Today was a really cool day. Although I have seen glaciers in several locations (Glacier National Park, Alaska, and in the Canadian Rockies), I have never walked on more than the edge of one. Today we scheduled a full day hike on the FJ glacier, a 12 km glacier whose face terminates only 240 meters above sea level. It and the nearby Fox glacier are 2 of only three glaciers which occur at this southern latitude (the other one is in Argentina). Currently the glacier is advancing at a rate of about 15 centimeters a day. It is maintained by the massive rain and snowfall on its face; the record for one season snowfall at Franz Josef is 80 meters!! (average is around 40).
We arrived at the center are were equipped with over trousers, waterproof coats, hats, gloves, boots, and crampons. The crampons are sized to fit each size of rubber boots (which unfortunately weren't that comfortable). I didn't wind up wearing either the coat or pants, but it was nice to have them anyway. A bus takes us to the glacier field, and it is a 40 minute walk through a temperate rainforest and along a river bed to arrive at the glacier's base. At this point we put on our crampons, and divided into 4 groups.
The ascent onto the glacier is via a staircase with a guide rope. The guides are responsible for cutting steps with their ice axes in the steep parts, and it is not as easy as it looks. The first steps are large enough to walk up normally, but subsequent staircases were ascended or descended via the "Franz" in which you stand sideways and swing your free leg either in front or behind your standing leg and onto the next step. Once I got the hang of it, this was actually really fun.
Walking with crampons is also really fun (and it makes you feel cool). They're very useful for walking through all sorts of terrain up there, especially the loose ice. There were a number of crevasses which needed to be traversed via stairs and guide ropes. These crossings were definitely the bottleneck of our journey because only one person can go at a time and there were 44 people among the 4 groups doing day long hikes. Several girls in my group also provided a bottleneck. I couldn't tell if they were totally incompetent, or just frightened of everything.
The strangest part of the journey involved squirming through an ice cave, or wormhole. The ice in there is the beautiful bright blue usually associated with glaciers. It was also very slick and a little too close for comfort. It was an awesome experience, though. We almost made it to the top of the first ice fall (the 2 fastest groups did), which is further than they usually get. The views both down the glacier (to the ocean beyond) and up the glacier (to 2 other ice falls) were quite impressive.
Although I am a bit tired now and will probably be quite sore tomorrow, this trek was absolutely worthwhile. If I had time, I would visit the indoor ice climbing cave in town. I mean, how cool is that?
Sunday, April 29, 2007
The No-Good Very Bad Day
I woke up early the next morning to the sound of pouring rain and knew the sailing trip was out. After an outing to the bathroom in the other building, I decided to go back to bed. After all, there are few things nicer than sleeping to the sound of raindrops on a tin roof. However, I slept too late and woke up cranky and disoriented. I got all my clothes together for a shower, only to discover that everyone on our bus had decided to leave a day early... and our bus driver had neglected to wake me.
One bus had already left and the other was waiting for me to get dressed and shove all my stuff in bags. I had not seen anything of Abel Tasman park, but couldn't stay because the next bus wasn't coming for another three days. Most of the people I had really connected with were staying, and I was really bummed because I couldn't.
Anyway, I wound up on a bus with only 6 other people, and 5 of them were a clique of Irish and British girls, plus one couple. I felt like I was on a bus with people I didn't really like going to a place I didn't really want to go. It seemed as though I was always at odds with the majority, such as wanting to listen to Christmas music in April. Who wants to listen to x-mas music in April? Anyway, we arrived in the metropolis of Barrytown, population 12, and I was looking forward to this day being over. Little did I know.
We were staying at the pub, which also doubles as a hotel, on a Saturday night. Happy hour was from 8-9. If you want cheap drinks after that, you have to get dressed up in one of the many garments they've collected from patrons and the thrift store over the years. All of the men were cross-dressing, and it was a bit frightening how into it they were. Gollum, one of the bus drivers, wore a red negligee and tights. I found a bright pink dressing gown and decided what the hell. It turned into a really fun night. Go figure.
The next morning we were up for a bone carving workshop. This is a form of traditional Maori art that has become ubiquitous in NZ, but it was really fun learning the process. Transforming a piece of cow tibia into a beautiful object in only a few hours does prove oddly satisfying. It also involves multiple power tools, a dremel, 4 grades of sandpaper, and buffer. While we were at the studio, a woman with the most incredible jade pendant I've ever seen came over to visit. Of course it turned out she was a jade (NZ greenstone) carver and I asked if we could visit her studio.
We didn't visit the studio, but she did bring some pieces to show us. I'm not a huge fan of greenstone, but she did have some nice pieces in her limited supply. By far the best was a large piece she had made for an exposition... and it was a good deal. I settled on a smaller piece, and wound up having to finish the stringing myself since everyone on the bus was waiting. I wound up being glad I hadn't waited to buy something until we reached Hokitika since most of the nice smaller greenstone places were closed on Sundays.
I'm writing this from the Franz Josef glacier, a 12 km long icefield on the southwest coast of the South Island. We're going on a glacier trek tomorrow, which should be a great experience (I get to wear crampons :) However, the hostel is a bit of backpacker hell and I won't be sorry to leave it behind.
One bus had already left and the other was waiting for me to get dressed and shove all my stuff in bags. I had not seen anything of Abel Tasman park, but couldn't stay because the next bus wasn't coming for another three days. Most of the people I had really connected with were staying, and I was really bummed because I couldn't.
Anyway, I wound up on a bus with only 6 other people, and 5 of them were a clique of Irish and British girls, plus one couple. I felt like I was on a bus with people I didn't really like going to a place I didn't really want to go. It seemed as though I was always at odds with the majority, such as wanting to listen to Christmas music in April. Who wants to listen to x-mas music in April? Anyway, we arrived in the metropolis of Barrytown, population 12, and I was looking forward to this day being over. Little did I know.
We were staying at the pub, which also doubles as a hotel, on a Saturday night. Happy hour was from 8-9. If you want cheap drinks after that, you have to get dressed up in one of the many garments they've collected from patrons and the thrift store over the years. All of the men were cross-dressing, and it was a bit frightening how into it they were. Gollum, one of the bus drivers, wore a red negligee and tights. I found a bright pink dressing gown and decided what the hell. It turned into a really fun night. Go figure.
The next morning we were up for a bone carving workshop. This is a form of traditional Maori art that has become ubiquitous in NZ, but it was really fun learning the process. Transforming a piece of cow tibia into a beautiful object in only a few hours does prove oddly satisfying. It also involves multiple power tools, a dremel, 4 grades of sandpaper, and buffer. While we were at the studio, a woman with the most incredible jade pendant I've ever seen came over to visit. Of course it turned out she was a jade (NZ greenstone) carver and I asked if we could visit her studio.
We didn't visit the studio, but she did bring some pieces to show us. I'm not a huge fan of greenstone, but she did have some nice pieces in her limited supply. By far the best was a large piece she had made for an exposition... and it was a good deal. I settled on a smaller piece, and wound up having to finish the stringing myself since everyone on the bus was waiting. I wound up being glad I hadn't waited to buy something until we reached Hokitika since most of the nice smaller greenstone places were closed on Sundays.
I'm writing this from the Franz Josef glacier, a 12 km long icefield on the southwest coast of the South Island. We're going on a glacier trek tomorrow, which should be a great experience (I get to wear crampons :) However, the hostel is a bit of backpacker hell and I won't be sorry to leave it behind.
The catch-up post
I've not managed to post for a few days and as a result my activities have piled up behind me. Here's what I hope will be a brief description of what I've been up to.
Leaving Kaikoura, we drove up the coast for about 20 minutes to the much larger Mt. Hope seal colony. Although we were a bit far away from our vantage point above them and along the road, seeing them was still a fantastic experience. Seals were lounging everywhere on the rocks which form this part of the rugged coastline. My favorite part, however, were the groups of juvenile seals (probably last year's batch of pups). They tended to chase each other through the waves or wrestle in small pools formed by depressions in the rock. Because there was at least one adult seal watching them, it seemed like she had drawn kiddy pool duty for that day!!
From Kaikoura we headed up to Picton to bring people to and from the ferry to the North Island and Wellington. The bus then headed through the Marlborough region, home to NZ's largest concentration of winemakers. We stopped at a vineyard for wine tasting... how did I wind up being the only person to buy any wine? Hmmm...
I had the time and so decided to stop for a day in Nelson, billed as the sunniest city on the South Island. It also happens to house a large arts and crafts community, so I knew this would be a dangerous place to stop!! I wound up getting off the bus with a nice Dutch girl named Maaike, and we found a small charming hostel called Accents on the Park. I didn't even care that I once again had a top bunk, since the beds proved to be so comfortable.
I spent the next afternoon on a wine and brewery tour of the Nelson region. There were only 11 of us in the shuttle, and our guide, Marion, was really a hoot. The best wine we tasted was a noble rot Riesling, a dessert wine made from grapes naturally infected with the botyrus fungus. It was exquisite, but also $50, so alas I didn't buy a bottle. The brewery at the end was also a great time. They have something like 20 different beers on tap, and we could sample as many as we wanted. I wound up taking home a 2 liter bottle of "Wobbly Boot", a very nice porter-style brew. You'll be happy to know that Worthington's also brewed the official beer used in Lord of the Rings. For pete's sake!!
I had until 3 pm the next day before being picked up by the bus, and used that time to go on an arts tour of the town. Such a bad idea... I loved everything. There are weavers, knitters, potters, felters, woodturners, leather artists, glass blowers, and jewelers. Did I mention the jewelers? On the plus side, I've pretty much done all of mom's birthday shopping for her. If pottery weren't so expensive to ship home, I would have had a field day.
I got on the bus and we arrived in the dark and rain to Abel Tasman National Park, a coastal enclave in the northwest corner of the south island. We were staying on a farm, and I had an adorable little 3 bed hut all to myself. I planned to do a combination hike and sail the next day, which would also involve seeing another seal colony.
Leaving Kaikoura, we drove up the coast for about 20 minutes to the much larger Mt. Hope seal colony. Although we were a bit far away from our vantage point above them and along the road, seeing them was still a fantastic experience. Seals were lounging everywhere on the rocks which form this part of the rugged coastline. My favorite part, however, were the groups of juvenile seals (probably last year's batch of pups). They tended to chase each other through the waves or wrestle in small pools formed by depressions in the rock. Because there was at least one adult seal watching them, it seemed like she had drawn kiddy pool duty for that day!!
From Kaikoura we headed up to Picton to bring people to and from the ferry to the North Island and Wellington. The bus then headed through the Marlborough region, home to NZ's largest concentration of winemakers. We stopped at a vineyard for wine tasting... how did I wind up being the only person to buy any wine? Hmmm...
I had the time and so decided to stop for a day in Nelson, billed as the sunniest city on the South Island. It also happens to house a large arts and crafts community, so I knew this would be a dangerous place to stop!! I wound up getting off the bus with a nice Dutch girl named Maaike, and we found a small charming hostel called Accents on the Park. I didn't even care that I once again had a top bunk, since the beds proved to be so comfortable.
I spent the next afternoon on a wine and brewery tour of the Nelson region. There were only 11 of us in the shuttle, and our guide, Marion, was really a hoot. The best wine we tasted was a noble rot Riesling, a dessert wine made from grapes naturally infected with the botyrus fungus. It was exquisite, but also $50, so alas I didn't buy a bottle. The brewery at the end was also a great time. They have something like 20 different beers on tap, and we could sample as many as we wanted. I wound up taking home a 2 liter bottle of "Wobbly Boot", a very nice porter-style brew. You'll be happy to know that Worthington's also brewed the official beer used in Lord of the Rings. For pete's sake!!
I had until 3 pm the next day before being picked up by the bus, and used that time to go on an arts tour of the town. Such a bad idea... I loved everything. There are weavers, knitters, potters, felters, woodturners, leather artists, glass blowers, and jewelers. Did I mention the jewelers? On the plus side, I've pretty much done all of mom's birthday shopping for her. If pottery weren't so expensive to ship home, I would have had a field day.
I got on the bus and we arrived in the dark and rain to Abel Tasman National Park, a coastal enclave in the northwest corner of the south island. We were staying on a farm, and I had an adorable little 3 bed hut all to myself. I planned to do a combination hike and sail the next day, which would also involve seeing another seal colony.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Swimming with Dolphins
We drove from Christchurch to Kaikoura in the morning, arriving around noon. It was a beautiful drive along the coast, mirroring the route taken by the scenic TranzCoastal railway. I was a bit anxious during the ride, though, as we kept running late, eventually having to stop so that a person we had left behind could catch up. Despite my misapprehensions, however, we did arrive in time for the orientation for the dolphin swim.
Due to its unique geography, the coastal town of Kaikoura is home to an astonishing range of marine life, from Orcas to sperm whales to dusky dolphins. The dolphins swim wild in large pods and naturally travel up and down the coast each day. Because they are wild animals, they are basically consenting to have people swim with them. They could easily move away if they found their interactions with people threatening or uninteresting. In this vein, we were told, the dolphins are not there to entertain us. We are there to entertain the dolphins.
First we needed to suit up against the cold water (although at 16 deg C it was actually fairly tolerable). We were each given a 2 piece 5 mil wetsuit with booties, a hood, flippers, and a mask and snorkel. We put on the wet suits on land and wore them through the information session and bus ride to the boats, of which there were two. The ride out to find the dolphin pod was lovely (except for the fact I was on a boat, of course). The sun reflected off the turquoise sea and set off the surrounding mountain ranges.
After about 20 minutes, we spotted a large pod of dolphins swimming, jumping, and travelling together. The whistle blew and we all pushed ourselves off the back of the boat into the water. Despite the forewarning, getting into the water nearly took my breath away. It seemed difficult to breathe, and my hands, the only part of my body not protected from the water, immediately went numb. My initial thought was that this experience was not going to be the incredible ride I was anticipating.
Time and patience proved me wrong, of course. Both my lungs and body acclimated themselves to the water and breathing became much easier. I began to work on my dolphin entertainment skills: to attract a dolphin, you must behave like a dolphin. This involves keeping the arms by the sides and moving through dolphin kicks, diving down into the water to encourage dolphins to follow you, and best of all, making ridiculous noises through your snorkel. Imagine a group of about 20 people in wetsuits all dolphin kicking on the surface of the water while an utter cacophony of nonsense drifts up from their masks. No doubt the spectators on the boats found this utter hilarious. But it worked!!
Dolphins surged above us, below us, and all around us. They were frequently close enough to touch, although we were not allowed to. Their blowholes and any variations or blemishes on their smooth skin were immediately evident. The power of these sleek creatures is overwhelming. Frequently I would attract a dolphin's interest, and he or she would begin to swim in circles around me, as if daring me to keep up. Well who on earth can keep up with a dolphin in water, let alone me? I did my best, but the constant swimming in circles did make me feel quite queasy, despite the grandeur of the day and my carefully consumed anti-nausea medication. Ah well.
Once out of the water and in dry clothes, we were able to observe the dolphins from the comfort of our boat, and what a show they put on for us. The pod would surge all around the boat, frequently swimming under us and emerging at the other side. Dolphins cruised just at the water's surface, their dorsal fins evident in sharp relief against the smooth sea. The most energetic dolphins turned cartwheels and somersaults out of the water, sometimes 5 or 6 in a row.
Perhaps I am prone to anthropomorphize them, but dolphins truly seem to exhibit a joy and a lust for life. They are one of the animal species which seems most capable of having fun. They swam with us because they wanted to, not because they were under any obligation. And they leap for the joy of it; this behavior doesn't help them secure food or pass their genes on to the next generation.
I felt very privileged to have had this experience, even though it proved once again that I am a hopeless landlubber :)
Due to its unique geography, the coastal town of Kaikoura is home to an astonishing range of marine life, from Orcas to sperm whales to dusky dolphins. The dolphins swim wild in large pods and naturally travel up and down the coast each day. Because they are wild animals, they are basically consenting to have people swim with them. They could easily move away if they found their interactions with people threatening or uninteresting. In this vein, we were told, the dolphins are not there to entertain us. We are there to entertain the dolphins.
First we needed to suit up against the cold water (although at 16 deg C it was actually fairly tolerable). We were each given a 2 piece 5 mil wetsuit with booties, a hood, flippers, and a mask and snorkel. We put on the wet suits on land and wore them through the information session and bus ride to the boats, of which there were two. The ride out to find the dolphin pod was lovely (except for the fact I was on a boat, of course). The sun reflected off the turquoise sea and set off the surrounding mountain ranges.
After about 20 minutes, we spotted a large pod of dolphins swimming, jumping, and travelling together. The whistle blew and we all pushed ourselves off the back of the boat into the water. Despite the forewarning, getting into the water nearly took my breath away. It seemed difficult to breathe, and my hands, the only part of my body not protected from the water, immediately went numb. My initial thought was that this experience was not going to be the incredible ride I was anticipating.
Time and patience proved me wrong, of course. Both my lungs and body acclimated themselves to the water and breathing became much easier. I began to work on my dolphin entertainment skills: to attract a dolphin, you must behave like a dolphin. This involves keeping the arms by the sides and moving through dolphin kicks, diving down into the water to encourage dolphins to follow you, and best of all, making ridiculous noises through your snorkel. Imagine a group of about 20 people in wetsuits all dolphin kicking on the surface of the water while an utter cacophony of nonsense drifts up from their masks. No doubt the spectators on the boats found this utter hilarious. But it worked!!
Dolphins surged above us, below us, and all around us. They were frequently close enough to touch, although we were not allowed to. Their blowholes and any variations or blemishes on their smooth skin were immediately evident. The power of these sleek creatures is overwhelming. Frequently I would attract a dolphin's interest, and he or she would begin to swim in circles around me, as if daring me to keep up. Well who on earth can keep up with a dolphin in water, let alone me? I did my best, but the constant swimming in circles did make me feel quite queasy, despite the grandeur of the day and my carefully consumed anti-nausea medication. Ah well.
Once out of the water and in dry clothes, we were able to observe the dolphins from the comfort of our boat, and what a show they put on for us. The pod would surge all around the boat, frequently swimming under us and emerging at the other side. Dolphins cruised just at the water's surface, their dorsal fins evident in sharp relief against the smooth sea. The most energetic dolphins turned cartwheels and somersaults out of the water, sometimes 5 or 6 in a row.
Perhaps I am prone to anthropomorphize them, but dolphins truly seem to exhibit a joy and a lust for life. They are one of the animal species which seems most capable of having fun. They swam with us because they wanted to, not because they were under any obligation. And they leap for the joy of it; this behavior doesn't help them secure food or pass their genes on to the next generation.
I felt very privileged to have had this experience, even though it proved once again that I am a hopeless landlubber :)
Monday, April 23, 2007
Horse Trekking in Rangitata
Well, I am starting to satisfy my animal fix. I started off small at the Milford underwater observatory with black coral (which is an animal, BTW), giant mussels, sea cucumbers, starfish, and lots of fish. Occasionally these are pursued by a hunting bird, seal, or dolphin, but we were not lucky enough to see those. The next day I headed north to Rangitata, home of NZ's best white water rafting, and horse trekking in the Peel Forest.
We arrived at this wonderful wooden A-frame building heated by a wood-burning stove (there've been lots of these in NZ so far). I spent a very relaxing afternoon reading by the fire and drinking copious cups of tea. We were briefly joined by Sophie (aka Duck Face), an extremely well behaved black lab. She would not come inside the building, per her training, and could be trusted not to eat food until instructed to. I know so many dogs who could happily follow her example!!
The next morning I got picked up for my two hour horse trek. My mount was Craig, a 4 year old Standardbred track reject. He was saved from the abattoir due to his calm temperament--perfect for a trail horse. My guide was Patrick, a crusty old man who had spent his life around horses and used to fly with racing horses all over the world. Craig was a great horse, except for his tendency to want to munch grass while walking, and to walk too closely to objects on his left side, conveniently forgetting that my leg also needed room to pass!!
We walked along the road, through fields and forests, across streams, and even through some rocky and sandy beaches. When I first got on, I thought my butt would never last the two hours. After a while, however, you do find your seat and meld much better with both the saddle and the horse. This didn't prevent me from staggering a bit when I dismounted, but my land legs soon returned. I can't remember the last time I rode a horse, so this was a terrific re-introduction. Now I need to learn how to go faster than a walk!!
Tomorrow I'm heading to Kaikoura, further north on the East Coast, to swim with a pod of wild dolphins in the ocean. The water will be freezing, but hopefully our wetsuits will be adequate to the conditions. It should be awesome...
We arrived at this wonderful wooden A-frame building heated by a wood-burning stove (there've been lots of these in NZ so far). I spent a very relaxing afternoon reading by the fire and drinking copious cups of tea. We were briefly joined by Sophie (aka Duck Face), an extremely well behaved black lab. She would not come inside the building, per her training, and could be trusted not to eat food until instructed to. I know so many dogs who could happily follow her example!!
The next morning I got picked up for my two hour horse trek. My mount was Craig, a 4 year old Standardbred track reject. He was saved from the abattoir due to his calm temperament--perfect for a trail horse. My guide was Patrick, a crusty old man who had spent his life around horses and used to fly with racing horses all over the world. Craig was a great horse, except for his tendency to want to munch grass while walking, and to walk too closely to objects on his left side, conveniently forgetting that my leg also needed room to pass!!
We walked along the road, through fields and forests, across streams, and even through some rocky and sandy beaches. When I first got on, I thought my butt would never last the two hours. After a while, however, you do find your seat and meld much better with both the saddle and the horse. This didn't prevent me from staggering a bit when I dismounted, but my land legs soon returned. I can't remember the last time I rode a horse, so this was a terrific re-introduction. Now I need to learn how to go faster than a walk!!
Tomorrow I'm heading to Kaikoura, further north on the East Coast, to swim with a pod of wild dolphins in the ocean. The water will be freezing, but hopefully our wetsuits will be adequate to the conditions. It should be awesome...
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Milford Sound
It's really been a jam-packed 4 days, just wonderful. I got picked up this morning in Te Anau by a bus headed for Milford Sound, one of the most popular sights on the South Island (or in NZ, for that matter). Although as we learned on the cruise, Milford is technically a fjord, having been formed through glaciation. Sounds result from water erosion alone (FYI).
This was the "Kiwi Experience" bus, which has a bit of a reputation as a party bus. The driver certainly was a character, and except for the one guy wearing sunglasses at 9 am on a very cloudy day, the passengers seemed OK. The drive from the divide into Milford is amazing. For one thing, the white-out conditions were magically replaced by blue sky as we crossed over. The mountains keep coming closer and closer until you are forced to drive through one... and apparently the workers used 100 kg (220 lbs) of explosives for every 25 cm (~10 in) of progress creating this one lane tunnel. The road on the other side is a series of hairpin turns down to sea level and the Milford Sound.
The sound is actually not very big, but more than compensates with its grandeur. It is a deep, deep pool surrounded on all sides by mountains rising straight from the sea. They are at times bare, covered by tenacious, stunted trees clinging by what seems like sheer strength of will, or home to sheets of cascading water. The surface of the sound itself is quite calm, at times reflecting the mountains above it. Even though this is enormous tourist attraction, it is enough of the off season now that the sound didn't seem too overcrowded. Of course, we were sharing the boat with two busloads of Korean tourists. Watching them all shouting and constantly taking pictures of each other provided just great entertainment!!
We also visited the Milford underwater observatory, 9 meters down. The high levels of rainfall in the sound create a unique environment, with the saltwater covered by a layer of freshwater which then produces a filtering effect. Because of this, deep water animals can live much closer to the surface here then they normally would, and we get to see them!!
Then it was back on the bus for the long slog back to Queenstown. Between Te Anau and Queenstown, there is nothing except miles and miles of patchwork fields covered by herds of cows, sheep, and deer. This beautiful landscape is utterly devoid of people, except for those in the occasional farm buildings out on each station. The approach to Queenstown along the west side of Lake Wakitipu was also magnificent. The road curves high along the lake edge, affording great views of the peaks beyond the water. Add in a setting sun, and you get the idea.
I'm now going to take all my belongings out of the garbage bags where they have been living for the last four days and attempt to find room for them in my backpack. Wish me luck.
This was the "Kiwi Experience" bus, which has a bit of a reputation as a party bus. The driver certainly was a character, and except for the one guy wearing sunglasses at 9 am on a very cloudy day, the passengers seemed OK. The drive from the divide into Milford is amazing. For one thing, the white-out conditions were magically replaced by blue sky as we crossed over. The mountains keep coming closer and closer until you are forced to drive through one... and apparently the workers used 100 kg (220 lbs) of explosives for every 25 cm (~10 in) of progress creating this one lane tunnel. The road on the other side is a series of hairpin turns down to sea level and the Milford Sound.
The sound is actually not very big, but more than compensates with its grandeur. It is a deep, deep pool surrounded on all sides by mountains rising straight from the sea. They are at times bare, covered by tenacious, stunted trees clinging by what seems like sheer strength of will, or home to sheets of cascading water. The surface of the sound itself is quite calm, at times reflecting the mountains above it. Even though this is enormous tourist attraction, it is enough of the off season now that the sound didn't seem too overcrowded. Of course, we were sharing the boat with two busloads of Korean tourists. Watching them all shouting and constantly taking pictures of each other provided just great entertainment!!
We also visited the Milford underwater observatory, 9 meters down. The high levels of rainfall in the sound create a unique environment, with the saltwater covered by a layer of freshwater which then produces a filtering effect. Because of this, deep water animals can live much closer to the surface here then they normally would, and we get to see them!!
Then it was back on the bus for the long slog back to Queenstown. Between Te Anau and Queenstown, there is nothing except miles and miles of patchwork fields covered by herds of cows, sheep, and deer. This beautiful landscape is utterly devoid of people, except for those in the occasional farm buildings out on each station. The approach to Queenstown along the west side of Lake Wakitipu was also magnificent. The road curves high along the lake edge, affording great views of the peaks beyond the water. Add in a setting sun, and you get the idea.
I'm now going to take all my belongings out of the garbage bags where they have been living for the last four days and attempt to find room for them in my backpack. Wish me luck.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Hiking the Routeburn Track
I'm in Te Anau after coming off the Routeburn Track this afternoon, and I am sore. I'm also craving pizza and beer, but that can be easily remedied. The hike was amazing. We had three days of clear weather (very unusual for the area), and I did not re-injure my ankle or freeze any appendages. It was, however, much more challenging than I anticipated 32 km spread over three days would be. Perhaps it was my sub-optimal pack, or the fact I seemed to be carrying too much weight (cheese, anyone?). More likely it was my asthma and less than optimal cardiovascular system. But I made it and I'm so glad I did.
The track starts at the head of a long glacial lake and climbs gradually through a forest dark with moss covered streams and strewn with boulders. Water is everywhere; often the track is wet with it, and there are innumerable stream crossings. The first few are on suspension bridges, which sway far more than you think they ought to!! At about noon, you reach the Routeburn Falls hut, which sits on a grassy plain along a stream surrounded by mountains. I wound up spending a very long lunch break chatting with two Americans from California and a hysterical trio of fellow hikers.
It's only 1:30 to the next hut, but that time is all uphill on an extremely rocky trail. Everyone who has ever hiked with me knows that I do not have the best balance on the trail, and I was especially concerned about my bad ankle given my hiking shoes do not provide ankle support. So I took my time (I think I was the last hiker to the hut), but I arrived safely at the Routeburn Falls Hut.
These DOC huts are really something else. From October through April, the huts are supplied by helicopter and provide a coal burning stove, gas burners, running water, flush toilets, and bunk beds. Talk about the lap of luxury!! OK, it was really cold in the bunkhouse, but otherwise the facilities are amazing. The warden, John, turned out to be a real character. He took us for a walk after dinner to look at NZ glowworms, and finally explained to me the location of the Southern Cross (yes, I am an idiot). This was one of the brightest, fullest skies I've ever seen, even if all the constellations are upside down!!
John has travellers who speak unusual languages write messages on a large banner which he then displays. On the one from Christmas, there were visitors speaking Tamil, Burmese, and Urdu, among others. It is astounding what a diverse range of people visit this little corner of NZ. I offered to write something in Swahili, which John didn't have and got very excited about. Then of course I couldn't remember any of the relevant words!! I wound up just writing "Karibuni ya Routeburn Falls. Walima ni safi kabisa" which means "Welcome to RF. The mountains are awesome." He made me a cup of tea for my efforts (I was writing this with a brush in green paint, which takes a while), and I got to chatting with him and Jeff and Jennifer, two Californians who were staying with him. Anyway, we wound up having a great time and I didn't go to bed until nearly 1 am.
Not only was it much warmer in the cabin than in the bunkhouse, but I got served breakfast in bed!! wow. It was a beautiful sunny morning and we all didn't want to leave the cabin's porch with its phenomenal view of the mountains. I finally headed off about 10 am, and said my goodbyes. This portion of the hike is all above the treeline, and I reached the Harris Saddle (highest point on the track) at about 12:30. Everyone I met said the trip up Conical Hill was a slog, but worth it. As I reached the top about 40 minutes later, after scrambling up rocks and between crevices, I thought that was an apt description. The views of the surrounding mountains were incredible, and I could even see the waves breaking on the shore of the Abel Tasman Sea in the distance.
The trip to the Mackenzie Hut, although mostly downhill, was surprisingly difficult. Much of the trail involved descending from one large, irregular rock to the next large, irregular rock. It was difficult on my knees, but more so on my ankles. I may have been the last person to arrive at Mackenzie Hut, but I made it. This one was much warmer due to the lower elevation on the far side. Dinner this time was better as well: Mac and Cheese with dehydrated onions and peas. Well, anything tastes better on the trail, really :)
The third day involved a lot of ridge walking, which I enjoyed. After the first rocky section, the trail smoothed out and I didn't have to concentrate so much on my footing. It was a shame to enter the trees again, because it felt a bit like walking in a big green tunnel, with occasional glimpses of the surrounding mountains. Once again numerous waterfalls cascaded down jumbled rocks into the river far below. I arrived at Howden Hut at noon, in time for lunch. I was getting a bit tired of my "tasty cheese" (their term for sharp cheddar) and pita at this point. There was only a short steep climb up to the key summit, and then a gradual downhill to the trail's end at the Divide. A shuttle picked me up at 3:15 for the trip to Te Anau.
What an amazing experience!!
The track starts at the head of a long glacial lake and climbs gradually through a forest dark with moss covered streams and strewn with boulders. Water is everywhere; often the track is wet with it, and there are innumerable stream crossings. The first few are on suspension bridges, which sway far more than you think they ought to!! At about noon, you reach the Routeburn Falls hut, which sits on a grassy plain along a stream surrounded by mountains. I wound up spending a very long lunch break chatting with two Americans from California and a hysterical trio of fellow hikers.
It's only 1:30 to the next hut, but that time is all uphill on an extremely rocky trail. Everyone who has ever hiked with me knows that I do not have the best balance on the trail, and I was especially concerned about my bad ankle given my hiking shoes do not provide ankle support. So I took my time (I think I was the last hiker to the hut), but I arrived safely at the Routeburn Falls Hut.
These DOC huts are really something else. From October through April, the huts are supplied by helicopter and provide a coal burning stove, gas burners, running water, flush toilets, and bunk beds. Talk about the lap of luxury!! OK, it was really cold in the bunkhouse, but otherwise the facilities are amazing. The warden, John, turned out to be a real character. He took us for a walk after dinner to look at NZ glowworms, and finally explained to me the location of the Southern Cross (yes, I am an idiot). This was one of the brightest, fullest skies I've ever seen, even if all the constellations are upside down!!
John has travellers who speak unusual languages write messages on a large banner which he then displays. On the one from Christmas, there were visitors speaking Tamil, Burmese, and Urdu, among others. It is astounding what a diverse range of people visit this little corner of NZ. I offered to write something in Swahili, which John didn't have and got very excited about. Then of course I couldn't remember any of the relevant words!! I wound up just writing "Karibuni ya Routeburn Falls. Walima ni safi kabisa" which means "Welcome to RF. The mountains are awesome." He made me a cup of tea for my efforts (I was writing this with a brush in green paint, which takes a while), and I got to chatting with him and Jeff and Jennifer, two Californians who were staying with him. Anyway, we wound up having a great time and I didn't go to bed until nearly 1 am.
Not only was it much warmer in the cabin than in the bunkhouse, but I got served breakfast in bed!! wow. It was a beautiful sunny morning and we all didn't want to leave the cabin's porch with its phenomenal view of the mountains. I finally headed off about 10 am, and said my goodbyes. This portion of the hike is all above the treeline, and I reached the Harris Saddle (highest point on the track) at about 12:30. Everyone I met said the trip up Conical Hill was a slog, but worth it. As I reached the top about 40 minutes later, after scrambling up rocks and between crevices, I thought that was an apt description. The views of the surrounding mountains were incredible, and I could even see the waves breaking on the shore of the Abel Tasman Sea in the distance.
The trip to the Mackenzie Hut, although mostly downhill, was surprisingly difficult. Much of the trail involved descending from one large, irregular rock to the next large, irregular rock. It was difficult on my knees, but more so on my ankles. I may have been the last person to arrive at Mackenzie Hut, but I made it. This one was much warmer due to the lower elevation on the far side. Dinner this time was better as well: Mac and Cheese with dehydrated onions and peas. Well, anything tastes better on the trail, really :)
The third day involved a lot of ridge walking, which I enjoyed. After the first rocky section, the trail smoothed out and I didn't have to concentrate so much on my footing. It was a shame to enter the trees again, because it felt a bit like walking in a big green tunnel, with occasional glimpses of the surrounding mountains. Once again numerous waterfalls cascaded down jumbled rocks into the river far below. I arrived at Howden Hut at noon, in time for lunch. I was getting a bit tired of my "tasty cheese" (their term for sharp cheddar) and pita at this point. There was only a short steep climb up to the key summit, and then a gradual downhill to the trail's end at the Divide. A shuttle picked me up at 3:15 for the trip to Te Anau.
What an amazing experience!!
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