Leaving

I'm almost done packing. My laptop is one of the few things left, so I'll give a short farewell post then finish packing.

The weeks really flew by here. I'm thankful for having the opportunity to live in Kiwi culture for a semester.

Sad I'm leaving because:
I've met many good Kiwi and American friends I may never see again.
This country is beautiful.
Now I need to start earning money again.
Won't be able to watch rugby as easily.
Airport/stadium security is way more relaxed.
Thai Chili Sauce at Subway is amazing.

I'll be glad to be back because:
I want to see what my friends and family have been up to.
Ready for summer
Ketchup and stick deodorant is widely available
Taco Bell
Baseball
Won't have to cook for myself all of the time


That's about all for now. This blog has been really fun for me, and I'm glad everyone has enjoyed my stories. I'll see everyone soon! I still have stuff I haven't posted yet, so look for more posts after I get back.

Waikaremoana Great Walk

I had to look up the name for this one again, because it's a mouthful. This walk was near the center of the North Island, and we knew it was going to be cold. We had a three day weekend for the Queen's Birthday, so we had the three days recommended for this hike.

Getting there was a chore. We left Friday evening and stayed in Rotorua at a Western-themed hostel. Owners can get pretty creative with their accommodations here. I have heard of everything from remodeled prisons to railroad cars being used as hostels. There was even a floating hostel off the coast of Abel Tasman National Park.

Saturday we left early because we had heard bad things about the last section of the drive. There is one road going through the park, and only brief sections around the towns are paved. The road zigzags around mountains and valleys, and we have always thought of the NZ roadsigns as very arbitrary. Every now and then, there would be a sign warning of a sharp turn, even though we had just gone around five just as bad with no signs. Gives someone a job I guess. We also had to dodge the occasional cow lounging in the road.

Our car was a trooper once again

After arriving at the lake, we hopped on a water taxi to get to the trailhead. The first day was mainly uphill. The trail cut through the most interesting forest I had seen in NZ. Usually, I get tired of looking at trees and want a lookout onto the countryside, but there was so much going on here. Trees shot up at bizarre angles, and ferns and other plants grew at nearly every fork in the branches. Adding to the unreal effect was the weather. It didn't seem right to be looking at very tropical plants while wearing gloves, a hat, and several layers.

I'll just call it Lake W

The rain/snow still holding off

Looking up towards the canopy

The first night was cold, and the hut had only a very pathetic gas stove for heat, and it was far from the bunks. I wore most of my clothes and my hat to sleep. The second day was numerous up and downs. We loosely followed the lake shore. Kevin, Joe, and I were walking at a much quicker pace than Maura and her friend's sister, Allison. Allison is a U of I graduate and is working at a vineyard near Auckland. I found out her friends were past residents of the house I will live in next semester. Weird.

It was Allison's first hike and I don't think she realized how far we needed to go that day. Maura probably realized they were going too slow, but is too nice to be imposing. We took an hour long sidetrip to a waterfall and took a long break at a couple's backcountry hideaway. Their house is right on the trail, and they offered us tea and cookies. College students don't say no to offers such as this. Then we walked another hour (during which it started to snow) and were at the next hut. Maura and Allison weren't there yet, and as the sun set nearly two hours later there was still no sign of them. Then we heard a boat motor, and the man at the cabin had given the two stragglers a ride. I have yet to meet an unhelpful Kiwi.

Side trip to a waterfall, had some close calls crossing this stream

Snow and palm trees, like peanut butter and jelly

The next day we all stuck together, and I think everyone was comfortable with the pace. The walk had become wet and muddy, and the water taxi zipped us back from another wonderful tramp.

Cold morning

Everyone ready to get out of the damp cold

Sidenote: They have cut the internet off in our flats. I am at the commons writing this one. We'll see how much more I can finish before I come back home. This means probably no Skyping until I get back. Won't be long.

Pinnacles

As you probably noticed, I spiffed up the page a bit. The picture featured behind the title came from this tramp, done in mid-May. This tramp was a last second decision. Our intended destination had an unfavorable weather forecast for the weekend, so we went somewhere with some better odds of sunshine. At the beginning of May it rained nearly every day (9 of the first 11 or something like that). Nearby, the Coromandel Peninsula was looking clear for the weekend, and the Pinnacles hike looked worthwhile. A short drive to the start of the trail and a short walk inland brought us to the Pinnacles Hut, which looks as nice as some of the hostels I've stayed in. NZ has a great backcountry hut system. I can't say for certain, but I don't know of anything like these huts in the US. This is a very accessible hut, and it sleeps 80. From the hut, there is a steep climb involving a series of stairs, ladders, and pegs in rocks to the top of the Pinnacles. about halfway up, the ocean came into view. Eventually the whole peninsula was stretched out before us; definitely worth the relatively easy hike. The hike also had interesting history as an old logging route. One method of getting the logs out of the mountains involved building a dam, throwing the logs behind it, and then busting the dam. Sounds labor intensive.

Looking out on the Pacific

Top of the Pinnacles

Another good look at the countryside

Myself, Joe, and Kevin (Maura deserves an award for putting up with us)

Also, I think Dad will like to hear I now know how to play Euchre. Playing cards is the pastime of choice in the huts, and I've loved learning more games. As you can see in this picture, NZ is pretty chilly by the time May comes around. It also looks like Joe and I went shopping together.

Playgrounds and Hot Tubs

This post covers the three weekends following break in late April/ early May. Raglan was the first trip. I once again saved the day with my ability to drive a manual car. Since I was driving the whole weekend, Cassie, Alyssa, and Emily started calling me "Papa Henry" and a new nickname was born. Known as the surfing capital of NZ, I think we spent more time on the playground than the beach. Some things you never grow out of.

Kevin enjoying the playground too much

On the way back, we made a short stop in Hamilton for lunch and to visit the gardens. The gardens are very elaborate, with several themed sections.

This one was Renaissance or Roman possibly?

The next weekend was my first in months without major traveling. I went to an afternoon rugby match on Saturday with Colleen (who also plays rugby at home), and Margaux. After the game it was more time on the swings. A little girl told me I was acting like a girl because I was on the swing. Very defined gender roles on the playground apparently.

Colleen scaring the children

But I couldn't stay in Auckland for two weekends in a row. It was time for another tramp, this one near Napier on the east coast. I use near in a very loose way. The beginning of the trail was nearly an hour drive from Napier down a winding country road. Eventually the road becomes gravel and we had to ford a creek in our rental car (don't tell the rental company).





The tramp was nice. Not as spectacular landscape as others, but the amenities made up for this somewhat. They have diverted the flow of a natural hot spring to create some wilderness hot tubs. It was perfect after a day of hiking and my legs felt very relaxed for a few minutes (then we started walking again). What look like small stones behind Joe in this picture, are actually many faces shaped into rock. I guess the minerals or something from the hot springs makes it very soft.
The second day of the tramp we tried taking a different way back. Near the summit of the mountain we were on, the land got bare and the weather got extremely windy. I would guess the winds gusted to 60MPH at least. The footing wasn't great and Andrea didn't even have hiking boots, so we decided it was best to turn back. We went to a nice restaurant in Napier after the tramp and proceeded to massacre many pizzas.

End of Break

From the end of the Kepler track in Te Anu I headed north up the west coast. I traveled with Colleen, Margaux, and Bea for a few days. They were in a camper, and let me crash there for a few nights to save money. In hindsight, I would've paid the extra for a hostel, because there were at least two people too many in the camper. We went through Queenstown again, and further north to the glaciers. Franz Joseph and Fox are the two main glaciers. We signed up for a glacier walk on Franz Joseph, but it poured during our scheduled time, and the trip was cancelled.

Franz Joseph Glacier

I only had a few days left, so I went to the top of the South Island to Abel Tasman National Park. I wanted to kyak, but no one rented single person kyaks and I didn't want to go with a guide. Instead I took a water taxi into the park and hiked a ways, then caught another water taxi back to the start.

Abel Tasman walk

Boats at a summer home area in the park

I went a little off the beaten trail after Abel Tasman. Heading to the absolute top of the South Island brought me to Farewell Spit, which is a narrow sandbar that extends dozens of miles into the sea. The night before I spent in a wonderful hostel in a backwoods town. The owner introduced me to everyone else staying in the hostel, and had fresh made bread waiting for us in the morning. That night I drove a few miles out of the town to the Mussel Inn. This place was really in the middle of nowhere, but has a big reputation in NZ. Supposedly even George Harrison was seen visiting once. The live music was great and they brew their own beer. I tried one with a chili pepper in the bottle. A group of geology students from Wellington were there at the end of a field trip, and it was fun to get to know a few of them.

Michael, myself, and Frazier (plaid in force)

I finished off in Picton and caught the ferry to Wellington. The boat left at 6 AM, but the sunrise on the sounds were worth it.

Farewell to the South Island

Time Alone and Kepler Track

Now I'll return to our semester break. After Queenstown it was east to Dunedin. Originally, we though we might have a chance to catch a few of the students from our program studying there. We had last been together during the beginning of semester orientation, and it would have been fun to catch up with them, but their break had just started and everyone was gone. Except for Shane. Shane does some work for the program, but is also a student in Dunedin and wasn't going anywhere for break. He's a good guy, and we hung out with him for the night. I got a good laugh out of his southern and cowboy impersonations.

Can't go into much detail on Dunedin since I was only there one night, but I can say the street our hostel faced was a bit steep.

After a day spent in Dunedin in which we unsuccessfully looked for sea lions and penguins, it was time for me to split from the group. I had made bookings for the Kepler Track and everyone else either was heading back home for the second week, or knew they didn't want to go on a serious hike with me. Taking off solo in the car with no definite plans for the next couple of days was probably the most exhilarating feeling I've experienced other than the bungy jump. It was pure freedom, and a realization of how amazing exploring this little island somewhere between Antartica and the rest of civilization had been. After a couple of hours driving, I found a clearing near the coast and slept in the car. I woke to a stunning sunrise the next day. I smile now just thinking about these few days. Everything just felt right.

The only thing I had to do that day was end in Te Anu, where the Kepler Track begins, so I could start tramping first thing in the morning. I slowly made my way there, making several stops in the Catlains region. I was still searching for seals and penguins, and I was lucky enough to find both that day. I came upon the seals quite suddenly while walking along a rocky beach. I don't know how clear the picture is, but there were dozens of them. It was nice to just sit and watch them for a bit.
This grumpy looking penguin was on a petrified forest beach. I'm glad he was there, because the beach wasn't much to look at.

Then it was around the bottom of the South Island, and I took a short sidetrip to Bluff. This was largly unspectacular, but I did get a picture of this mile marker, so I now have proof of being at the northermost and southernmost points in NZ.

I checked in at the DOC center at Te Anu and got my hut pass. Since the huts were fairly expensive, I decided I would do the suggested 3-4 day hike in 2. The lady at the DOC looked at me like I didn't know what I was getting myself into (fairly accurate). I have tons of pictures from this hike. The first day the weather was great, which is rare in Fiordland, and there were so many amazing views. It was ironic that while I was out in the middle of nowhere I would meet a man from Chicago on the trail. The second day was in the valleys, so there wasn't as much to see. It also drizzled a bit and by the end I was exhausted and ready for a shower. I think the total was around 40 miles and lots of climbing and descending. Here is a very brief summary of the hike in pictures.

Looking out over the sounds

The moutains extended to the horizons

A side trip to the peak of Mt. Luxmore (I started off to the right at the lake)

Begininning to descend along a ridge

Near the hut the morning of the second day

A bend in the river near Rainbow's Reach

Pacific Dance Final Performance

I tried to email this back home, but the file is too large. This type of dance is a fa'ataupati or "mosquito dance," as the slapping movements may look like the dancer is being pestered by annoying insects. This was the last class of the semester and we all had some fun with it.