New Pictures - Able Tasman, Whanganui River and other

Posted some new Pictures at http://christian.stauba.ch

Have fun!!

a lot to tell...but to lazy to write :-/

The last weeks was mostly work for Steve. It is still a bit of everything what keeps it interesting. I got some job offers from local guy for the winter time. I hope it is more serious than these bloody boat job. Which finally was given to another guy :-( But ok, that's life.
As know from my pictures I've done the Tongorio Crossing together with Dave, my work colleague. I had sore stomach muscles from laughing instead of sore leg muscles from walking :-) Up there it is another world. Like walking the moon. Just awesome! A must do!
Since one week I'm back on the road. Went from Raurimu to Taupo and paddled to the Maori Rock Carvings. Spend some chilly hours at lake front. Visited the Huka Falls which are just amassing. Its a rapid, 15m wide, 15m deep (water is 10m deep) and around 200m long. It's ending in a huge Waterfall a bit less than 10m. 160 cubic meter water per second. It is just pure power.
After this 2 days in Taupo I went further east direction Lake Waikaremona. Windy Interstate 38 ends in a long gravel road. Beautiful forests and lookouts are around the road. I watched the sunset at Horuruahine Landing the first lake bay you're passing. The next day went quite fast. Most of the time I took photos of the countless waterfalls around the lake. And I graped my tickets for the Great Walk I planed to start on Saturday. The Walk winding along the lake shore, climbing up to the Panekiri Bluff and offers mostly awesome views out of the native forest toward the crystal blue lake middle in nowhere. So far so good. The water Taxi drop you off at Onepoto around 9.30a.m. The climb up to the bluff took around 4h. And I had lunch at the first hut. Normally the Track is between 3-4 days; 45km. I wanted to walk it in 2 days. My night camp should be Korokoro. But everything changes as I slipped on a muddy part and twisted my ankle. Good for me, that I meet 2 doctors from Napier an the track which drugged me up. Thanks a lot girls!! Slowly we went down to the next hut. Another 4h. and I tented the night there. Already skipped my plans for a two day hike. The next morning, was Ok. The ankle was swollen and it was hard to walk. Ok, it wasn't my hike. First I took the empty battery for my cam not able to make all pictures I wanted. Then I slipped... So I was really pissed and decided to cancel the track. The others I meet in the hut left and I stood waiting for the Taxi which finally came at 10.30 to drop some backpacks for lazy hikers. So i spend the afternoon at the Motor Camp. The skipper tolled my, that this is one of 20 day sunshine up here. Normally it's mostly clouded and rainy. A perfect day for hiking.... Cool. Made it! I hope the next time I start this track, the weather will be like today. Sunshine, 16°C, not a single cloud, a light wind and not crowded at all! After I cooled my ankle with ice it's still swollen, but walking isn't too bad.
So I'm leaving this beautiful lake and heading east toward the coastline. Finding a spot with mobile phone coverage to post this blog.

New Pictures - Tongariro Crossing

Just a short announcement. I finally managed to upload some New Zealand pictures to my web side. If you want have a look at http://christian.stauba.ch
They are take during the Tongariro Crossing on 14. March 2009. Dave my working college joined me and we hat a lot of fun ;-) I hope you enjoy it as well.

42 Traverse - Mountain biking

Today was a sunny and nice warm day. So I decided in the morning to go biking. It is quiet at the rental at the moment, so it wasn't a problem. The track is crossing the Tongario Forest. One of the must have done tracks in New Zealand. DoC calculates the time with 4 to 6 hours. Start is at 910 m above sea level a bit further north then the start of the Tongario Crossing.


The track is about 42 km long. the first 6km are possible by car as well as the last 4 km. I cycled back to Raurimu and ended with 62 km. Puhh, that was hard. The last 15 km on the highway in full sun.


The track surface varies from gravel over sand to mud. 3 long downhills 2 fords and moderate hills to climb up. long curves and always a nice lookout. Deep valleys and native forest is the scenery.


A bit tricky are the fords you have to pass. I'm not sure if you can ride all three. I cheated the first two and walked :-). All together it is an amazing ride and you should do it if you find the time.


Google GPS map: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=139738

Still in Raurimu

Since I left Auckland, I'm working for Steve. He is the boss of Wades Landing Outdoor (http://whanganui.co.nz) and runs the Slalom Lodge in Raurimu. I'm doing the mowing, cleaning windows, checking fire alarms, changing light bulbs and loading the trailers.
Last weekend I took the bus to Auckland to bring my old Van down here. I can store the Van here to sell it. After work I sanded and painted the buddy to fix some rusty spots. Yesterday I bought 4 used glow bulbs and changed them. Now the van starts at the first try. Taking some pictures and I'm ready to put it onto gumtree.com for sale.
The weather is getting mostly rainy and clouded. Since Stef and Valentin left the weather is like this. But it is still warm to sit outside. After two weeks working here more as a housekeeper I started to bring the first groups to the river by my own and picking up people alone. So it's finally more the job I wanted to do. :-) At least it is a foot in the door and Steve tolled me that he might got the possibility to bring to a river or rafting guide where I can start as a assisted guide for the first. Let's see how it goes. First I've got a job offer along the west coast of the South Island. But still it is not clear when it starts. So long I can work for Steve.