(1) QUEEN CHARLOTTE TRACK
DAY (1) November 18, 2007
I completed the Queen Charlotte Track in 3 days. It was more difficult than I expected mainly because one day was 35 kilometers. It was supposed to be 4 days but I walked past my accomodations. lol The Track is up and down the mountains every day but the scenery was unbelievable. Definitely a must do.
After spending November 27th in a Te Anau hostel, I headed out again for my 4th track since arriving in NZ. This track is much easier and only 30k but has maybe the most beautiful scenery of all the tracks. The hut wardens tell you that on a 3 day tramp they will guarantee you one day of rain and they were right. After a beautiful 1st day, the second day was 5 hrs of drizzle, rain, sleet and then hard snow. It took me several hours to thaw. LOL But it was worth every second as you will see when I get some pictures up hopefull tomorrow. At the end of the track I went to Queenstown for 5 days of adventure. At one of the huts was a group of 16 international high school students who were studying in NZ for a year. Each student was from a different country.
I completed the Queen Charlotte Track in 3 days. It was more difficult than I expected mainly because one day was 35 kilometers. It was supposed to be 4 days but I walked past my accomodations. lol The Track is up and down the mountains every day but the scenery was unbelievable. Definitely a must do.
DAY (2) November 19, 2007
Today was supposed to be an easy 2-3 hr walk to my next hut. Somehow I missed Naolines Homestay and by the time I realized it (3 large hills and about 2 miles) I decided to continue to the next place that I had booked. I had started at 9 am and arrived at my next destination (Debritts) at 7 pm and one day early. 35 kilimoters (21 miles) in all with the hardest part of the track this day. The owners called the place I was supposed to stay and she was worried because I was 9 hrs late. Another thing I didn't realize, most trekkers or trampers as they say in NZ let the water taxis take their baggage from hut to hut so that you don't have to carry all that weight. I thought only a few wimps did this but I found out that I was the 1 in a 100 that carried my own bag which now weighs about 25 lbs.
DAY (3) November 20, 2007
I left at 9am and was told it was a 6 hr walk to Anikiwa where the water taxi would pick me up at 4:30 pm. It was straight up most of the morning which is just what you want to see after the previous 10 hr day. LOL The view of Queen Charlotte Sound are so beautiful that you almost don't feel the searing pain in your legs and shoulders. lol I actually made it at 1:50pm and had to wait around for a few hrs. So I have an extra day and decided to go on a half day wine tour through the Marlborough Wine Vineyards. It was $59NZ and I think I can drink that much wine since we will visit 5 wineries and all tastings are included.
(2) KEPLER TRACK
11/25-11/27
The Kepler Track is a 3 day 61 kilometer (41 mile) track. It is rated as moderate to hard in degree of difficulty. On the second day, I had 1.5 hrs of hard SNOW while I was walking. It was beautiful and aggravating at the same time. It hampered my view for a while but later the weather cleared. The bunk houses where we slept were like freezers and only your sleeping bag kept you from freezing. People from all over the world especially Germany.
(3) ROUTEBURN TRACK
(3) ROUTEBURN TRACK
11/28-11/30
After spending November 27th in a Te Anau hostel, I headed out again for my 4th track since arriving in NZ. This track is much easier and only 30k but has maybe the most beautiful scenery of all the tracks. The hut wardens tell you that on a 3 day tramp they will guarantee you one day of rain and they were right. After a beautiful 1st day, the second day was 5 hrs of drizzle, rain, sleet and then hard snow. It took me several hours to thaw. LOL But it was worth every second as you will see when I get some pictures up hopefull tomorrow. At the end of the track I went to Queenstown for 5 days of adventure. At one of the huts was a group of 16 international high school students who were studying in NZ for a year. Each student was from a different country.
(4) QUEENSTOWN (Ben Lomond Track)
11/30-12/5/07
I arrived in Queenstown directly after finishing the Routeburn Tract. Queenstown has about 8500 residents and is set in the middle of the mountains and on a lake. It is considered the "adrenaline capital of the world". With beautiful weather, great scenery and lots of exciting things to do, there are not many places in the world that could be better. Sky diving, bungy jumping , canyoning, snow skiiing, mountain climbing, downhill luging, parasailing, hangliding, jet boating and the list goes on. Young people from around the world are drawn here for the energy and excitement. It reminds me of my "previous" favorite place, Interlaken, Switzerland, except cooler.
I survived the Canyon Swing which is essentially a 200 ft. bungy jump which turns into a giant swingin arch. To get a better idea of this go to canyonswing.co.nz It was quite a rush, kinda like flying. I also climbed to the summit of the Ben Lomond track and the 3 hr climb rewarded me with some of the best views that I have seen in NZ. Can't wait to post the pictures.
(5) TONGAIRIRO ALPINE CROSSING
11/30-12/5/07
I arrived in Queenstown directly after finishing the Routeburn Tract. Queenstown has about 8500 residents and is set in the middle of the mountains and on a lake. It is considered the "adrenaline capital of the world". With beautiful weather, great scenery and lots of exciting things to do, there are not many places in the world that could be better. Sky diving, bungy jumping , canyoning, snow skiiing, mountain climbing, downhill luging, parasailing, hangliding, jet boating and the list goes on. Young people from around the world are drawn here for the energy and excitement. It reminds me of my "previous" favorite place, Interlaken, Switzerland, except cooler.
I survived the Canyon Swing which is essentially a 200 ft. bungy jump which turns into a giant swingin arch. To get a better idea of this go to canyonswing.co.nz It was quite a rush, kinda like flying. I also climbed to the summit of the Ben Lomond track and the 3 hr climb rewarded me with some of the best views that I have seen in NZ. Can't wait to post the pictures.
(5) TONGAIRIRO ALPINE CROSSING
November 15, 2007
The bus arrived at the hostel at 7:15 am and 2 German girls and I climbed aboard. We stopped at another hostel and picked up 18 more trekkers. We arrived at the start of the Crossing about 8 am. It is a 18 kilometer hike throught the mountains which is about 11 miles. The bus driver said he would pick us up at the other end of the Crossing at 4pm. The weather was overcast and quite windy. I was the 1st one out the bus and on the trail. I did not want to get behind some that looked as though they had no business there. Along the trail I passed a group of 30 teenagers on some kind of field trip. Then all of a sudden, straight up the mountain. It was getting colder and the wind was blowing harder. There was snow all over the ground. At one point, myself and 2 other climbers thought we may be summiting the wrong mountain but realized that we just had hit the hardest part of the climb. The wind at the top of Red Crater would almost blow you down and in fact one girl later said it did. Unfortunately the first 3 hours did not result in very good scenery. After crossing Red Crater though, the wind was not as bad and the sun started shining some. The views got better and I could understand why this is one of the most trekked areas in all New Zealand. I finished the Crossing at 1:45 pm and had to wait for over 2 hrs for the bus. At the end of the trek there were about 100 other people waiting for their buses also. Back to the hostel to rest my now aching muscles. lol
The bus arrived at the hostel at 7:15 am and 2 German girls and I climbed aboard. We stopped at another hostel and picked up 18 more trekkers. We arrived at the start of the Crossing about 8 am. It is a 18 kilometer hike throught the mountains which is about 11 miles. The bus driver said he would pick us up at the other end of the Crossing at 4pm. The weather was overcast and quite windy. I was the 1st one out the bus and on the trail. I did not want to get behind some that looked as though they had no business there. Along the trail I passed a group of 30 teenagers on some kind of field trip. Then all of a sudden, straight up the mountain. It was getting colder and the wind was blowing harder. There was snow all over the ground. At one point, myself and 2 other climbers thought we may be summiting the wrong mountain but realized that we just had hit the hardest part of the climb. The wind at the top of Red Crater would almost blow you down and in fact one girl later said it did. Unfortunately the first 3 hours did not result in very good scenery. After crossing Red Crater though, the wind was not as bad and the sun started shining some. The views got better and I could understand why this is one of the most trekked areas in all New Zealand. I finished the Crossing at 1:45 pm and had to wait for over 2 hrs for the bus. At the end of the trek there were about 100 other people waiting for their buses also. Back to the hostel to rest my now aching muscles. lol
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