21 Dec

Days adrift. Click here to see our best and worst experiences so far.

5262

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35

Bus, train and taxi rides. Click here to see all posts relating to transport. (56 posts)

185

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581

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15

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1157

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13288

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63

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1

Otters spotted. Click here to go to our website about otters: amblonyx.com

45

...two travellers in search of the world's wildlife

HOME> New Zealand> Trek, plonk and splash

4 April 2011

Trek, plonk and splash

New Zealand, Photos

The Marlborough Sounds area stands a very good chance of being my favourite bit of New Zealand. We had a magical trek along the Queen Charlotte Track, saw wonderful wildlife in Queen Charlotte Sound, and had very contrasting indulgence in the Marlborough wine country of Wairau valley.

While waiting for the weather to look good enough for a two-day trek we explored the Marlborough wine country

The whole Wairau river valley is awash with vines. No-one would dare waste any flat ground for a football pitch

$There was some typically acidic Sauv Blanc (labelled \'refreshing\') but also a lot of very very good wine on offer$

$From Picton we went out to explore the Sound, although our goal of swimming with dolphins was foiled - \'wrong kind of dolphins\'$

$We found Hector\'s dolphins, the most beautiful and graceful creatures in New Zealand\'s waters$

Finally the weather cleared, so we set down our tasting glasses and galloped to the Queen Charlotte Track

Tree ferns are common, and are uncommonly beautiful in the sun

Looking one way, the Queen Charlotte Sound

A nice view would be a good spot for lunch of course

$Ready for a trek in NZ\'s national costume: shorts, dark socks and bucket hat$

A lot of the way the track goes through ancient native forests, full of trees found nowhere else on earth

$Birds flutter in the bush, like the flashy little fantail who flits around hikers like a flamenco dancer\'s fan$

We were very happy to have sunny days at last. Even small details like these berries come to life in the sun

At times we would catch glimpses of the Sound through gaps in the tree ferns

On occasion the track would give access to the Sound itself, typically where lodges or private houses had their little jetties

On top of the Queen Charlotte Track, on top of the world

$This Paradise Shelduck was on her own. Since they mate for life, she\'s probably a teenager still looking for love$

And when it climbed high enough the track would open up to inspiring vistas in all directions

In the other direction, the Kenepura Valley which eventually becomes the Kenepura Sound

Which is inevitably when the shy-yet-inquisitive weka would strut out to see if crumbs were in the offing

$We wait on the beach at journey\'s end. Mr Duck does not approve of Mrs Duck\'s very forward behaviour$

If we had another week to spare for New Zealand, we would definitely have lingered around here longer

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Tags: beauty, hiking, wildlife, wine

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