Hello from home...

Being home since 3 days is really nice, although we do have to fight the jet-lag...The 32-hour-fligt went smoothly, but I got a rash on the second one, and I still wait for it to disappear. Getting out from Schipol we even got snow, so its a complete change from the summer at the other end of the world. After 5 900 km by car (4 car and 1 camper rentals) and 31 076km by plane (12 flights in total) plus some shaky boat trips it feels cozy to find back the Dutch transportation: the bike:-)

I would like to thank you all for following this blog and to all the tips we were given!

On the way back we flew all the way above Australia and had the chance to enjoy the most different colour pattern of this amazing continent!

Whales, seals and Christchurch...

The cute little town Kaikoura on the East coast is the "capital" of whale-watching. This is due to the fact that some 5 miles from the coast the sea depth reaches some 950m and the whales just feel good there:) I still wonder why they calling it whale watching as one can not really see the whale, but just see his fin and/or the fountain of water going out of his nose...Twice we saw Tiaki, a 19-year-old sperm whale. The sperm whale is the fourth biggest whale in the world and males grow up to 13 m. They come up for some 5 minutes on the surface for every 45 minutes they spent underwater...Nowadays the whalewatch boats can track them with funny tools who measure/record their position underwater and like this one can find easily one for "watching":-)

We heart just by accident about swimming with the seals and went there in the afternoon with the operator SealSwim...It was an amazing experience!!!Seals are very curious creatures and they were coming up to 10 sm close to us. We were in the sea about 45 min, which was impressive, when u think that the water temperature was 16 degrees!!!

Posing with the colourful wall paintings in Kaikoura, tired after the busy day:)

Today on the way down to Christchurch we stopped in a lavender farm. The host was very happy to have a chat with us and even more delighted when she heart where we come from. " France and Bulgaria are two big lavender producers", she said, before giving me some lavender oil against the ichy mozzie bites I got (after a count last night:30).

Christhurch seemed (for the couple of hours we got here) very cozy and pleasant city. Tomorrow morning we get the 32-hour-flight (via Singapore) back home....all good things have an end...

Abel Tasman National Park experience

Abel Tasman Park (named after the Dutch explorer) is the smallest park in NZ, but definitely one of the most beautiful. We were lucky enough (a big thanks to the weather) to have sunny and warm temperatures! Our two kiwi-guides explained us the local flora and history and coached us during the itinerary: 22 km of walking and 25 km of sea-kayaking! We started with 1,5 days hiking in beautiful fern forests and beaches.

The unfolding fern is the symbol of New Zealand, in Maori culture it symbolises the new begining.

During kayaking the last day we got some wind pushing us and we lined up 3 kayaks next to each other and put a sail on, was an awesome experience to ride the waves and to get wet at the same time-thanks to all the great people (locals and from overseas) in the group for the funny time! Some facts of the country history shocked us again: when Maori arrived on the island some 800 years ago 90% of it was forest, now only 30% of it remains...

The Kiwi-Team TonyFamily flying with the wind:)

From the plant Pohutukawa (the New Zealand Christmas tree) here one makes great honey...

The sun can be dangerous...Yesterday the fire alarm was on extreme-see above!

I got some fights with the rainforest mozzies (mosquitoes) as they really liked me and now have difficulties stopping scratching my 10 bites per leg:( For the rest we are just fine, drove on Wednesday evening down the East coast to Kaikoura from where the nice sky-cloud image comes from:) Less than 2 more days left for us here...

Absolutely positively Wellington and South Island

The logo of the capital of New Zealand says it all: a beautiful 350 000 inhabitants city, that feels good and relaxed, a big town without stress, friendly people and cozy bars and cafeterias all around. Yesterday for example a lovely lunch in a cosy bar owned and run by a friendly guy from the North of F rance (un vrai chti). We went to the TePapa Museum (the biggest and most famous museum of NZ), which is a mix of Maori and European history, natural treasures display and plenty of other things. Nico enjoyed the Macs brewery in down town and went kite-surfing in the bay, while myself had a sunny stroll in the Botanical garden.

The city from the top of the hill, where one can get with the red cable car...

On the top-level of the TePapa Museum, having fun with the moving with the wind creative, Korean sculptures "The egg or the chicken".

Enjoying a lovely cappuccino:)

The 3,5-hour-ferry trip to the South Island went fine today (not tooo shaky) despite of the stinky truck (a sheep transporter) parked just under the passenger deck. After arrival we visited a local winery (the Malborough region is another region famous with its vineyards). In its wine cellar we found a 1977-World atlas of wine,where they even had 2 pages about Bulgaria and Mavrud wine:) Tonight we are busy packing our luggage for the guided 3-day-kayaking-walking-tour in the national parc Abel Tasman (on the top of the South Island). We will be offline for some days, some more news after Wednesday...Have a good week:)

The South of the Northern Island

Heading direction south (and Wellington) we did some stops in the towns on the West coast: Wanganui, Levin, Whaikakae. Following the advice of Dave we stopped in the cute village Foxton, where we enjoyed some colourful murals and laughed at the Dutch windmill (the biggest attraction there). Nico could not kitesurf as there was no wind (and on the top he said that the Foxton beach looks like the Dutch coast:), just with black sand.

While driving through the National Park Tongariro the other day we encountered for first time the road sign for kiwis, but we never met some real ones. I was shocked to learn today (during our visit of the nature reserve Nga Manu, a bird sanctuarity) that only 0,5% of the original population is now left in NZ. Our last camping site was in the really sweet and cozy Paekakariki (try to pronounce this one, its not easy:), between the green hill and the marine park Kapiti Island, 100 m from the beach.

Another thing is really shocking I think (at least for a Bulgarian person): in a country with 35 million sheep, running/eating around on green hills, there is no single production of sheep milk joghurt or sheep cheese-they dont milk the sheep here!!!But one can find a sheep skin shop (selling sheep skin boots, sleepers, etc) at almost every second village...

Thursday we arrived in Wellington where on the programme is some culture, shopping and relaxation before taking the ferry to the South Island on Sunday morning. Weather warmed up a bit, some sun at the coast, but mostly cloudy and windy in the capital. In the Maori mythodology the North Island of NZ is a giant fish, caught by the demi-god Maui from his waka (canoe), the South Island. Regional Wellington is known as the head of Mauis fish. To Maori people the head of the fish is the smartest and sweetest part!

P.S. some local from NZ(on request of Koteto)

Pukeko (known as New Zealand swamp hen) is a another flightless bird, who shows its white tail once it is afraid.