Me and My Thoughts

It's my last day in NZ. My flight leaves in seven hours so I'll some time to kill before I have to make it to the airport. Which will give me the perfect opportunity to publish my last post. I have one journal entry and then a bunch of lists and random stuff.

January 21st ?PM

I had the intention of going bouldering but instead ended up mountain biking. I made breakfast and then had a "long black" coffee at a cafe before I rented a bike* for the day.

*The mountain bike I rented was a 17" Specialized hardtail. It's chain severly needed to be oiled, the tires were almost bald and the chain came off twice, but otherwise it was a fine ride. I really had fun mountain biking and am convinced I'm going to buy one when I get back to the States.

The boulders are located in Luggate which is almost directly East from Wanaka. I decided to take a bit of a detour by going around Lake Wanaka on the trail that contoured it instead of taking the road. The trail ends in Albert Town at the Clutha River. From here, I tried following the Clutha River to Luggate but there was no trail (that a DOC employee asured me there was) that connected Albert Town to Luggate. So I tried going along the road but got confused and turned back to where I started from.
Eventually, I came to a suspension bridge and encountered a family of mountain bikers. I asked Dad which way to Luggate. He was unsure but Mom definitely knew it was in the opposite direction I was going. She happily informed me that Lake Hawea is only 10 km along this trail. Instead of backtracking, I decided to completely abandon my plan to go bouldering and instead follow the trail to Lake Hawea.

I arrived at Lake Hawea thankful to be able to rest my sore butt. I opened my bag to pull out my lunch only to discover that it wasn't there. I forgot my lunch at the hostel.

I fought an urge to break something and instead just sat at the lakeside for a whole. I weighed my options. A: Go back on the trail. B: Go back on the road. I figured the road was shorter so I went with option B.

The road turned out to have a few massive hills. I pumped away, barely crawling up the asphalt behemoths as cars whizzed past. A sign came into view. "Wanaka 15km" it read. "Okay" I said to myself "I can do that."

I did. It took me a while and I had to rest occasionaly due to my sore right knee that was acting up, but I made it. In total, the trip turned out to be around 40km. For the rest of the evening I cooked dinner, watched Zombieland at the local cinema and drank many beers. It was a good day and I am certainly aware of how my time in NZ is quickly coming to a close. I've got to enjoy it while I can.

My Impression of New Zealand

It's strange how much this country reminds me of so many different places. In a lot of ways it reminds me of home. It is pretty much on the mirror opposite part of the globe. I do believe if you kept digging a hole in WA you would eventually reach NZ.

Just in case I haven't made it obvious, I love this country. Outdoor pursuits are varied and plentiful and NZ is set up to cater to them. That is the most prominent reason. It also helps that all the scenery is gorgeous.

Alas, it is not perfect. It's hard to find a good beer. There are way too many tourists. Despite it being a small country, timely travel doesn't really exist because the roads wind indirectly around the mountain ranges. Hostels, although numerous, aren't very community oriented which makes the rare solo traveler somewhat of an oddity. There's only one used bookstore and it's in Queenstown and it's never open. The towns aren't very pedestrian friendly. And let's not forget about the sandflies, which are capable of ruining otherwise enjoyable moments.

But that's it really. I had to think about this list for a while and that was all I came up with. As I said before I love this country and have given some serious thought as to how I can come back for another visit or even take up residence for a while. One month is just not enough time here and I'd love to come during the off-season when tourists and sandflies aren't a at every turn.

Lists

Favorites:

Favorite Town: Wanaka. The cinema is really the clincher. Te Anau was nice but Wanaka has more to do.

Favorite Track: Gillespie Circuit out of Makarora. While I only got to see the Wilkin River Valley, it was mightily impressive. When I come back I will surely plan to do the entire circuit.

Favorite Beer: Mac's Pilsner. It was one of the few that had any flavor. The Greenman IPA was interesting with it's Belgian yeasts but Mac's was much more drinkable.

Favorite Place to Eat: Kai Kart edges out Kim's Korean Barbecue. I'm a sucker for fried food and Kai Kart is sinful.

Favorite Tree: The lancewood. After 15 years it gets to about 10 feet tall, is super straight and is about as thick as my thumb. It's leaves are long, narrow, spiky and tough (so the now extinct moa [giant ostrich like bird] would be discouraged from nibbling on them). A few years later softer, shorter and spike free leaves develop at the top (out of reach of the moa). After 50 years it looks like a normal deciduous tree with a normal canopy. It's the craziest development cycle for a tree I've ever heard of. Another fact: It's called lancewood because the Maori used them for lances since it's trunk is very tough and arrow straight.

Things I Wish I Had Done Differently

1. I wish I had swam more.
2. I regret not flying into Queenstown and out of Nelson.
3. I regret I didn't get a chance to climb.
4. I maybe should have rented a car.
5. I should have gone mountain biking more.
6. I definitely should have alotted more rest days.
7. I wish I had time to go to the North Island and learn how to surf.
8. Maybe I should have brought my fly rod...
9. A day on Stewart Island was all I needed.

My Thoughts on Independant Travel

I'm glad I did it and I'm glad I did it by myself. It's good to know I can do this sort of thing. However, I would much rather travel with somebody next time.

I liked having all the down time. When I wasn't voraciously reading I spent time reflecting on my day by writing in my journal and when I wasn't doing either of those activities I was thinking about my life in general. I don't often have time to think when I'm so distracted by a working life routine. Sure I get out occasionally for a hike or an overnight trip in woods by myself but never have I had a month entirely to myself. Hell, I even had to share my nine months in the womb (I'm a twin for those who aren't aware).

Being on my own schedule was good but it's not such a big priority for me. I just don't see too many arguments occuring about seeing or not seeing one place or another. I suppose it's possible I opened up more to people I wouldn't normally interact with if I was around my friends but, for the most part, it was pretty isolating traveling alone. I only met a handful of other people who came out here completely by themselves. Most people who were by themselves started out with friends and opted to stay longer. When talking to someone who had been traveling in South America before NZ, she said it was the other way around. At the hostels it was more of a community experience because the majority of travelers were solo.

In conversations with other people who had travelled alone iw was pretty much agreed that it isn't ideal because there is a sharing of experiences that just doesn't happen. You can't have some beers with a friend and say "Hey, you remember in NZ when..." Instead you have to tell someone "So I was in NZ when..." And there's nothing wrong with stories. As most people know I love telling stories. But everything that has happened here, all that I've seen, done, experienced, suffered through, enjoyed and all the hours I whiled away are all right here with me. Even with all the photos and copious postings of notes* someone might understand ten percent of this trip. While if that same person was here, they would know.

*I have never in my life been this diligent with a journal so I'm going to pat myself on the back for that. I usually start out well enough but soon fail to keep it going. This time it was easy because I wasn't very distracted. It was just me and my thoughts.

How Ibuprofen Saved My Vacation

Greetings everyone!  My trip is winding down but I'll be getting in one or two more posts after this one.  I'll keep you updated.  As for Ibuprofen: I support it.  After all, it's supported me on my weaker moments.  Namely when I'm slowly moving downhill.  To put your worries at ease, my knees are fine despite being a little sore.  There's no real pain.  They're just in the condition you might expect from walking for a month!  And now for the journal entries.

January 18th 7:37PM

Kevin is in... Siberia??  Siberia hut that is, in the Wilkin River Valley by a little dot on the map named Makarora.  I must say, it was the most scenic day I've had so far in NZ.  I opted to take the jetboat* which reduced my walking to a measly 8km.  Spending $150 for a round trip stung but it was a fun boat ride.  I really enjoyed it!

*The jetboat.  A purely NZ invention.  It's a boat that seems to defy physics by skimming over alaramingly shallow water at even more alarming speed.  There boats are also capable of making sudden sharp turns and can thus fit through tight squeezes, making them perfect for speedy river travel.

I left a good amount of gear the the Department of Conservation office which left my pack noticeably lighter.  With only an 8km walk my knees felt fine.  Speaking of fine, the weather was just that.  Nicely warm and sunny.  I actually got a good look at the sweeping vistas of the glacial valley and looming peaks that hover above.  It's unfortunately raining right now so we'll see if this continues on into tomorrow.

And the plan for tomorrow is to hike up the steep trail to Crucible Lake OR follow the Wilkin River to the base of Mt. Dreadful (cheery name) OR just lounge at the hut.  It all is completely dependant on my knees and, less so, the weather.  I would really like to see Crucible Lake though, as it is an alpine lake that is situated at the base of a glacier and is rumored to have floating ice year-round.  Walking along the river would still be nice though.  It's flat, serene and still quite scenic.

January 20th 7:39PM

Wow!  I love the Wilkin River Valley.  If you can't tell by my excitement, my knees were feeling great yesterday so I opted to trek up to Crucible Lake.  It took a little over 7 and a half hours and I estimate was a total of 20km round trip.  There were very steep ups and downs and 3 pretty major stream crossings.  For one stream I had to take off my boots and wade waist deep through it.  Of course, it's source was a glacier so it was f-f-f-frigid.  It was all part of the adventure though.  The last half hour of the trip was a steep climb to the lake itself.  When I got to the top, I kid you not, I gasped.  It was really beautiful!

I almost forgot to mention that the sun was shining gloriously!  It got cloudy late in the afternoon but it didn't start raining until late this morning.  I unfortunately had to wait an hour for the jet boat to pick me up when the rain was at its worst.  The sand flies, of course, were also horrible.  

15 minutes late the jet boat finally showed up.  This time the driver was a bit more of a daredevil so he went out of his way to provide some thrills by suddenly changing course into a narrow channel or by turning away from the river bank at the last second and even weaving between the trunk of a sunken tree.  

I got to my bus just in time and made it over to Wanaka.  All the hostels were heavily booked except for The Matterhorn.  I asked for a single room (I'm a little tired of sharing living quarter with strangers at this point) and they said there was one room left.  "The Love Shack."  The room had a rose on the bed with satin sheets and the hostel owner made sure to point out the Kama Sutra book that was on the nightstand.

After a shower I went out for some pizza and beer and began to plan my day tomorrow.  Wanaka has some nice bouldering so I plan and renting a bike and taking a tour of all the boulders around here.  It should be a nice change grom doing all the walking.  I don't imagine climbing or biking will stress my knees excessively.

That's the scoop for now folks.  Cheers!

At Least I Had Fish and Chips

Okay, so I'm back from Stewart Island and it was sort of a downer.  We'll just jump into the journal entries.

January 13th 9:33PM

Back on the track again.  This time it's the Raiura: a 3 day loop on Stewart Island.  The island is reasonably sized and below the southern most tip of the South Island of NZ.  It is sparsely inhabited with about 350 people.  Most of them live in the township of Oban.  And just to prove I know a lot about Stewart Island, commerce revolves around fishing and tourism and is it is a haven for native plant and bird life since most introduced species haven't made it down that far.

What I'm most interested in are the isolated and scenic beaches.  The water isn't warm so people don't flock here like they would to the golden sandy beaches up North (and there's a lot of sandflies here too.  A LOT).  This is also my best chance to spot a kiwi.  Normally shy and nocturnal, the kiwis here are rumored to brazenly wander about sometimes even in daylight.

I finished the first day of hiking after arriving 4 hours earlier by a ferry from Bluff.  It was a fairly sunny day which made me happy.  Stewart Island gets quite a bit of rain so I really am tempting fate.

Bad news.  My knees were really feeling creaky at the end and are still bothering me now.  I'm staying in the Port William hut for 2 nights so I'll have ample time to rest them.  I'm dismayed that I didn't read anywhere that there was an abundance of ups and downs and stairs.  Theses factors wear out my knees quickly.

But I'm optimistic.  the downhills aren't intense and I can take as much time as I need.  I'm rethinking my idea to hike the Wilkin Youngs Circuit though...

On a side note, I forgot to mention that I met a really nice Australian couple at the Routeburn Flate campsite.  Hoody and Jaime.  They were really easy to talk to and fun people to spend time with.  They also shared their dinner of curry w/ fresh veggies (something I hadn't enjoyed in a week).  It's unfortunate I didn't get to spend more time with them.  But in general, all the Aussies I've met have been genuinely nice people.  I'll have to make a journey to that country some time as well.

January 14th 5:42PM

I didn't even bother walking today.  I spent all day lounging around Port William Hut because my knees were still too sore.  I've decided to abandon the tramp altogether and head back to Oban.  I imagine it will take a while to get back as my knees have bothered me just walking around the hut.I suppose with my extra day I'll either rent a kayak or bike and do some non-walking exploration.

January 17th 5:31PM

I haven't been writing much because there hasn't been much to report.  On the 15th I made it back to Oban without any knee pain, which was a relief.  However, the important discovery of the day was that I will never have to eat fish & chips* again because I have found the best.  Kai Kart is a permanently parked bus that serves your general fried fare.  But it is anything but general.  I had 2 pieces of blue cod and an order of kumara (a sweet potato like tuber) chips.  Oh my God.  It was exceptional.  Lightly breaded and not over fried.  Nice flakey delicious fish.  Mmmmmm. 

*Fish & chips is a national obsession here.  The 24 hour AM/PM type corner store have them.   All restaurants have them.  Some places only advertise that they serve fish & chips.  Despite all the walking Kiwis' do it's probably because of fish & chips, and their other greasy good food obsession: meat pies, that New Zealand is a nation with a largely obese populace.

After Kai Kart I settled into my tent and went to sleep.  The next morning I went to a coffee shop to read, rest my knees and use the internet.  As it turned out there was only one working computer and a German woman had already claimed it.  So I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  She spent almost 3 hours writing emails.  the barista told me she felt bad for me because she knew I was waiting for a computer.

 I replied, "That's okay, I don't have anything better to do.  But out of curiosity, how much did she spend on the internet?"

"$35.  Can you believe that?  She just paid my gas bill."

My jaw dropped.  $35!  That's more than a monthly bill for internet.  I think that woman needs to write some postcards or make some phone calls or fly back to Germany to tell these people first hand what is on her mind.  Either way it will be cheaper than using internet.

Well there's my rant.  I'm proud, since I do believe that is my first and only rant in this blog.  Correct me if I'm wrong loyal readers.

For the rest of the afternoon I read "Island of the Sequined Love Nun" for a second time  I already finished "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" and surprisingly enjoyed it.  One book was enough though.  I doubt I will continue with the rest of the series.

As the afternoon turned to evening I cooked up and ate pasta w/ sauteed veggies and then went out on the "town."  I stopped at the South Sea Hotel to knock back some pints at their bar.  Inside I was taken aback* by how many rowdy locals there were.  There was a group of about 30 or 40 of them shuffling from bar to table to pool table in no discernable pattern.  there had to have been 3 different generations of locals all doomed to return to this bar just like their ancestors did.  They even had fossilized pint glasses and darts on display from when cavemen came to this bar to get drunk.

*Another surprise was to see the NZ version of American Idol on TV.  Apparently two different towns were competing against one another - Taranaki and Bluff.  Bluff is the port town where you catch the ferry that shuttles all the tourists to Stewart Island.  So the TV got a lot of attentions.  The bartenders would crank up the volume whenever any Bluff performers came on.  It was, however, the same awful television as it is in the States.

One of the younger guys, Bill, began to chat me up while I was ordering a beer.  It went something like this:

"So where are you from?"

"The States."

"What?"

"THE....STATES...."

"Oh!  You're a Yank!"

"I'm guilty."

"Hey, you know that country was founded by Free Masons?  Yeah, no shit.  They got all these symbols and they wrote the history and came up with the government and all your presidents, and, fuck, everyone was a Free Mason."

"Oh.  Hmmm..."

"Yeah it's okay.  It'sd fucking shit though.  You like Stewart Island?"

"Yeeeeeah....."

"Oh aye?  You done any walkin' yet?"

"Yeah.  The Rakiura Track."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"I like Martin's Bay."

"Cool.  Hey I think it's your shot."

"Uh? Fuck, okay."

Bye Bill.  He had some seriously blood shot eyes and was using the pool cue he was holding for balance.  Quite a buzz considering it was only 7:30PM.

After 5 pints I had enough of the local color and decided to mosey.  On the way back a most delicious smell was emanating from Kai Kart.  Cruely or fortunately, however you look at it, it was on my way back to my tent.  There was no way I could resist.  I munched on another blue cod filet and a half order of chips before heading to bed.

Today I made it back to Queenstown and I honestly don't have as much of an aversion to it as I did at first.  It's become familiar to me and now feels like my New Zealand home.  I almost have a routine and I definitely have some favorites.  My favorite bar has nice outside seating on a busy corner.  The bar is never busy so I can usually go back and forth between concentrating on writing in my journal or people watching.  My favorite restaurant is Kim's Korean Barbecue.  Damn, Kim makes some good grub.  And we always have a competition for who can say thank you the most.  Kim always wins.  He follows almost every word with thank you.

Tomorrow my plans are to go to Makarora for 3 days to do some hiking.  My knees are still iffy but don't worry, I have two plans:

Plan A

Catch a jetboat to take me upriver and hike the 8 km to the hut for 2 nights.

Plan B

Basecamp in Makarora and just do two day hikes.  

I'm favoring the jet boat option because I'll be able to see more.  Though it will cost me $165 NZ....  I'll just have to play it by ear.  Until then.

Feeling the Routeburn

Well I've finally returned from 7 days in the bush. It certainly was a test of my mettle. It was certainly a lot of walking but the weather was what raised difficulties. I had 2 sunny days the whole time I was out there. On several occasions it was a downpour all day. And wouldn't you know, now that I'm back in town the sun is shining gloriously. Oh well. On to the journal entries.

January 6th 7:01PM

Sheets of rain are descending from the sky and have been since 1PM. It has been raining in some fashion all day and it's predicted to continue on into tomorrow. It's a small form of torture being cooped up in the Mintaro Hut with 39 strangers. They're all nice people but it's a bit overwhelming. There are huge groups, couples, Moms and Dads and kids and they all tend to stick together, so on rainy days like this I don't have much to do except read*, listen to music and write in this journal. I'm going through my book rather quickly today. I don't know if it will last another rainy day.

As for yesterday, that was my first day on the Milford track. It was largely uneventful. I took a boat ride from Te Anau Downs up Te Anau Lake to the starting point of the track and then it was an hour and a half to the first hut. At least then it only rained a bit so I could get out and walk around.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping the weather will clear up. Oh, I almost forgot the highlight of the day. I spotted a pair of blue ducks. They are endemic to NZ and are highly endangered. Cool stuff!

* I really misjudged how many books I would read while I was out here. I've already finished "Island of The Sequined Love Nun" by Christopher Moore, "The Beckoning Silence" by Joe Simpson (really good! Krissy: You'll have to read it when I get back), "A Perfect Storm" by Jorgen Sommers (or something like that) and "Siddhartha" by Herman Hess. I was able to trade "A Perfect Storm" for "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," which I just started.

January 7th 4:21PM

3rd day of the Milford and it was certainly the best. There were several times throughout the day where it didn't rain and some good views appeared with the sunshine. It was a hard days walk with a large uphill and downhill move. There was an optional side trip to a waterfall that would have taken an extra hour and a half. I'd seen enough waterfalls (the Milford track is full of them) today and was looking forward to drying out in the hut.

January 8th 7:09PM

Today was a long day. I finished the Milford track and began the Routeburn. I walked a total of 21 kms. I'm exhausted now but unfortunately can't sleep until the hut warden collects my ticket and gives a talk* at 8PM. I suppose that time will come soon enough. Tomorrow, I only have to walk 8km. It will be a welcome slow day.

As for the weather, it was fantastic! For the first time in 4 days I enjoyed extended periods of sunshine. Finally, my boots and clothing that had been damp for the past 2 days got a chance to dry out. Interestingly, I had been reading "A Perfect Storm" during all the crummy weather. As I read about 100 mph winds and 80 ft seas it would fittingly pour buckts of rain. I finished the book last night and didn't get rained on at all today. What do you think of that?

There was, however, a dusting of snow in the not so distant hills. The weather, at this moment, calls for more cold temperatures and also snow. We'll see if NZ can conjure this up out of it's bag of tricks since I've already seen hail, torrential rain, gal force winds, thunder and lightning and the occasional sunny day.

*Hut warden talks involve the usual safety concerns you would normally expect. Crack a window when using the gas stoves, don't burn yourself on the stove, don't burn down the hut, etc. But most hut wardens will use this time as a platform to tell stories and/or rant about whatever they feel like. It's understandable since most of the hut wardens are retirees. When else would they have a captive audience at their whim?

January 10th 4:21PM

Yesterday had me really far down in the dumps. It was the longest 8km I've had to walk on the tracks yet. The rain continued to pour and that was probably the biggest reason why my spirits were so dampened. But also contributing, was having to set my tent up in the rain and it was cold. About as cold as I can remember feeling in NZ. I kept thinking that I left WA to get away from the rain and cold!

Then I got more bad news. Other trampers said the rain was supposed to continue pouring until 6PM the next day. Well that did it. I cooked my dinner, wolfed it down and glumly retired to my tent.

Stirred from my slumber, I awoke to a raging tempest. My tent shook in the wind and was assaulted by many many big fat raindrops. Then a flash. Immediately following was the roar of thunder. It was close. I did my best to sleep despite the commotion.

To my surprise I awoke to a morning without rain. I acted quickly to take advantage of the brief dry spell. I hauled all of my gear out of my tent and put it under the dry cooking shelter. It was still grey, but at least there was no wind and, for the moment, no rain.

I had started plowing up switchbacks when the rain returned. It dumped again with a familiar ferocity. Thinking positive, I was happy it wasn't windy. Much of the 16 km was very exposed along the Harris Saddle. It can be dangerous walking with the wind blowing.

And then a miracle happened. Sun tore through the clouds and a patch of of blue appeared as a hole in the sky. The beech forest below me in the valley suddenly came to life in the light and so did I. This was the first time in 3 alpine crossings on 3 different tracks that I saw the sun. I nearly danced the rest of the way down to the next campsite.

It's at the campsite where I now sit reflecting on the day. The sun shines infrequently and rain sprinkles down every 10-15 minutes. I'm in a good mood because of the sun and I'm also happy thinking about being back in town, showered with a beer in hand and cheeseburger in front of me.

Obviously, I'm in town now. The town of Glenorchy to be precise. I decided to stay in this small hamlet instead of heading down to Queenstown for 2 nights. I thought it would be a nice change, but honestly there isn't much to do here. There are a few cafes and that is about it. My bus to Queenstown doesn't leave until 3PM and it's 10AM now. Looks like I'll get some more reading in.

Next up, I've got a few things I noted. Mostly lists. Here we go:

Music

I brought a little 1GB MP3 player with me. It was really difficult decided on the albums to bring. Ultimately I decided on the following 8:

Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Four Tet - Rounds
Eliot Lipp - The Outside
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Band of Horses - (I forget the album title. It's their latest one though)
Spoon - Telephono + Soft Effects EP
Built to Spill - There is No Enemy
Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out

The Helio Sequence album is by far the one I've listened to the most. It's a really fantastic blend of electro/rock/pop. There are some really, really amazing songs and a few that I'm not too fond of. The good songs more than make up for it.

Language Barrier

There are certain things you can say in the States that sound funny here and vice versa. For instance, you wouldn't want to say "I'm stuffed" after a big meal. Down here that pretty much means "I'm buggered." I'll let you figure out what buggered means if you don't know.

Saying "I'm going to do 5 tramps in a month" would surely get mixed responses if said in the States. But here it simply means I'm planning on doing a lot walking.

One saying that I'm particularly fond of is "I knocked the bastard off." It means an adventure has come to an end. The term was coined by Sir Edmund Hillary. And for those of you who don't know who Eddie is, he happens to be a Kiwi who was the first guy to have climbed Everest and is a world renowned mountaineer. His visage also graces the NZ 5 dollar bill.

Peculiarities of New Zealand

Ketchup is not ketchup. It is tomato sauce. And it tastes kind of funny too.

Everytime a fire truck leaves the station an air raid horn is trumpeted throughout the town.

Drip coffee does not exist in New Zealand.

It is possible to be delayed because of sheep (a herd can clog a road quite easily).

I'll have photos up this afternoon! Cheers!

I Should Have Titled My Last Blog:

Whiz! Bang!  2010!  

First, I'll back up to December 30th at 3:49PM.  Remember that Irish pub I stopped at in Queenstown?  The Pogue Mahone?  Well, as I was walking in a quaint Te Anau neighborhood I came across a boat parked in a driveway named "Pogue Mahone."  Can someone help me out here?  Is this an expression?  A cult figure?  Literary hero? 

Anyways, I did leave Queenstown and made it to Te Anau.  Here's a journal entry (and by the way, from now on I'm putting all journal entries in italics to make it less confusing):

December 30th 4:58PM

Arrived in te Anau around 1PM from Queenstown.  It's a welcome change.  The views aren't as inspiring but are still gorgeous.  Even more appealing is the quiet and gentle nature of the town.

It's still touristy, but outside of the town center I was walking around a neighborhood of immaculate landscaped yards, children playing and houses that harkens back to the 50's (I believe they also used "harken" in the 50's {1850's?}).  It rather felt like I had traveled back in time and is the same way I felt about Hilo, HI.  

While in town I debated what to do with my extra day in Te Anau on January 4th when I get back from the Kepler track.  Hesistantly I signed up for a kayaking trip around Milford Sound.  It's been ages since I've been in a sea kayak and I had such a blast on the kayaking trip to Baja.  Both of these factors contributed to my decision to shell out $150 NZ for a guided trip. *sigh*  Just writing "guided" makes me feel weird.  I'm so much more fond of DIY.  But, honestly, when will I get a chance to sea kayak in Milford Sound again?

So I just returned from that very $150 guided kayak trip and I can honestly say I had fun.  I was disapointed that I had to kayak in a double and that we were only on the water for about 4 hours.  But it felt soooo great to paddle.  I need to find a way to get one of my own.  And of course Milford Sound is renowned for it's beauty.  Alpine peaks rise straight up from the sound and waterfalls are flowing wherever you look.  Okay, onto some more journal entries.

December 31st 1PM

I just arrived at Luxmore Hut on the Kepler track.  It was really a beautiful walk!  It began by countouring the level beech forested shores of Lake Te Anau.  After a few kms it started to climb up many, many, many dreaded switchbacks.  They were, however, not an obscene grade and in no time at all I was above the treeline and settled into Luxmore Hut.

I taken any pictures of the inside of a hut!  I must remember to.  Anyways...

It took me about 4 hours and 45 minutes to cover about 14km.  Pretty good time.  And I know I should be more concerned with enjoying myself than making good times but I couldn't help using the chronometer feature on my new watch.  And I am having fun dammit!

A few things I was thinking about while on the track: 1) I should have titled my last blog "Hostel Environment."  I may change it.  2)  There were 2 sets of day hikers and only 2 packs between them.  The guys were carrying the packs both times.  You better believe I would make my girlfriend carry her own pack (maybe this is why I'm single...)  3)  When Kiwi's say "Auckland" it sounds like "Oakland."  I was in the middle of a conversation before I realized this guy was from nowhere near California.

4:06PM

On the hut wall:

No meadows of brightly colored flowers here!

Most NZ flowers are white or yellow.  Native pollinators here are insects that pollinate many species of plants - they are generalist, not specialist pollinators that are usually drawn to bright colors.

January 1st 8:52PM

The New Year!  I celbrated it in style at Luxmore hut.  I sipped some whiskey and stayed up til midnight chatting w/ Jimmy from Ireland and Amy from England.  They moved to Auckland together to work and see the country.

Once midnight rolled around everyone who was still awake strolled up a hill to get a view of little Te Anau's New Year fireworks display.  It was difficult to see but nonetheless enjoyable.

The next morning I awoke to blustery conditions.  I was more than a little concerned that they would be too strong to continue.  A ways up the trail Jimmy and Amy caught up to me.  They had heard the weather forecast and it was grim.  Strong winds w/ gusts up to 120km and rain showers developing by 1PM (little did we know but the trail had been closed shortly after we left).

I joined forces with Jimmy and Amy (and they were very pleasant company) and we decided to at least give it a go.  The wind was certainly intimidating at times and potentially dangerous when we had to cross two saddles.  We were all consistently being blown off balance by the force of the gusts.

For Mom: At no time did it seem life threatening and I would have turned back at anypoint that I felt in danger.  That said, it did get my heart pumping occasionally.  

Anyway, we all continued together to the next and hut and found that most people had continued on from Luxmore hut and had braved the gales.  However, an Australian girl came down with a spot of hypothermia.  She had an Electronic Posistion Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) with her and signaled a helicopter to evacuate her.

I had very high doubts about the seriousness of her condition.  While passing her on the trail we exchanged a few remarks about the wind.  Jimmy then said "See you at the hut."  To which she replied: "Or in a helicopter."  Hypothermia my ass.  Earlier at Luxmore hut she had also been talking to a hut warden and had asked if there was an easier hike.  to which he replied: "This is an easy hike."  I suspect she was just uninterested in continuing the trail and found the idea of a helicopter ride much more appealing.  I really hope she got charged the full amount for the helicopter ride and I also hope she is found out as a fraud and is never allowed to hike in New Zealand again.  If this sounds harsh, it is only because I despise people who abuse emergency services.

An update:  She was the talk of the entire Kepler track.  Once I got back to Te Anau everyone asked about her since it was apparently in the paper.  That little snot.

Currently, I'm writing my notes for the day in a tent as I opted to camp instead of stay in a hut.  It's pouring rain, there's lightning and thunder, high winds and the sandflies are particularly bothersome.*  It would seem I made a poor choice.  But at least I won't have to hear snoring in the huts.

*Sandflies are the bane of New Zealand.  They are little black flies that swarm and bite and leave welts that resemble mosquito bites.  And they are everywhere!  Any time you want to stop and admire a view or take a dip in a lake, they are there.

January 3rd 6:48PM

It's been an uneventful couple of days compared to New Years Day.  Yesterday was a flat, 16km day that went smoothly.  The only thing I have to note is that the hut warden at Motarau Hut said every year there is a race on the Kepler track.  The record time for the entire 68km is around 4 and a half hours.  It took me four days to complete the Kepler.  What do you think about that?

As for today, it was a long soggy march of around 19km.  I left at 6AM because I was really aching to get back into town so I could have 1) a beer 2) a cheeseburger 3) a shower.

I succeded at meeting all 3 needs and have spent the rest of the day running errands.  I bought long underwear since I apparently forgot to pack the ones I had set aside.  I also bought a pair of socks because I didn't notice one pair I had brought had holes in them.  Then I bought groceries, a book, did laundry and now I'm getting pizza and and sipping a Speight's Old Dark.  It's been a nice afternoon.

Okay, so that's all the news for now.  Sorry, I don't have any pictures as of now.  My connection for my camera is in Queenstown at the hostel with some of my other stuff and I won't have access to the internet until.... (checking my notes).... January 11th!  From now until then I'll be doing the Milford and Routeburn tracks back to back.  Thanks for reading!

Another update (*finally*)

I made it, in case you were all curious. I've been adapting to New Zealand in Queenstown and in a lot of ways there aren't too many differences. I just took a hike up the Ben Lomand trail*** that began in a Doug Fir forest that had all the noxious invasives that I've come to know and love. Holly, morning glory, ivy, butterfly bush, scotch broom and of course: blackberry. Yeah, that's all pretty much the same. But then when I'm walking into town and I go to take a step to cross the street I have to leap back frantically to avoid being hit by a car. You see, looking left first and then right is something that is so ingrained in me that it is near impossible to change. Today I sat outside at a pub watching a roundabout trying to figure out just how it worked. And to think I was toying with the idea of renting a car!








Queenstown Gardens view



***(check out the pictures! This place is unbelievably only a 3 hour walk from the hostel I'm staying at)



I have been keeping a journal, but it's mostly thoughts I've been having while I'm here. I haven't really done much besides adapt to New Zealand life in Queenstown and frankly, I'm ready to move on... Anyway, here are some journal excerpts:


December 27th 7:04 AM


New Zealand! the 14 hour flight is over and I now have a 3 hour layover in the Auckland airport before my flight to Queenstown. Air New Zealand was a spectacular airline. Despite sitting next to a "space invader" who's legs and elbows seemed unable to bend in a way that would keep them from bumping into me, I thoroughly enjoyed the friendly service, watching District 9 and drinking a couple complimentary glasses of Queenstown's own Pinot Noir. They were even served in a mini wine glass!


7:25 AM


As stupid as it sounds I didn't expect NZ to have such an islandy feel to it. Honestly, it reminds me of a cold day in Hawaii.


2:32 PM


In Queenstown now. It was certainly overwhelming to step off of a plane and into a foreign country in the middle of commericialized tourist central completely alone. I ducked into an Irish pub to watch some Premier League Futbol and toss back a few pints. I'm still currently in "Pog Mahones" and am honestly a little reluctant to step back outside. It's not much bother since I still have about a half hour until I can check into my room. Looks like I'm on to pint #2


For Brandon:


Whether it's Speights, Tui or whatever other brand there is available, they all taste like a lager. The only difference is the color. I even had a "Tui India Style Pale Ale" that tasted just like a lager. I wasn't expecting much from the beer here but good God they like their lagers. Maybe I should try one of their lagers instead of their ales that taste like a lager.


December 28th 9AM

Queenstown, and I'm assuming most NZ during their summer, is a very international place. I've met Germans, Frenchies, Swissies, Aussies, Canucks, Yankees and Brits and have seen plenty of Asians and Europeans and all manner of people from all over the globe. Interestingly I haven't met too many Kiwi's...

As for December 29th, I didn't take any notes today but, as I said before, I went on a spectacular hike up the Ben Lomand trail. It was roughly 11 or 12 miles out and back. The hike begins in a Doug Fir forest and shortly leads out to the treeline. After making it above treeline I ran into over a dozen different people on their way down or up. A popular attraction to say the least. After 2 hours I made it to the saddle where the trail got steep and very rough. After that it was basically scrambling up to the summit. And what a view!

That's all for now folks. I won't be updating anything until I'm done with the Kepler track. I'm sure I'll have many more stories and pictures then.

Who's that handsome devil? ________________________________________The summit of Ben Lomand in the distance.

Before I Get Started...

I fly out of Seattle tomorrow and up to Vancouver before embarking on the fourteen hour flight to Auckland. After a four hour layover I will catch my final plane to Queenstown on the south island. Interestingly, when I finally reach Queenstown, it will be on December 27th. December 26th will simply have vanished. Kevin Clarke will not exist in the annals of history on December 26th, 2009. I know this involves the crossing of the International Dateline but I'm fuzzy on the details. I do know, that when returning to the States on January 23rd, even though the flight is still fourteen hours long, I'll be arriving on January 23rd. Weird stuff.

I'm going to back up just a bit and and fill in those who aren't aware why I'm headed to New Zealand: pure enjoyment. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the place. The scenery, hiking trails and friendliness of the people are supposedly exquisite. For the past year I've been planning and saving money and vacation time for a month long visit.

Now the day is almost here. I'm packed and ready to go, and for those of you that are interested, here are photos and lists of all the gear and clothing I'm going to be lugging around with me:

Clothes
Warm hat, ratty baseball cap, bandana, sunglasses, 2 t-shirts, mid-layer pull-over, base-layer hoody pull-over, synthetic puffy jacket, rain shell, long pants, shorts, one pair of boxers, two pairs of socks, gloves, watch, hiking boots, Chacos and a pair of sock liners (not pictured).



Gear
One person tent, 20 degree down sleeping bag, waterproof stuff sack, thermarest sleeping pad, 1st aid kit, gaiters, field repair kit, headlamp, trekking poles, stove and fuel bottle, gaiters, leatherman, water filter, hydration system, water bottle, pot, spoon, zip lock bags, parachute cord, pack towel, 85 liter pack, stowable daypack, guidebook, notebook, pen, novel (I haven't decided which one yet), 1GB MP3 player, camera, toiletries, pack cover, rock shoes (not pictured) and a chalk bag (not pictured).



I'll be stuffing my backpack into a larger duffel to protect it and of course will be bringing a passport as well as a drivers license and two credit cards.

As for what I plan to do, this so far is my itinerary (WARNING: the following content is likely boring to everyone except me).

Dec 27th
Fly into Queenstown
- Take Connectabus to Copthorne Hotel stop ($6)
- Check into Black Sheep hostel
- Do whatever I can from list below

Dec 27th-30th
Errands
- Supplies from Alpine Supermarket for Kepler, Milford and Routeburn
- Buy maps @ DOC (38 Shotover St.)
- Set up accomodation in Te Anau, Glenorchy
- SIGHTS -
* Frisbee Golf (need disc though...)
* Walk through Queenstown Gardens
* Underwater Observatory ($5)
* Queenstown walks and Trails from the DOC
* ?Via Ferrata ($95)?

Dec 30th
Queenstown to Te Anau
- Take bus @ 1:30PM to Te Anau ($38 with Topline Tours)
- Check into campsite (Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park)
- Can take shuttle but it is only 5 km to the start of the track

Dec 31th
Kepler Track
-Dec 31st at Luxmore Hut
-Jan 1st at Iris Burn Campsite
-Jan 2nd at Moturau Hut

Jan 3rd-4th
Back to Te Anau and ???
- Figure out where to catch bus for Milford Track

Jan 5th
Te Anau to Te Anau Downs
- Bus from T.A. to T.A.D. (Leaves @ 9:45AM)
- Boat from T.A.D. to Glade Wharf (Leaves @ 10:30AM)

Jan 5th - 8th
Milford Track
-Jan 5th at Clinton Hut
-Jan 6th Mintaro Hut
-Jan 7th Dumpling Hut

Jan 8th
To the Divide
- Catch boat from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound @ 2PM ($32)
- Bus from Milford Sound to The Divide @ 2:30PM ($30)
- Hike from The Divide up to Greenstone Saddle campsite

Jan 8th - 10th
Routeburn Track
Jan 8th Lake Howden Hut
Jan 9th Lake McKenzie Campsite
Jan 10th Routeburn Flats Campsite

Jan 11th
Routeburn Shelter to Glenorchy
- Gotta be there before 2PM (Takes a half hour)
- Collect supplies
- stay the night in Glenorchy

So I've got the first two weeks solidly booked. As for the next two weeks, here's what I got:

No ATMS at Fox Glacier

Fox Glacier Guiding $145 for a full day walk
$235 for ICE CLIMBING!
www.foxguides.co.nz

Matheson Cafe


Welcome Flat and possibly Muellers' Hut tramps in Mt. Cook NP
(Copland Track)

Q-TZOIwn

vudu cafe, patagonia, habebes

Penguins!
Oamaru? or Portobello? (Dunedin) Might only be possible w/ someone else...

Craigieburn Forest Park
Castle Hill bouldering. Most likely need a car...

As you can see it's all up in the air. I have a lot of ideas of what I want to see and surely won't be able to see it all. Hopefully I'll be able to meet people who are heading to the same area I'm going and if not I can always resort to busing it around like the first two weeks. Or I could break the bank and rent a car.

Well, that's enough speculation for now. I've still got to pay rent and the electricity bill and print out all my notes. Most importantly, I need to figure out what I want to read while I'm there!