Rakiura Island = Extreme Mud + Extremely Welcoming Locals!

Unbelievable I have been in Aotearoa for 5 weeks already!  Link to this week's photos CLICK HERE.

My experience on Rakiura (Stewart Island) was magical - at least half of it, anyway!  The 3-day Rakiura hike was 2 days too long.  The first day was absolutely GORGEOUS!  Days 2 and 3 were not as much so, rainy, and EXTREMELY MUDDY.  I have no problem with getting my feet dirty, but it kinda stinks when you have to watch every footstep (so you don't go up to your knees in the stuff) and can't look around much.  The birdsong in the woods was very musical and pretty, but most of them (except the tomtit - rather chickadee-like) were way in the upper layers of foliage where I couldn't see them.  No kiwis spotted  (on the island, this subspecies can be seen during the daytime which is unusual as most kiwis are nocturnal). 

But, things changed in a BIG hurry when I arrived back in the wee village of Oban (pop. 400), the island's "big city".  After a very-much-needed shower, I headed right to the town's only pub (a super superlative - "the southernmost pub in NZ!"  Immediately, the locals took me directly into their fold and treated me as a guest of honour.  I had an out-of-this-world amazing time with this warm, welcoming, fun, goofy group!  They insisted that I stay at their homes, and for as long as I wished.  Which I did for 2 nights, but sadly felt the need to tear myself away and continue northward, as I have a WWOOFing obligation in less than 2 weeks.  I was very sad to leave my new family, and had my first big wave of homesickness shortly after departing from the island.  :(  I miss them already.

Now I'm in Queenstown, heading back up north along the West Coast.  I'm considering skydiving on my way up to the Nelson/Marlbourough/Able Tasman region.