FiVe HuNDReD MiLeS

The end of my stay in the Southern Island is drawing near. `morrow morning I`m flying to Wellington.

I have been spending the past two weeks on the beaches and forests of Stewart Island. Check the pictures. I was lucky with the weather, spare the last two days. 12 days were pretty sunny but finally I didn`t make the whole circle, because the puddles between Freshwater Hut and North Arm Hut turned into crooks and rivers over the night. I had to cross 12 small brooks in a single hour. To say nothing of constant mud-walk and knee-high puddles. I caught up with people who had set off earlier at the 13th brook. It might have been a brook the day before, now it looked more like a wild torrent. A discussion followed and the wisest conclusion was agreed on - back to the hut, as there was a five-hour walk ahead of us in the rain. God knows what rivers awaited us. The rain was not stopping and my food supplies were running short too. And I had been bivouacking for two weeks. Eventually, an expensive water taxi took us back.
To avoid questions from people who are not familiar with Stewart Island conditions. 700 inhabitants, most of which live in the major town of Oban. 85% of the island`s area is a national park. In the park, there are two, not frequently taken, tracks:
North-west track: about 120 km, 8-10 days.
South track: extra 50 km
I blended the two, I stayed longer in some huts, missed some huts. I slept in the tent on some beaches. It took me 12 days. I carried all the food on my back, except for the mussels, whom I seldom discovered and the snails full of sand. So no wonder I could not squat in a hut waiting for better weather.
Unfortunately, I did not have much time left for Catlins. A few lifts from Invercargil to Balclutha, a visit at Doreen`s, whom we had met in India with Klara. Washing clothes, talking and an evening trip to see the penguins. Finally I got to see the weird creatures with my own eyes.
Wednesday was devoted to hitching and it worked. From Balclutha to Dunedin with Doreen. The remaining 350 km to Christchurch was made in 9 hours, so I can wait for my plane in peace and scribble some talks for the blog. Next entry will be from the North Island.

P.S.: Future plans: A day in Wellington and then quickly off the city. Mountains again. Mt. Taranaki.(Mt. Egmont), then around the volcanoes Tongariro, Ruapehu a Ngauruohe (Mt.Doom from “Lord of the Ring”). A match of rugby in Rotorua or Auckland. Maybe Great Barrier Island. I am free till 29th March. The following 3 weeks in Tonga and then Australia. Finally I got the air-ticket from Sydney. 22nd April I should be flying to Kuala Lumpur.