i was lucky enough to get out and about with this old guy,
who takes you to an uninhabited part of the island on his boat,
not even accessible by hiking tracks.
you go kiwi spotting - and kiwis are very rare to see in new zealand.
stewart island is one of the only places
where it is still somewhat possible that you'll see one in the wild,
and most new zealanders have not.
after 2 and a half hours of searching, we caught a glimpse of one of these amazing
flightless (and wingless), chicken-sized birds
before it spotted us and scurried away up an embankment -
too quick for even a photo.

i also did my first tramp in new zealand on stewart island,
and i did the 3-day hike all on my own.
the Rakiura Track is one of new zealand's Great Walks
(great because of the great number of people who walk it every year,
not because it is one of new zealand's most spectacular).
it is a small portion of the more encompassing Northwest Circuit Track,
a 10-12 day adventure through raw bushland
(meaning, you would have to carry 10-12 days worth of food and toilet paper with you).
New Zealand has this awesome hut system on its hikes -
where rudimentary houses dot the trails with wood/coal burning stoves,
vinyl-mattressed bunk beds and running water -
so i didn't have to carry a tent, a sleeping pad, or lots of Nalgene bottles.
Stewart Island is known for its rain, so my walk was extremely muddy
(up to my knees in some places!).
But the beautiful scenery and vegetation made up for it all,
and there is nothing quite so peaceful as spending a night in the woods
(on a cushiony mattress with a roof over your head).
 

colorful boathouses on the shore		old phone on a tree in town

a footprint in the sand		evidence of probing for food

at the start in the midst of a rainstorm		one of many swingbridge river crossings
ferny embankment on the side of a stream		unhappy mick after an hour-long uphill
at the hut day 1		at the hut day 2