Inland Pack Track

The National Park is a wilderness area. That means there is no access via helicopter or car, there are no bridges or huts, just nature.
The Track follows a river for about 1.5h. The first crossing is the hardest. Carrying the backpack over your head. The water was up to the hips. *brrr* chilly. The next 3 hours is mostly a muddy path. But the forest is awesome. Untouched and full of bird life. Shortly after lunch, the track disappears into the riverbed. Now you follow the river and crossing it from bank to bank, crawling under dead trees. Your shoes are heavy like a stone and soaking wet. But who cares when you've got this wilderness ;-) As I started to late that morning, I didn't make it to the Ballroom Overhang. The official night camp of the track. So I sleep at the Dilemma Creek Junction.
The second day is like the last hours of the first day. Walking the river in a huge gorge and steep limestone cliffs. More River crossings and some times a dry path trough the forest. 45 minutes before you end the track at the Highway you can explore a nice cave on a side track. It is worth a detour. The cave is narrow. The beautiful small 'tunnel' is just with a torch a nice experience for about 200 meters. This cave is since more than 100 years on of the highlights next to the Pancake Rocks.
Over all a remarkable track. Before the hike you should visit the Visitor Center in Punakaiki. The rivers along the West Coast can rise very quickly. So alway check the forcast and current riverlevels!

From Christchurch to the frustrating jobsearch

I know. Quite a lot of friends are already complaining that I did not keep you posted. Sorry for that. What I have done: I traveled from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass for some hikes. It was raining for 4 days and so I left wet and frozen to Punakaiki. It is well known because of the pancake rocks. I a beautiful Hostel in the Native Forest. Just 3 km north from the Visitor Center. I stood there for a few day and walked the Inland Pack Track. A nice 2 days track. I'll write another post for this track.
From here I headed south along the West Coast. Passed Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacie, but couldn't afford a walk. Still no job :-( I dropped my application at both Guiding Companies and headed over the Haast Pass to Wanaka. And here I am. Found a nice small Hostel (Holly'S Hostel). But still no job. In the local newspaper an article said it is the worst time for jobs since many years. Problem is, the summer season is over but the winter season starting end of June. So all Backpackers are sitting around and waiting for jobs. You find notes at the bars and shops "No jobs". Around 60-80 applicants per job. In a few weeks it should be better.
So I took the time and teamed up with Claudia to explore the Fjordlands. We went to Milford Sound and where lucky because of no rain. They've got 200 rain days a year in average....
Now we are already on the way back and staying in Queenstown. Tomorrow I'll check the activity offices for a summer job for the next season and going back to Wanaka around teatime. Hopefully I can work for a small computer dealer...better than nothing...