After linux.conf.au_2006 I tramped round the South Island February 2006. Photos.

Wednesday 1 March
8.30am flight Oban -> Invercargill

Tuesday 28 February
Caught up with Mark and Fiona again. Ulva Island

North West Circuit, Stewart Island

Monday 27 February
Day #11 Rain 8.30am North Arm -> Backpackers at Oban 11.45pm Checked back in with DoC Nice Eggburger. Hot water is soo good. Amazing to be able to eat and eat and still know there's more food available.

Sunday 26 February
Day #10 Overcast -> Sunny Long scramble from Freshwater 9am -> North Arm 4pm. lots of trees down. Surprised to read people do it < 3hrs. Think I am getting tired. Guy going to Freshwater with no backpack/boots/etc odd! Very hungry, ate 2 person curry beef and a chicken noodles with veges

Saturday 25 February
Day #9 Overcast/Windy Slept in till 8am, walk to beach. Goodbye to Mark & Fioina, walk 10am -> Fresh water 1.30pm (forgot to fill water bottle, fortunately short day and had some drink still). Seem to have Fresh water to myself. Climbed Rocky Mountain - great views of where I've been. Feeling a bit scruffy, sand thru my hair/in ears/everywhere Almost out of toilet paper!!! Noisey mouse woke me up about midnight. Dreamt about salad, with little cherry tomatoes.

Friday 24 February
Day #8 Misty/Low cloud/Wind Up early. Left Hellfire 8.30am Saw another kiwi on the way out -> Little Hellfire beach ~12 wind and rain ocver Mason Head -> Mason Beach ~2.30pm -> hut ~4pm (pretty much made DoC time) Social = 6 of us. Met Mark and Fionia multimedia/eLearning developers from Ireland.

Thursday 23 February
Day #7 Rain, hail, wind last night - Clearing today Second day at Hellfire hut Down to beach amazing Collected firewood, tough work to lug it back up, but got it here Saw another kiwi this morning (on way back from loo) came right up to me (<1m) Lit fire. Seems strange to thing I only have 4 more days left. Big walk tomorrow! Weather has been patchy today clear/cloudy/occassional showers. 4th day in a hut to myself. Imagine Mason Bay will have others.

Wednesday 22 February
Day #6 Rain Left 9.15am - soaked - hard slog stage II WR Beach to Waituna Bay - Saw a kiwi on the track ~1.30pm He was coming down and I was going up 1-2m away from me - cold changed into polypro top and had - some nice bits climbing to Hellfire, but lots of difficult mud for the last two hours. arrived at Hellfire ~6pm (2hrs more than DoC time) food back wet (how? when I got out polypro"?) emptied out contents, found coachroach! killed! must of got in at East Ruggedy? Can't see any food it's got into. Most food in blastic and dry 2 prriges wet - ate. Wish my torch woked then I could watch the sunset instead of needing to bed before dark falls. View so spectacular can't even begin to photograph it, need 180deg and to get the lighting?

Tuesday 21 February
Day #5 Cloudy/Wind Slept in till 9am. Spend day here (East Ruggedy) Walked along East Ruggedy beach (saw falcon) West Ruggedy beach this afternoon - 3hr day tring. incredible no sandflies and views. Given up on fishing - leaving line here wind blowing

Monday 20 February
Day #4 Rain Undulations today Long Harry ~9am -> East Ruggedy 2pm [made DoC time!] Hard to cross boulders when being swarmed over by sandflies! Have hut all to myself. rain, rain, rain dreamt about snakes in petrol staion tanks

Sunday 19 February
Day #3 Overcast/Sunny Up early 6.30am. Left 9am. Said goodby to J&J. (going to East Ruggedy( steep climb -> crossed Smokey Beach at low tide, lunch break at end 11.30am -> big climb, expected undulations, but unexpectedly early Long Harry hut 1pm (4hrs) (blood nose) explored beach Enjoyed views. Saw Kiwi Hiding from mozzies during night

Saturday 18 February
Day #2 Fine/Overcast 9am Xmas Village -> Lucky Beach saw deer fawn?, penguin, 11.30am lunch -> hard slog! undulating, pack too heavy! -> Yankee River 4pm (7hrs) Caught 3 rock cod - evil little fish - threw 1st one back - I don't like bush lawyer, bush layer don't like me! - sand flies very bad, especially with gutting and filleting. torch broken. saw penguin in the evening.

Friday 17 February
Day #1 Rain 6.30am -> ~7am Warf -> ~8am Port William -> Bungaree 11.30am lunch -> Xmas Village ~6pm (10hrs) Met Justin & Joy from NC, USA Pack too heavy! - shouldn't have brought fleece, tramping book (photocopy instead), sandles, but heaviest thing is the food

Thursday 16 February
Flew to Stewart Island. Arranged water taxi for 7am tomorrow, Left intentions form with DoC, hired emergency beacon (just in case). Nice Fish and Chips.

Wednesday 15 February
Uploaded all my photos. I enjoyed Muttonbird for lunch, bit like mutton, but with a fishy smell and very tender. Bought what I hope is 10-12 days food, organized it all. Booked my flight to Oban and accomodation for tomorrow.

Tuesday 14 February
Te Anau -> Invercargill. Staying at Southern Comfort hostel recommended by Saoka, nice friendly quiet. Played unknown card game (we're calling it Tui) until midnight.

Kepler

Monday 13 February
Beautiful sunny day. Walked out to Rainbow Reach Bridge. Staying one more night in Te Anau YHA before heading for Invergiggle. Asian Beef Stirfry at the Olive Tree, lots of veges. Yet another night in a crowded dorm.

Sunday 12 February
Raining/windy. Walked along the tops around Mt Luxmore and down to the next hut. Weather unpleasant, but still some good views. Walked up to waterfall.

Saturday 11 February
Raining. Caught 8.30am TrackNet shuttle to control gates. Richard was the only other tramper starting. Easy walk along lake, then a big climb, but at a very easy gradient. Came out of the trees into cloud, but once we'd got to the Mt Luxmore Hut the clouds cleared to reveal a beautiful view of Lake Te Anau. Explored the caves with Julia, Ed and Richard - fantastic! very deep! Informative nature talk by Vanessa the Hut Warden.

Friday 10 February
Checked into the YHA which I'd originally booked (bit more crowded than Great Lakes, but didn't feel like changing the booking). Booked transport to the control gates for tomorrow. Cruised Lake Manapori and did a tour of the Manapori Power Station which was excellent! Roast Lamb at the Olive Tree, nice, but annoying

Thursday 9 February
Glen Orchy -> Queenstown -> Te Anau. Realized I'm a day ahead of myself. Stayed at Great Lakes Holiday Park. lots of confusion because there are three Holiday Parks in Te Anau, all with Lake in their name. Chicken schnitzel at The Station - ok salad was excellent anyway.

Rees/Dart

Wednesday 8 February
Some rain. Walked out to Chinaman's Bluff. Bit windy in places. Sand flies at shelter maddening. Stayed at Glen Orchy. Had a few beers at the pub with Wayne. Nice mussel burger and chips. Had the dorm all to myslelf :-).

Tuesday 7 February
Nice fine weather. Pretty easy walk down to Dalley's hut.

Monday 6 February
Hot sunny weather. Great views from Rees Saddle. Over into the Dart valley and down to Dart Hut.

Sunday 5 February
Almost missed the transport to the track. Had to run along the road after the van. Hot sunny weather. Track was very dry, not much mud at all. Managed to keep my feet dry even crossing 25 mile creek. Gaiters are great!

Routeburn/Greenstone

Saturday 4 February
Back to Glen Orchy, staying at the dorm up there.

Friday 3 February
Easy walk out. Caught transport back to Queenstown. Had nice Indian with Salome and Polly. (not sure spicy food was such a good idea now ) Picked up stuff at YHA, got a slightly quieter room, but with some annoying room mates who obviously had no idea of good dorm ettiquite.

Thursday 2 February
Nice walk down the valley to Greenstone hut. Longer than I'd expected because it's moved (actually Mid-Greenstone is closed and new Greenstone hut is at the old Sly Burns hut site). Saw a huge fish (trout) must tell Tim.

Wednesday 1 February
Sunshine! Very nice walk off the Routeburn track and onto the Greenstone. Staying in McKeller hut. Had a snooze, then went and climbed the nearby peak. Great views of the valley. I am addicted to beef jerkey.

Tuesday 31 February
Rain. Climbed the Harris Saddle, but with rain and low cloud, didn't see anything. Got to McKenzie hut. Weather cleared a bit and I walked around to the end of Lake McKenzie, past the "Split Rock". I am addicted to beef jerkey.

Monday 30 January
Hot! Went up Queenstown Gondola and had fun on the Luge while waiting for transport. Fantastic views on the way up to Glen Orchy. Routeburn started easy, but became quite a hard climb with the heat. Got up to Routeburn Falls hut.

Sunday 29 January
InterCityDunedin -> Queenstown. Very hot up in Central Otago - over 30 degsC, (had been up to 40 degs earlier in the week) Aircon on bus conkedout part way there, but apart from that a nice trip. Found the YHA,arranged room, storage. Got tickets sorted at DoC. Dinner and a coupleof beers at Tham Nak Thai.Crowded dorm, hot noisy night, partying on the roof outside our window,didn't quieten down till 1am, and still was stinking hot and awkward -as being in the top bunk is.

• My last BigTrip | Tramping | David