Apologies for the lack of New Zealand updates. I’ve been spending the past few days touring the West Coast of New Zealand via a Kiwi Experience bus. Besides cheap rental cars and campers, limited public trains and buses, and the occasional hitchhiker, one of the main ways for backpackers to get around are independent hop-on, hop-off buses; the buses have stops they go to, but you are free to do whatever you want at the stops, and to stay at each stop for as long as you want.

I’ve been having some crazy adventures (more on that in a later post) and seeing some amazing sights. Some highlights: the drive along the Tasman Shore on Highway 6 (which is supposed to be one of the most scenic drives in the world), getting a chance to see glow worms (sorry, they don’t photograph well).

Tasman Shore

One thing that continues to amaze me is just how sparsely populated New Zealand is. I know most people have heard about how there are more sheep than people in New Zealand, but even if you hadn’t it would be readily apparent within a day or two of driving around here.