New Zealand Trip 2012

 Hello to the blog!

This year I had the pleasure to spend 2 1/2 months in beautiful New Zealand.

If you are to lazy to read my post, here is the video of the trip:



After spending some time at the famous Kaituna, i worked my days in the Bliss Stick factory to get my hands on the new Tuna. After some good times on the north island, meeting old friends in Okere Falls and running laps on the Kaituna, i decided to go down to the famous West Coast of the South Island.












In Hokitika I soon found myself with a lot of paddlers, exploring some amazing white water and doing my frist Heli Trips (also spending a not so comfortable night in the wet bushes of the coast after getting lost in the bush

a nice slide on the Waitaha, a really nice 1 day Heli-Run on the Coast (2 day in our case, after spending 19 hours and the night in the jungle)

After running some really good stuff, doing a lot of hiking and trying to get around all those scary syphons, we travelled around the South Island all the way down to Queenstown.

the famous 10m Park and Huck Maruia Falls

  Although the water levels were a little to low for some of the good creeks, we could still run famous rapids like Nevis Bluff on the Kawarau River.

On the left is the lower part of Nevis Bluff, awesome rapid - good big water boating :)

the main rapid on Nevis Bluff, looks big from the top, but its nothing compared to when you are down there

Here is another classic on the West Coast. The upper Kakapotahi. Lots of syphons as always ... so you got to make sure you stay on the line.


 After getting back to the West Coast, I soon went up to the North Island to pick up and friend from Austria. We spent some time travelling the North Island, and I also tried my first surfing sessions.



My trip ended where it started, doing some laps on the Kaituna and enjoying the easy life in Okere Falls.
All in all, I had a great time and got to know a lot of nice people. Hopefully be back sometime soon in the next years.
But first, Peru and Chile to come in 2 weeks :)

See you on the river

Lukas