“Storm is only when the sheep no longer have curls”

Today, we are reporting due to a forced break imposed on us by Cyclone “Fehi”. From last night until tomorrow afternoon, large parts of both islands are in the grip of storm, heavy rain, and floods. The power has just gone out, but luckily we have a solid accommodation until tomorrow. It is a natural spectacle that ends a phase of hot days in January. The past days have also been hot for us. 10 days ago, we decided to interrupt the hike. We reached Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island, on January 24th through detours. We would not have gone there, but fate has led us to the city that was severely destroyed by a major earthquake in February 2011. It was very interesting and depressing at the same time to see the impact the earthquake had and how the cityscape is still influenced almost 7 years later. From large vacant lots to modern new buildings to still destroyed historic buildings like the Christchurch Cathedral, everything was there. Christchurch became the base for our further activities. Initially, we wanted to pick up our valuable food package that we had sent to Boyle Village 3 weeks ago. This meant a 2.5-hour shuttle ride into the mountains, spending a night at Helen's Boyle Outdoor Education Center, and taking the same shuttle back to Christchurch. Somehow it was funny, we drove through the mountains, were happy about our package, and also got a delicious pizza that we had ordered in advance as a reward for diligent hiking. We also gained a small insight into the work of the Outdoor Education Center. There are many of them in New Zealand. They serve in various ways to educate people about safe movement in nature, impart knowledge about flora and fauna, are weather stations, and also train mountain rescue forces. And so, we discussed weather records with Helen, the manager, recorded the current weather data, and showed off our excellent school knowledge 🤓. Unfortunately, we had to leave quickly, but the next events were already waiting for us. Back in Christchurch, we moved to a new accommodation, the Jailhouse Accommodation. Those who know Elvis' song now know what it's about. We spent the night in a prison cell in a former real women's prison. Everything was very modern and charmingly staged. Nevertheless, it felt creepy and one night was sufficient. The next morning, we booked the Tranz Alpine Train to get from Christchurch to Arthurs Pass. The train travels from the east coast to the west coast through the mountains. It is amazing what people in the 19th century were able to build. A technical masterpiece to open up an important transport option at that time and today offer a not quite inexpensive tourist attraction. The train took us through magnificent mountain landscapes at 740m. Arthurs Pass would have been an important stopover on the Te Araroa. We now realized again what we would unfortunately miss because we did not hike. And so, we met many people from the walking guild again. With a big welcome, everyone was questioned about how it was and how they were doing. We have great respect for all who have made it this far. Some, however, were clearly marked by weight loss, digestive problems, and broken feet. A young, very committed woman from Belgium had to quit with a heavy heart because her foot hurt so much that she couldn't go any further. She was so disappointed not to reach her goal that we briefly slipped into the role of parents, comforted and confirmed her, and hopefully washed away a tiny part of her disappointment with a beer.

We wanted to do some hiking around Arthurs Pass, chose a few small, fine routes, and tackled them. New Zealand is experiencing a century-long summer this year. It was unnaturally hot in the mountains, and we felt it. So, the routes were quickly completed. We had imposed an alpine hiking break. Andreas' leg had to heal!

And so, after one day, we also packed up the tent here and continued to the West Coast to Greymouth. We would not have seen the West Coast from the Te Araroa. However, it is not uninteresting and, especially with the region around Mount Cook, Fox Glacier, and Franz Josef Glacier, a must-see. New decision - we rent a car and drive the West Coast from Greymouth to Wanaka heading south. From Wanaka, we want to challenge our hiking luck again. The car has been rented since the day before yesterday, we visited the Pancake Rocks, explored the beaches, hiked the Franz Josef Glacier, and camped by idyllic lakes. However, with yesterday's weather warning, we had to make new plans. The tent was out of the question, because it wouldn't be there anymore 🌀💧⚡! Just as the rain began, we reached a holiday park and a cabin (you remember?). And at half past two in the morning, we decided to extend our stay for one more night. Driving is warned against, roads are flooded or impassable due to fallen trees. So, we use the day to plan the next steps, check the finances (which is extremely important, NZ is very expensive), keep you updated, and relax. The past few days have been somewhat hectic 😌, but always full of beautiful, varied impressions.

Stormy greetings from the

Koewis