area) wandering around the car park, there's a fair amount of bird life here to complement the views. Penguins abound as well, but didn't see any since they're only around in the morning and at night.

Photo: Spotted Shag

Photo: Fur Seals basking on rocks

Photo: seagulls in the carpark. Model: Da_tonester reading map (but seagulls seem to know where they're going)

3 pictures of Taupo

An excuse for some pictures which I think are quite nice on the blog:

1. Gazman Kayaking on Lake Taupo

Photo: Kayaking on Lake Taupo. Model: Gazman

2. Gazman, 5 seconds later kayaking on Lake Taupo

Photo: (Still) Kayaking on Lake Taupo. Model: Gazman

3. Panorama of Lake Taupo at sunset (ooh... pretty)

Photo: Lake Taupo at sunset

Changing down a gear in Christchurch

1. Arrived in Christchurch yesterday afternoon and spent a romantic Valentine's Day with er... Da_Tonester and Gazman um... err... down the pub (well two actually). Probably the happiest day of Da_Tonester's trip though as we found the Twisted Hop pub which actually served beer at about 10 deg C and wasn't fizzy. An actual real ale pub!

Photo: The Twisted Hop pub. Models: Happy Gazman and Da_Tonester with tears of joy

We ate earlier in the Loaded Hog which also had it's own range of beers, but in the more usual NZ beer style. Pretty hefty portions. Sitting around us were all the couples that had failed to secure a Valentine's Day reservation at the more romantic spots in Christchurch ;-)

Anyway, today, Da_Tonester's off to the cinema to watch films that came out in the UK at least 6 weeks ago, I'm probably going to check out the Christchurch art gallery which means you'll have to look at Gazman's blog to find out what there is to do in Christchurch.

2. Went Whale Watching in Kaikoura in the morning before heading down to Christchurch. We saw:

a. Two sperm whales, one of which was called Tutu (we immediately nicknamed it Desmond)

Photo: Marine Life. Model: 'Desmond'

Photo: The Big money tail shot. Model: 'Desmond's tail

b. A pod of dolphins.

Photo: Pod of Dolphins. Models: Dusky Dolphins

Photo: Pod of Dolphins. Models: Dusky Dolphins, Da_tonester and Gazman taking photos