New Zealand: Round the Mountain (Ruapehu)
There is no room in Waihohonu Hut tonight. Nor is there any room four nights from now. Neither way around Ruapehu will work if I leave today. I remain unconvinced […]
New Zealand: The Tongariro Northern Circuit
Once again I find I have travelled halfway across the North Island in a day. The Central Plateau reminds me of the Scottish Highlands, of the Welsh Mountains. Of something, […]
New Zealand: Wellington
The temporary permanence of Kentishman Hops gave me the illusion of stability. Things were normal. Same faces, every day. I knew my way to the supermarket, which aisle the baked […]
New Zealand: Hop Harvest 2021
The mornings grow darker with autumn’s approach. I step out of the van in to the cold air. Light glows around the edge of the curtains of the two caravans […]
New Zealand: Kentishman Hops
I tell myself a lie. I don’t need an alarm. The truth is I am an early riser. I wake up at 6:42am. Did I wake up naturally or did […]
New Zealand: Motueka
I returned to Nelson under the impression I had approximately one week to sort my life out. In the car park on the edge of town emergency sirens began to […]
New Zealand: The Travers-Sabine Circuit
There was nothing left to do but drive, so I did. Around the outskirts of Christchurch, over Lewis Pass. The rain caught up with me, hitching a ride all the […]
New Zealand: Aoraki-Mount Cook
Having left Fiordland in the rearview mirror I began my crawl North. I had another one of those nights where I wake up and have no idea where I am. […]
New Zealand: Fiordland
On the Routeburn Track, stuck in Routeburn Falls Hut, Hut Warden John had given me some suggestions. “On a dry day,” he said “take your tent up on Gertrude Saddle […]
New Zealand: The Milford Track
The flashing lights of an ambulance approach from the far end of the road. The flashing lights are never an ambulance. There are two pilot vehicles flagging the traffic down. […]
