All 46 of us (ranging in age from 21 to early 70s... average age about 55, I'd guess) arrived in Queenstown on Monday for a briefing, which mostly involved being told that we really did need to bring long underwear even though it is mid-summer. They gave us medium-sized packs (along with bag liners, which is just an over sized plastic bag) and told us to report back the next morning. I threw a few things in to my pack (not much, because I didn't want to carry stuff for three days that I didn't need!) and reported for duty on Tuesday morning. We took the bus to Te Anau (I sat next to an older guy from Denver, who was giggling when I told him all the random people I have stayed with this year), had lunch, then a pre-departure picture. I chatted with a family from Rhode Island a bit, and mentioned that, although from the mid-west, I spend my summers in NH. When re-boarding the bus, a man tapped me on my shoulder and asked where in NH, as he goes to NH in the summer too. I didn't recognize the name of the town where he goes, but I DID recognize the name of the town he lives in the rest of the year... Brunswick! It turns out he's a professor at my college. I shouted out a GO U BEARS, gave him a big hug, and hadn't been so happy in a long time. (It is a very small college that no one has heard of, so when I find someone connected to it, I get very excited.)
After lunch we took a boat across Lake Te Anau to the start of the track. There were 20 independent walkers (as opposed to guided, which our group was) as well. They took off first, and we didn't see much of them again, as they stayed in huts further down the track.
The first day's walk was really tough. All .8 miles of it. It took about 15 minutes. It gave us plenty of time to go on a nature walk around the area and get to know each other more. There were about 15 Aussies (all totally insane but lots of fun), 12 Americans, a few Brits, Kiwis, Taiwanese, Japanese, and three Germans. (I did get to sprach some Deutsch, which was amusing given I haven't really spoken German in ages, but appreciated, because two of them didn't speak much English.) After dinner we got up by country groups to introduce ourselves, and we had to sing a song. Seriously. The Aussies went first and were all over that (much to the surprise of the Americans, who only sing under serious duress). The day we started the trip was some Japanese holiday, so their presentation involved one of them donning a demon mask and the others throwing beans at him. Needless to say, it was a lively group. (I actually did sing a song on behalf of the American group. One of my favorites from first grade, which I thought might be appropriate for the trip. "Oh when the rain comes down it cleans up the sky...")
The first real day of the walk was 11 miles of pretty flat terrain, with a quick stop by a swimming hole. The weather was absolutely perfect the whole day. I tramped along with an Aussie girl who was also there on her own.
The second day was the tough one... 9 miles, but with a 1000m hill in the middle of it. One of the German women and I led the group (well, behind one of the guides). Oh yeah, that's right, I led the pack. Going up was easy breezy (and it was very breezy on the top), but coming down wasn't much fun on the knees for me. But again it was an absolutely gorgeous day, so everyone was happy.Once at the lodge, we took a side trek to Sutherland Falls, which, at 580 meters, is the 5th highest falls in the world (even though it is actually a cascade, I was told). Another quick-- and very chilly-- dip, and then back to the lodge for some well-deserved rest.
The last day, thirteen flat miles, was rainy, but that was okay. It justified bringing all the waterproofs, and it caused all the waterfalls to come out. It was stunning. I walked slower than the other days so that I could take time to appreciate the rain forest that I was walking through. Beech trees, ferns, and moss galore. Truly, truly magnificent.A quick ferry ride took us from the end of the track (after we wolfed down a scone) to our last lodge. There was a certificate ceremony, of course, which normally I could do without (mine will be recycled soon, but I'll keep the photo), but last night's was a hoot. For whatever reason, one of the Japanese women, when giving a hug to one of the male guides, bent over so she was hugging his waist with her face pretty much in his crotch. The laughter went on for many, many minutes. (The guide told me that's not the first time it has happened, and that the Japanese women don't seem to get why we are in fits of laughter.)
Today we had a cruise on the Milford Sound, through the fiords. Again, stunning, stunning, stunning. You think you are used to all the beauty after a while, and then you turn around and your breath is taken away all over again. It was a fantastic experience, not the least because every day ended with a hot shower and delicious meal. (This is the kind of through-hiking that I could get used to.) Life is definitely good!
No comments:
Post a Comment