NEW ZEALAND ADVENTURES Scott A. Yost This is the journal I kept while traveling in New Zealand for six weeks over Christmas of 1995. Contents December 4 Leaving Knoxville 2 December 6 Arrival in New Zealand: Christchurch 3 December 7 Drive to Mt. Cook past Lake Tekapo 5 December 8 Mt. Cook: Rain and day-hikes 6 December 9 Walk to Mueller Hut 8 December 10 Drive to Te Anau 9 December 11 Te Ana-au Glow Worm Cave 10 December 12 Begin Milford Track 11 December 13 Milford Track: Clinton Forks to Mintaro Hut 12 December 14 Milford Track: Over MacKinnon Pass 15 December 15 Milford Track: Dumpling Hut to Milford Sound 16 December 16 Milford Sound 18 December 17 Drive to Queenstown 19 December 18 Begin Routeburn Track 20 December 19 Routeburn Flats to MacKenzie Lake, Harris Saddle 22 December 20 End of Routeburn Track 23 December 21 Queenstown: Bungy Jumping 25 December 22 Shotover Jet, drive to Wanaka 27 December 23 Deep Canyon Experience 29 December 24 Walk to Aspiring Hut 32 December 25 Christmas: Cascade Saddle attempt 34 December 26 Drive to Haast: West Coast Beaches 36 December 27 Drive to Fox Glacier, Glacier Walk 39 December 28 Fox Glacier: Rain and laundry 40 December 29 Fox Glacier helicopter flight, drive to Greymouth 42 December 30 Greymouth: Taniwha Cave Rafting 44 December 31 Arthur's Pass: Climb Avalanche Peak 47 January 1 Return to Christchurch 49 January 2 Kaikoura: Dolphin swimming, whale watching 50 January 3 Kaikoura to Nelson 53 January 4 Begin Abel Tasman Track, Separation Point 55 January 5 Onetahuti Beach to Te Pukatea Bay 58 January 6 End of Abel Tasman Track 59 January 7 Ferry to Wellington 61 January 8 Train to National Park, Begin Tongariro Circuit 63 January 9 Mangatepopo Hut to Ketetahi Hut, Climb Ngauruhoe 65 January 10 Ketetahi Hut to New Waihohonu Hut 68 January 11 End Tongariro Northern Circuit 69 January 12 Bus to Waitomo, Glow Worm Cave 70 January 13 Waitomo: Gruesome Twosome 73 January 14 Black Water Rafting, Bus to Rotorua, Hangi 76 January 15 Rotorua: Carey's Capers 79 January 16 Kaituna Cascades Rafting, Bus to Aukland, Flight Home 83 This is an unembellished transcript of the journal I kept during the trip. Any errors have been intentionally maintained to accurately reflect my impressions at the time. Copyright 1996, Scott A. Yost. All rights reserved. DECEMBER 4 Leaving Knoxville I began my trip to New Zealand with a short flight on Delta from Knoxville to Atlanta at 1:45 PM. It was a clear, warm afternoon. As we flew over the Smokies, Look Rock and Gregory's Bald were visible below, as was the section of the Appalachian Trail above Cades Cove. We crossed Fontana Lake and the Joyce Kilmer Forest, where I did my last backpacking trip on an unusually cold (down to 15 degrees F) weekend a month ago. I started to plan my trip. I hadn't had much time to read my Lonely Planet books, both the general one and the tramping guide. I knew I would be walking the Milford and Routeburn tracks, and had made reservations for them a couple months ago with the nice lady at the Te Anau DOC Great Walks Booking Desk. Those were both near the beginning of my trip. Now I started to think about what else I would do with my six weeks in New Zealand. I made note of a number of interesting walks, including the one to Mueller Hut in Mount Cook National Park, and a route, said to be very difficult, over Cascade Saddle in Mt. Aspiring National Park. I had already decided to visit the Abel Tasman Coastal Track at some point, since this was highly recommended by a friend who had visited New Zealand a few years earlier. The Tongariro Circuit on the North Island looked interesting too. In addition to walks, I thought the West Coast of New Zealand looked interesting, with the glaciers and interesting wildlife, including seals and penguins. I thought it would be really nice to find penguins, though finding them might be difficult, especially if I were traveling by bus, as I intended. I would also visit Kaikoura for the whale watching, since my friend enjoyed this as well and said it was a beautiful location. I thought I might try to do this just after arriving in Christchurch, before heading down to Te Anau to begin the Milford Track. In Atlanta, I caught a 3:32 PM flight to Los Angeles. The movie was Operation Dumbo Drop, a Disney film about an army mission to drop an elephant to a South Vietnamese village, to make up for one that had been killed in the war. The dinner was pasta. The sun set over the desert on the way. The floor of the cabin was freezing cold, even through my wooly socks. I was beginning to wish I had worn my hiking boots instead of sandals. We arrived in Los Angeles at 5:30 PM in time to see the streams of rush hour traffic radiating out toward home through the grid of lights below. It was beautiful from above, but it must be hell to live in such a place. At the airport, no one seemed to know where Air New Zealand was. None of the employees there knew anything, or really cared very much. They directed me to the old International Terminal. After wandering around there with my bags and not finding them, I waited in line at the information desk, and asked again. This time I was sent to Terminal 2. By now I had walked half way around LA Airport. There was a long line to check in. I boarded the flight to Aukland, and left LA at 8:15 PM, beginning a twelve hour overnight flight. We were served dinner again: this time shrimp. The second dinner was welcome because both were tiny. Air New Zealand is essentially indistinguishable from any of the American domestic carriers, with cramped seats and small meals. A couple of movies were shown. At least they were free, unlike on Delta. I slept through the first, but watched the second, Waterworld, the most expensive movie ever made, starring Kevin Costner. I thought about my plans some more, and realized that Te Anau, my base for the Milford Track, was too far from the start of the Glenorchy end of the Routeburn Track to make a good base for both, probably. I would have to move to Queenstown on one of the two days I had scheduled between treks. I also decided that instead of going to Kaikoura first, I would probably go to Mt. Cook National Park on the way to Te Anau, and visit Mueller Hut then. That would save some backtracking later. I slept some more. Almost the whole flight was in darkness. The moon over the cloudy Pacific was full. DECEMBER 6 Arrival in New Zealand: Christchurch The moon set bright red before dawn. December 5 had disappeared upon crossing the International Date Line. Breakfast was served at 4AM, New Zealand time. I had mixed grill (sausages and ham) with potatoes and baked beans. A weird breakfast, but tastier than I was expecting for New Zealand food. Customs forms were distributed. Anyone with nothing to declare would almost have to be lying, since they ask you to check boxes if you have anything made from plants or animals. In the flight magazine, I read about a company, Trusty Rentals, that advertized cars beginning at $25 per day, including everything. A New Zealand dollar was about 68 cents in US money, so that is not bad. For the first time, I began to think seriously about renting a car. I really like having a car if possible, for the freedom it gives, especially when trying to find wildlife, such as penguins, or stopping to take pictures. This was the first company I saw that had a reasonable price. There was still the concern about driving on the left: I would have to give some thought to that. We arrived in Aukland, New Zealands largest city by far, at 6:30 AM. Customs was quick: not many questions. They attached a little tab to my passport. At the domestic desk, I was told my flight to Christchurch had been canceled due to an Air Traffic Controller's strike. All flights outside major cities were canceled as well. I was glad I was not planning to rely heavily on air travel. I went to the domestic terminal and got a standby flight for 9:30 AM. This was no problem, because the flight was far from full. It was quite warm outside. The flight took off on schedule, and had beautiful views of the mountains and volcanoes along the way. At the Christchurch airport, I changed a bit of money and bought a phone card, which are convenient and keep you from needing a lot of change, and then used it to call Trusty Rentals, the rental car company I had read about earlier. They said the $25 rate was for a manual, but I could get an automatic for $30, with unlimited km's and insurance included, provided one would come in this afternoon as scheduled. This sounded like a great idea. Surely I could get used to driving on the left. It seemed a bit scary, but would be an interesting experience. I could use the car to camp if I wanted too. I picked up some brochures and bus schedules, to see what bus travel would be like. It looked expensive, but there were plenty of routes, and this certainly looked like a viable alternative. I would not have to keep the car the whole time, but would use it on the South Island, where I planned to spend most of my time. I got a shuttle to my motel for $8. It was a simple but nice motel called Alexander Court, and was not cheap, about $82 NZ. It was nice, however, with attractive new furniture in the living room, a separate bedroom, and a full kitchen. This was the only hotel I planned to stay at, and I had booked it in advance. The shuttle driver suggested that bed and breakfasts are a good deal, often around $40 a night, but I planned to stay mostly at hostels after tonight, which are around $15 to $20 a night for a dormitory bed, and have kitchens. But tonight, it would be nice to have some time alone after the long, cramped flight. I called Trusty Rentals to give them my phone number, so they could tell me when the car comes in. Then I called Mt. Cook YHA to make reservations for tomorrow. This is one of the premier Youth Hostels in New Zealand, and the only budget accomodations at Mt. Cook aside from the campground, so reservations were recommended. I had no problem with this. I also reserved a Dec. 16 cruise on the Milford Sound, which may not have been necessary to do so soon, but I would have only one day there and did not want to miss it. I had already reserved two nights at the hostel in Milford, but called them back to change it to one night, since I needed time to get to Queenstown between the Milford and Routeburn treks, and there wasn't much else to do at Milford anyway, unless I wanted to do some sea kayaking. I called around to a number of other car rental companies in the phone book, but all were more expensive than Trusty. Eventually Trusty called me back, and told me the car was in, and they would deliver it tomorrow at 10 AM. They said it was a small Mazda hatchback. I was a little concerned about the hatchback, but they said it had plenty of room for luggage in a covered compartment. Now that my car was taken care of, I took a walk to explore downtown Christchurch. It was about a 15 minute walk, and along the way, I took special care to see how the traffic was, and to think what driving on the left would feel like. It would be really weird. Walking was bad enough. I went to Cathedral Square to see the church, and climbed the tower. The view was not too impressive today because it was cloudy. The church was decorated inside for Christmas. Then I went out and saw a postal store, so I bought stamps and a postcard to send home. I walked over to the arts center, some attractive old Gothic buildings, and returned along the Avon River, which is narrow, fast-moving and shallow, and lined with parks. Gondola rides are available there. It was very picturesque. I looked for an Indonesian/Indian restaurant on Columbus Street mentioned in Lonely Planet, but it was gone. Then I went back to my motel, and picked up some breakfast and lunch supplies at a nearby `dairy', or convenience store. I noticed that the most common flavor of potato chips was chicken. They must have weird tastes here. Also, everything was rather expensive, even after adjusting for the exchange rate. There was a nice cat outside my motel room. I sat with it a while. I walked down to the Main Street Cafe, a `gourmet' vegetarian restaurant, and ordered a spinach/red pesto/brie pie slice with three salads for $15. It was more than I could eat, and I stuffed myself. I took another walk downtown to let dinner settle. There, I stopped at a brew-pub, Dux DeLux, and tried their Hereford Bitter and Sou'wester Stout. Both were fine beers. I went home and turned on the TV, but was too sleepy to watch it, so I went to bed at 9 PM. It was not yet dark out. DECEMBER 7 Drive to Mt. Cook past Lake Tekapo I awoke early, at 5:30 AM. It was already becoming light, and birds were singing. I repacked my bags, separating tramping gear from my other stuff. I fixed toast and coffee for breakfast, with yogurt. I checked out at 10 AM, when the Trusty Rental man arrived with my car, a Mazda 323 with 95,000 km on it. On the way to their office, he told me I could leave the return day flexible as long as I called 48 hours in advance. He was a nice man, and gave me maps and showed me how to get to Mt. Cook. He told me I should definitely try the Shotover Jet boats when I was in Queenstown, since it was a really exciting ride. He also told me about a used camping equipment store, where I could pick up any camping supplies I needed, since camping could be an economical way to travel with a car. I carefully drove away from the office, which was no problem at first since all the roads were one-way. I stopped at the camping supply store to look for a stove. I hadn't wanted to carry one on the plane. They had propane stoves for $38. I could get one new next door for the same price, so I did, together with a couple canisters. The stoves themselves were very compact and fit into tiny pocket-sized pouches. I noticed that MSR gasoline stoves were outrageously expensive, about $150 NZ ($100 US). They said you never see these used, unless you are lucky. Driving on the left was going pretty well until I ended up in a traffic circle, which are confusing even at home. I couldn't figure out who yielded to who, so I settled for not hitting anyone, ignored the honking, and got out after twice around. There was a lot of construction along the way. The road passed through sheep pastures as it left town, separated by neat rows of trees. I stopped for lunch at a Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was reasonable, $6 for a two piece meal deal with both mashed potatoes and French fries, plus cole slaw, ice cream, and a drink. I ate it next to a table of mongoloids. Soon, the road headed inland. I stopped for groceries, figuring they would cost a fortune in Mt. Cook. The country side was green and sheepy, with mountains rising snow-capped in the distance. Yellow flowers carpeted the hillsides, and the road was lined with pink and purple mountain lupins. If the road weren't so narrow, I probably would have pulled off and taken lots of pictures. I settled for two, one at a store where I bought a brownie. It had a nice view of sheep farms and mountains in the distance. There were more construction delays and cow delays, as livestock was hearded across the road. I bought gas (petrol) in the last big town, since the rental car man warned me it would be expensive in Mt. Cook. Actually, it was expensive everywhere, about a dollar a liter here, or roughly 3 times as much as in the US. I had already used half a tank, $16 worth. Around 4 PM, I arrived at Lake Tekapo, a beautiful turquoise glacier-fed lake, which stretched out far into the distance toward the mountains. On its shore was the Church of the Good Shepherd, a favorite stop for tour buses. It is a small, quaint, stone chapel with a picture window behind the alter, overlooking the lake. The back wall had a mural. I took many pictures there, and continued stopping for pictures along the road, which followed the lake all the way to the turnoff to Mt. Cook, and then that road followed the lake again, until it dried up higher in the valley. I arrived at the YHA at 5:30, a half hour later than I had said, and checked into the dorm for $18 plus a $4 contribution toward my YHA membership. The hostel was a low, wooden building, paneled inside, and nicely designed. The common room had a wood stove, with a Christmas tree beside it. I picked up a few more things at the store, and cooked pumpkin-spinach raviolis with sauteed walnuts for dinner. Around 9PM, a storm brewed up, with really strong winds that felt like they would blow the windows in. I packed my food for tomorrow's tramping. I was planning to climb to Mueller Hut, and hoping that the weather would cooperate. I had not been able to find anything too interesting to pack for dinner on my walk. I had found instant noodles and soup, and bought fruit and cookies too. Breakfast would be `fruity porridge' with muesli bars. Lunch would be peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches with bisquits. The storm was really ferocious outside, and I was not at all optimistic about whether I could proceed as planned in the morning. DECEMBER 8 Mt. Cook: Rain and day-hikes It was still raining when I awoke at 6 AM. Most people were still asleep. I fixed breakfast, and saw a nice double rainbow behind the hostel. Then I went down to the visitor's center at 8 to check the weather forecast. My Trusty car stalled on the way, and I began to wonder about whether this was really such a good deal. Getting a car stranded here would be quite a nuisance, since I would have no choice but to get a bus to Te Anau to do the Milford and Routeburn treks before coming back to deal with the car. Fortunately, I got it started again. I probably should have warmed it up more before starting it this morning, and would be more careful in the future. At the visitor's center, they said the weather was improving, but visibility would be poor today, with some rain. But - tomorrow would be beautiful. I decided to put off my walk to Mueller Hut for a day. I still had time to do that, but would have to drive to Te Anau the same day I finished that walk to make it there in time to start the Milford Track. While at the visitor's center, I watched the slide show on Mt. Cook and the history of mountaineering in the park. I went back to the hostel and told them I would stay tonight, but not tomorrow night, since I would be at the hut then. I walked around the village in a light rain, and looked into the Hermatage, the fancy hotel in town. I bought some kiwi and sheep Christmas ornaments at the gift shop, and did a short nature walk through the dense forests. Then I read brochures at the hostel until lunch, since I still had no definite plans for most of my trip. I read about some cave trips that looked interesting in the Greymouth area, and something called "canyoning" in Wanaka, that looked really exciting. I would keep these in mind. I also read about Maori hangis: feasts cooked in the ground. I would have to try one of these sometime also. The Maori were the first settlers in New Zealand, but I had not seen any evidence of them yet. For lunch, I walked to the small cafe next to the Hermatage and had a lamb-rosemary pastry with chocolate cheesecake. They had a lot of things that looked delicious. Indeed, the meat pies and deserts were one of the nicer aspects of dining in New Zealand. They were relatively inexpensive, and made a fine lunch. The sun started to come out after lunch, and I decided to do some hikes. I went back to the hostel and read about the local day hikes. I began with a steep climb to the `Red Tarns', as small lake overlooking the valley. If it were not cloudy, there would have been a great view of Mt. Cook here. I did the `3 hour' walk in about an hour, then walked an adjoining nature trail through the forest. I went back to the hostel and asked them to make a reservation for Te Anau Sunday, since I would be getting in late after a `3 hour' return hike from Mueller Hut and the 6-8 hour drive. The office in Te Anau was closed, so I would have to wait until later. Next, I decided to explore the Tasman Valley, and drove 8 km out a gravel road to a parking area. I wanted to go to the Blue Lakes, but I thought they were further ahead, along Blue Lakes Road, which is closed to rental cars. I walked 3 km to the end of the road before realizing I was in the wrong place, and there were no lakes here. The wildflowers were nice though, and it was now warm and sunny, completely different from the weather across the ridge in Mt. Cook Village. I put on sunscreen and returned to my car, which I now knew was already in the Blue Lakes parking lot. I walked to the Blue Lakes, five in all, mostly small ponds with no outlets. Two were just big murky potholes. The first and last were the clearest and biggest. I waded in the last one briefly, and found that it was not too cold. The lake was more green than blue. Across the ridge was the end of the immense Tasman Glacier, and a walk to an overlook forked off near the first lake. The glacier was mostly gray and covered with fine rock. Next, I drove back 1 km and found the turnoff to a waterfall overlook, where I parked, and walked past a duck pond, following the river up to a viewpoint for the falls. I tried getting close to it, but it was hard work, and the view didn't improve much, since the falls was now in shadows. After exploring the Tasman Valley, I got back to the hostel at 6:30 and reserved a bed at the Te Anau hostel. I made spaghetti for dinner. The clouds had mostly lifted from Mt. Cook by now, except for a rounded `hat' on top. I took a picture, and later watched the sunset. I got back to the hostel at 9:45 at dusk, just before they locked the door for the night. If you come back later, you must know the combination to open the door. I went out a while later on the back porch to see the stars, which looked similar to those at home, though I didn't recognize any constellations except Orion. The dippers were missing, of course. DECEMBER 9 Walk to Mueller Hut After breakfast, I went down to the visitor's center to check on the weather. It was still cloudy, and I was not optimistic. But they said the clouds would burn off in the afternoon, and I should definitely go to Mueller Hut. I registered, and the man showed me an aerial photograph of the route, pointing out possible confusing spots. He said there was still a large patch of snow near the top, but it should be passable without special equipment. He said I wouldn't need any cooking equipment or utensils, just food and clothes, and toilet paper. I waited at the hostel until 10:30 to leave. The clouds still weren't lifting, and there was some light rain. I drove to the car park near the campground to save a couple km. I first walked out to Kea Point, an overlook for Hooker Glacier. Then I headed up the trail to Mueller Hut. The first half was a steep staircase, straight up the side of the cliff to a couple of tiny ponds called the Sealy Tarns. It was quite a strenuous climb. I had lunch at the Tarns, and a couple keas came to visit. These alpine parrots are notorious for stealing food and damaging equipment. They have little fear of people. I got some close pictures. Three people passed me. After the Tarns, there were no more stairs, but the route was steeper and there was really no developed trail, just a well-used eroded path. The sun came out eventually, and the clouds slowly lifted, revealing Mt. Cook. The trail was quite steep, and reminded me of some of the more difficult ones in Nepal, but fortunately at a much lower elevation. (Mueller Hut is at about 6,000 ft.) I went slow and took many pictures. My battery died, but fortunately, I had a spare. Soon, I came to the snow field, near a large yellow striped pole mentioned in the Lonely Planet tramping guide. I met an Austrian who was about to turn back because he was worried about climbing the steep snow field. I had a walking stick, so I was less concerned. I collapsed it to its shortest length to give it more strength, and followed the footsteps to the top of the ridge. Near the top, the climb was almost vertical. On top of the ridge, there were incredible views in both directions - mountains, ice, glaciers and waterfalls everywhere. The trail followed rock cairns through scree on the other side of the ridge to the hut, a small green building situated on the edge of the ridge in an exposed position. The twelve beds in the hut looked full, but someone was about to leave, and I got his space. Everyone else was up on Mt. Olivier, reached by climbing further through the scree. This 6200 ft mountain was the first peak climbed by Hillary, who is from New Zealand (probably when he was very young). I climbed it also, and returned through the snow fields along the ridge. More people had arrived, but they had been told in advance that the hut was full, and were prepared to camp out. An Irish lady arrived and said to the hut warden that someone had sprained his ankle and needed assistance getting his equipment down. She was apparently something of a legend, being the first European woman to become a certified mountain guide. I fixed dinner - beef noodle soup with more noodles (oriental) and beef and freeze-dried green beans. Some people with big orange plastic sheets, meant to be pack liners probably, took them up the hill and used them as sleds to slide down the snowfields. Afterward, most people watched the sunset, as Mt. Cook turned slightly golden and the sky took on a reddish color. At dusk, everyone went inside, and some played cards or dice. Several Americans were here, from Washington and California. The man from Washington was a pathology student. When I told him I was from Knoxville, he asked if I knew about the body farm, where a UT professor who is a leader in his field conducts body decomposition studies. I told him I knew about this, and some friends of mine had been there, but I had not seen it myself. UT has a widely-known program in forensic anthropology. After dark, I went out to see the stars again. An almost-full moon rose over the far ridge, separating Hooker and Tasman valleys. Again, the only constellation I recognized was Orion. I went to bed at 11 PM. DECEMBER 10 Drive to Te Anau I was the first in the hut to get up at 5:30 AM. The sun was just preparing to rise. Soon orange-colored rays struck the peak of Mt. Cook, and I went out to take some pictures. Then I fixed breakfast - fruity porridge with a granola bar, an orange and coffee. I started down at 7:15. When I arrived at the snowfield, a couple of people were already climbing it. The snow was harder and icy this morning. The top part was too steep to walk down without crampons, so I picked a spot with few rocks below, and slid down, using my pole as a rudder. An ice axe would have worked better, probably, but the collapsed pole was adequate. It is important to lean back while sliding, to avoid tumbling. The descent was faster and harder to control than I expected, but I didn't hit any rocks, and my pants survived the friction. In retrospect, perhaps I should have chosen a gentler route. The rest of the snowfield wasn't so steep, and I walked to the bottom. The sun was bright this morning, and I put on some sunscreen. I reached the bottom at 9:40 AM. There was still time to get my bags from storage at the YHA before they closed for the morning at 10 AM. Then I showered and went to the visitor's center to check in and pay the $14 hut fee. I got a meat pie and slice of cake for lunch at Snackpacker's in the Hermatage. I took some pictures of the field of colorful mountain lupins outside, with Mt. Cook in the background. I began the drive to Te Anau at noon. I had been told it would take six to eight hours, but in fact it took five and a half, even with a few picture stops. The YHA was on the far side of town, on the road leading to Milford. The hostel was a collection of low white buildings, again rather attractive. Sheep grazed out back. This hostel was somewhat more spacious than the last, and also new-looking, with a big commons room and a neatly organized kitchen. The bunk rooms were separate, out back. Apparently crime was not much of a problem here, because there was no sign of locks. I was fortunate to make it to the supermarket before the 6 PM Sunday closing time. It was well stocked, and I found a jar of Thai red curry paste, which would help me spice up dinner tonight. I fixed beef with peas and tomatoes with the Thai red curry paste and peanut butter, and served it over pasta. After dinner, I walked around the small town a while. Most of the businesses were together on one main street, and there were quite a few restaurants. At the end of the street was Lake Te Anau, which stretches far into the distance. The Kepler Track is in the mountains on the opposite side, and the Milford track is a long boat ride down the lake. I asked Fjordland Travel about their glow worm cave tours, and bought a Milford Track T shirt from a lady who told me, upon seeing the Smoky Mountain T shirt I was wearing, that she had once been there. I then stopped in a dairy and got a lime ice cream cone with sour fizzy candies in it, and returned to the hostel at 9 PM, going to bed around 10:30. DECEMBER 11 Te Ana-au Glow Worm Cave At breakfast, I met a couple of Australians who were planning a trip to the US and Canada to do some kayaking. I told them that east Tennessee and western North Carolina are great places for year-round kayaking. They would be spending most of their time in the west, though. It was rainy today. After breakfast, I went to the DOC Visitor's Center to check in for the Milford and Routeburn tracks and to pick up my tickets. I also bought a map and some patches, and then went to the nearby wildlife park, where there was a variety of birds in cages, including a Takehe, a big blue flightless bird thought to be extinct until one was found in 1948. I then took a walk along the lake in the light rain. Mountains were visible in the distance, through the clouds, and palm trees and yellow flowers lined the near shore. I got a ticket for the Te Ana-au glow-worm cave, and bought some supplies for the Milford Track and my dinner. I had lunch at the Jailhouse Cafe, which has good food at reasonable prices. I had salmon quiche with a huge slice of boysenberry cheesecake. Deserts were good in New Zealand, and reasonably priced. At 2 PM, I got the boat to the glow worm cave. It is a 2 1/2 hour trip, including a half hour boat ride 16 km up Lake Te Anau and then back again. The boat was full of Japanese tourists, who are very common in New Zealand. About half the time at the cave is actually spent in the visitor's center waiting for other groups to go through in the little boats. When our group entered, we walked a short way into the entrance , on a platform above the "rushing water" for which Te Ana-au cave is named. Both Lake Te Anau and the town get their names from this cave. Then we boarded boats for a short ride upstream, pulled along an overhead chain by the guide. We got off at another platform in the "Cathedral", the cave's highest room, and walked a short way past a waterfall to a second boat. Some glow worms were visible all from the start, but here, there were many more, as the boat was pulled along a chain into the dark glow-worm grotto. Glow worms shine a steady blue-green light, like little stars. The light attracts flying insects which wash into the cave, and the worms then trap them in sticky strands hanging down, so they can be eaten. The adult glow worms are a flying insect which has no digestive system and lives only long enough to mate. Often, they fly into traps of other glow worms and are eaten. The glow worm grotto had many big constellations of glow worms, and once, we pulled up for a close-up look. The tour was rather short, but it was interesting to see the glow worms. The cave only had one stalactite, a tiny one along the entrance passage. Afterward, I did more grocery shopping. I heard a song on the radio that I had heard a bell tower playing in Kathmandu last year. I had thought it was Nepali, but the words sounded Japanese. It was pretty, and I was hoping the radio would identify it. The song would remain a mystery.* There was a nice black and white cat at the hostel, and I sat with it for a while in the common room. While fixing dinner, I heard a weather forecast on TV. It didn't look too promising for the coming days, but might clear up by the weekend, when I arrived at Milford Sound. I was hoping it would clear up earlier, for when I crossed the pass on the Milford Track. While eating dinner, I watched a TV show on cooking haggis, a Scottish specialty cooked inside a sheep stomach. After dinner, I walked downtown for an ice cream cone, and returned to the hostel to pack for my trek. A documentary about the Beatles was on TV. ---- * The song is no longer a mystery. One day in February, 1998, it went through my head again, this time accompanied by Peruvian percussion. I put on a CD of "Music of the Andes" which I've had for quite a while, and found the song: "Llorando se Fue", from Bolivia. This probably accounts for the odd feeling of familiarity when I first heard it, but it was too far out of context to recognize. I'm not sure why the words sounded Japanese, but my memories of high school Spanish aren't too good. DECEMBER 12 Begin Milford Track Today I would begin walking the Milford Track. It was still raining. I checked my extra luggage in the storage room, and booked my nights in Te Anau and Queenstown between the Milford and Routeburn Tracks. It is best to book Queenstown in advance, because it is the tourist center of the South Island, and the hostel can be crowded. I let the black and white cat that lives here sleep on my lap for a while, and then went out to make some final preparations. I had vegetarian lasagna for lunch at Jailhouse Cafe, with a dark NZ beer, a Black Mac, followed by peanut-chocolate cake and a capuccino. Neil Young's "Unplugged" album was playing on the stereo. I thought I might get it some time - it was pretty good. Then I went down to the visitor's center by the lake to get the bus for the Milford Track. A half-hour ride took us to Te Anau Downs, where we boarded the boat for an hour and a half ride to the beginning of the track. It was raining most of the time. After leaving for the boat, I waited for the crowd to clear before taking a picture, and then started off along the track. There were water puddles everywhere, but the track was well-maintained and in excellent condition. I was glad I had my GoreTeX boots. Many people just had tennis shoes, and would have very wet feet. The track followed the Clinton River. About 10 minutes from the start, we passed Glade Hut, where the guided walkers stay. Then we crossed a swinging bridge and continued along the river, which was fast here with many rapids. The forest was lush with ferns and moss. The rain never let up. I tried taking some pictures, but the conditions were difficult. A big waterfall appeared through the mist across the river. We passed through the "Black Forest" and reached Clinton Forks Hut in about 2 hours, just over 8 km from the start. The hut was two buildings with 40 beds and a common room. We had gas stoves, running water, and a drying room with a stove for drying out clothes, presumably so we could soak them freshly tomorrow. There were flush toilets also. The Milford Track is famous for rain, getting around 5-8 meters a year, so rainy days are not unusual, and the drying room was well-used. I didn't have much to dry, since I had packed well, and had waterproof boots. Actually, the boots weren't as waterproof as they used to be, but they didn't leak too badly on the short walk today. There were a lot of sandflies on the screens. I hadn't noticed them much while walking. They don't bother you unless you stop. I fixed chicken with tomatoes and tomato noodles with chicken satay soup for dinner. The hut warden came in after dinner and welcomed us to the track, and checked our hut tickets. He said tomorrow would be rainy like today, and that one stream crossing could be difficult. He said the hut water and all the streams along Milford Track were safe to drink without treatment. There was no Giardia here, in spite of the signs in the toilets warning about it. Other parts of New Zealand have Giardia. We had about 60 mm of rain today. The storm is a southern one, and they are usually followed by clear weather, so it is possible that we will have decent weather to cross the pass. There was still snow on the pass, and we were warned that we would be passing through some avalanche zones tomorrow, where we should move quickly, without stopping, and spread out so that if there were an avalanche, it would not get too many people. By 10 PM, most people were already in bed. It was only shortly after dusk, and the hut was lit by gaslight. We were instructed on how to turn off the gas at the main valve, and the last person in bed would do this. I was not up much longer. Some people stayed up later playing cards. DECEMBER 13 Milford Track: Clinton Forks to Mintaro Hut When I got up at 6:30 AM, it was cloudy but not raining. Some of the mountains were now visible. I fixed the same breakfast as at Mt. Cook's Mueller Hut: fruity porridge with an orange and muesli bar and coffee. This would be my standard breakfast on all my overnight walks. I started walking at 8:30. Since there was only light rain occasionally today (better than expected), I could take a lot of pictures. When it was raining, I used my lens hood to try to keep the lens dry on my main Nikon camera. I had fast film in my cameras because of the clouds and dark forests along this track. The forest was lush, with moss hanging from everything. The ferns were gigantic. The path entered a broad, deep glacial valley, Clinton Canyon, with plenty of open views, alternating with rainforest. High waterfalls were everywhere along the valley, with water rushing down from the snowy slopes above the mists. There were enough clouds to create a mysterious atmosphere, but not so many that the views were badly obscured. MacKinnon Pass was visible ahead, at the end of the valley. We would cross it tomorrow. At one point, the trail passed through a knee-deep swampy area. I changed to my sandals to cross this, although the water was frigid. The trail was mostly quite easy and level, following the valley floor. Along the way, I made a small detour to see Hidden Lake, with a waterfall plunging into it. I met Roy here, who was tramping with his son. I had met them earlier at the Te Anau YHA. At one point I stopped to take a picture of a waterfall, resting my camera on the sign pointing to it to be sure it was steady. A while later, I entered an open field, and saw a good view ahead because the clouds were breaking up. I stopped to take a picture, but found that the film wouldn't wind. I noticed that the winder was loose because the nut goes around the shutter release button that holds it down had fallen off. This had happened to me once before, when I was hiking in the Smokies a week before going to Nepal last year. That time I was able to fix it somewhat with duct tape and find a replacement in Knoxville, before my trip to Nepal. This time, I thought I might be stuck, at least until I got to Queenstown, assuming someone there repairs cameras. I didn't see the little black nut on the ground, but it could have fallen off earlier, so I backtracked to a muddy spot where I had slipped earlier, and may have knocked it off. I didn't see it there, so I went back to the place where I took a picture of the waterfall. I was very lucky: just below the spot where I rested the camera, I found the nut. Then I continued along the trail, walking faster to make up for the half hour or so I had lost. I caught up with some people who were looking for an animal in the woods that was grunting like a pig. It turned out to be a flightless bird called a weka. I stopped for lunch at the "Bus Stop", a shelter built for people to wait in if the adjacent stream too deep to be crossed safely. This is the stream we had been warned about, but it was no problem today. The trail passed through a couple of avalanche zones, where stopping is not allowed. We had been warned about them last night, and there was still plenty of snow above the valley. The clouds had lifted pretty will by now, and the views ahead toward MacKinnon Pass were becoming impressive. We passed the guided tour lodge, and then started to climb through dense forest, until we arrived at the crystal-clear Mintaro Lake, next to Mintaro Shelter, where I would spend the night. Most people were already here (I took a lotof pictures), but I found plenty of space upstairs, and put a mattress on the floor there. This lodge also had a drying room, but it was less important today. Some people's shoes were soaked from the swampy area. It was only 3 PM, and we had plenty of daylight, so I decided to go up to MacKinnon Pass today to see if there was a view. A sign outside said it was only an hour ahead. This estimate turned out to be about right with no pack, but rather optimistic otherwise. There were a lot of switchbacks (called zigzags in New Zealand) on the climb to the pass. There were plenty of daisies near the top, and many other wildflowers. It was still cloudy, and I didn't expect much of a view, but I was surprised. When I got to the top, I found that the other side of the pass was much clearer, and the best views were in that direction anyway. There were numerous tarns (small lakes) at the pass, and a couple of keas. A monument marked the pass as well. Occasional clouds passed over, totally eliminating the visibility temporarily, but eventually I had a view in every direction. An airstrip could be seen ahead down in the valley, but there were few other signs of civilization. This was definitely an isolated spot. After about 40 minutes on top, it clouded up again, and I headed down, passing a few other people hoping to get a view on top. They may have, because the sun came out briefly for the first time in days. I reached the shelter at 5:30 and rested a while before dinner. The kitchen would be less crowded later. After dinner, the hut warden had a nature walk. By then, at 8 PM, the sky was mostly clear and the sun was shining brightly, although much of the valley was in shadows. We started on the helipad next to the hut, and were told about the history of the valley, and about the wildlife here. People were warned about the keas, which are mischievous and will peck on anything they can reach, so it was not a good idea to leave boots outside on the porch as many had done, or to hang anything too low or close to a railing. There were originally no mammals until people came. Rabbits were introduced for food, and weasels were brought in to eat the rabbits, but they ate the birds too. Rats, opossums, and other animals came as well and ate more birds. Eventually many of the odd flightless birds here were extinct. The ranger pointed out the mountain next to the pass, Mt. Balloon, and said it was named that because MacKinnon, and early explorer, thought it looked like a balloon, though it is hard to imagine why. The ranger didn't like this name, and suggested a Maori name he liked better, though it was much less memorable. The nature walk continued down toward the lake. We chewed on some peppery tasting leaves, which made your tongue hot and kind of numb. We walked out along the clear stream flowing into the lake, through a lush grassy field which was still in the sun, and the ranger told some stories. He said that until recently, there was too much snow on the pass to cross, and that early in the season, it is not unusual to make the crossing in helicopters. He also told of a time when people had to be flown in by helicopters from the previous hut, because of some floods or something, and dropped off by the river here. It was tricky, because the river was deep and wide, and there was no dry place to actually land. Later, they built the helipad next to the hut, and no longer had such problems. The ranger said that he would be getting up early tomorrow and taking a dip in the stream here. You would have to be pretty hearty to enjoy the freezing cold water, I think. We were told that the only thing accurate about the sign outside saying it was an hour to MacKinnon Pass was that it pointed in the right direction, and that we could expect the climb to take perhaps twice that tomorrow. DECEMBER 14 Milford Track: Over MacKinnon Pass I was the first one up today, at 6 AM. I had intended to get up at 5:30, since the weather would probably be best in the morning, but I set the alarm wrong and was awakened instead by a kea squawking in the window over my bed. It was still clear, but some clouds were gathering up on the ridges, so I ate breakfast quickly while everyone else slept, and got on the trail at 6:50. Still, only a couple of people were stirring. I made it to the pass at about 8 AM. So it didn't take me much longer with a pack than without. It was 38 degrees F and windy, with some clouds and occasional sun. I stayed at the pass for about an hour until then next people arrived. The view down Clinton Canyon, along the path we had walked, was better today, but the view across the ridge to the north-west was cloudier. The wind was opposite yesterdays, coming from across the ridge. Just after 9:00, a big rain cloud blew onto the pass and stayed. It got cold and rainy, with no visibility, and stayed that way as I followed the ridge to the pass shelter. There were two rooms at the shelter: one for independent trampers and one for guided walkers. For a long time, I was the only one here. I fixed a cup of coffee on the gas stove inside, and put on warmer waterproof clothes. I stayed a while, as people slowly assembled here, waiting for the weather to improve. Gradually, the small hut became quite crowded. After waiting until almost noon, the view down Clinton Canyon cleared up nicely, but it was still cloudy and rainy across the ridge, where we were headed. I was glad I got up early, because most who came later didn't get much of a view. I started down the other side of the pass in a heavy wind and driving rain. One of the smaller girls looked like she would blow away, and friends held onto her. The main track crosses an avalanche zone, so we had been told to take a detour down an "emergency trail", which was very steep, muddy and treacherous, nothing like the easy, well-graded trails found along the rest of the Milford Track. In some places there were ropes along the trail, so people would have something to hold onto in case they slipped on the steep muddy banks high above the creek. Usually, they were not positioned well enough to be very useful. It was a beautiful route though, following a creek much of the way past an almost continuous succession of waterfalls. Some of the guided walkers caught up with me. They start an hour behind, but I had sat at the pass hut a long time, and was stopping to take many pictures of waterfalls. These people were easily recognized by their yellow raincoats and tiny packs. Taking photos was difficult in the rain. I could not keep my lens clear of fog, with all the humidity, and keeping rain off the lens was difficult as well because I had misplaced my lens hood yesterday. But the waterfalls were impressive, and I made many attempts, steadying the camera wherever possible. All the ferns, including high fern trees that looked like palms, were impressive as well. Eventually, the emergency route rejoined the main track, and reached Quinlan Hut, where the guided walkers would stop. There is a day-use hut here for independent trampers to leave their packs while making the side trip to Sutherland Falls, a highlight of the track. The walk to the falls is about 45 minutes each way. It is an impressive falls, 850 meters high, and on approach, it sounds like an airplane taking off. A sign showed the point where you were 850 meters from the falls, so you could get a feeling for the size of it.You can walk right into the spray at the base of the falls, where a strong wind drives the spray outward from the base with great force. Photographing the immense falls was a challenge. From up close, it was impossible due to the spray. Further back, there was still the usual problem with the rain and humidity. I used many lens tissues trying to keep my lens dry. It is probably no accident that photos of the Milford track rarely appear in books. And no picture could capture the feeling of power coming from the wind and roar of the falls. Actually, though, the most impressive views of it would be from the air, which is the only way you can see the lake hanging on the edge of the valley above, from which it falls. After arriving back at Quinlan Hut, there was still an hour walk, gently downhill, to Dumpling Hut. My GoreTex boots were now leaking badly, and I stopped to wring the water out of my socks and insoles before continuing. I was the last one to arrive at Dumpling Hut, due to my frequent and probably futile attempts at photography. I stayed in the lower hut, since the upper one with the cookers and drying room was already full. When I took a close look at my camera, I could see that the lens was thoroughly fogged, both internally and externally. The hut warden came in at 8 PM, just after I finished dinner. He gave us the usual safety and cleanliness talk, and told us about tomorrow's walk to meet the boat at the end of the track. The walk would take about six hours, and we would have to be careful not to miss the last boat at 3 PM. It was expected that the independent trampers, staying ahead of the guided walkers, would probably be able to actually make the 2 PM boat. The forecast for tomorrow simply said "rain". Tonight, I tried to dry out my fogged camera lens by putting it in a plastic bag with some silica gel from my binoculars, and taking it to bed with me to gently warm it. I was not sure it would recover from this, and I was glad I had a backup camera, the small Vivitar I was using to take slides. I went to bed at 9:45 expecting to get an early start tomorrow. I set my alarm for 5:30 and slept with my camera lens. DECEMBER 15 Milford Track: Dumpling Hut to Milford Sound I was again the first one up when I arose at 6 AM. My camera lens defogged overnight, and it was now clear outside. I decided I would go back to a viewpoint for Sutherland Falls I had seen yesterday, about 2 miles back, near the airstrip I had seen from MacKinnon Pass. I would take a picture in the clear weather before heading on. By the time I finished breakfast, several others were up, and everyone was up soon after. I left at 7:20, going the wrong way, without my pack. Since everyone normally walks the Milford Track in the same direction, this must have looked rather odd to anyone who saw me. Some others set off toward Sandfly Point, the end of the track 11 miles down the valley. There is a definite time constraint today, since the last boat leaves at 3:00. We were told to leave by 8:30 to make it in time, if we kept an average pace. I walked quickly back to the Sutherland Falls viewpoint I had in mind, passing several of the guided walkers along the way. In fact, I think I passed all of them at about the time I got to where I took the pictures. It would not be easy to get a good picture because it was so sunny, and the falls were in shadows, mostly. I took some pictures at different exposures and then hurried back, since I was now the last one on the trail to Sandfly Point. I arrived at Dumpling Hut at about the same time as most of the guided walkers, so I didn't think I would be too late. I retrieved my pack and continued on while the guided walkers took a short break. Leaving at 9:05, I had six hours to cover 11 miles. It was a beautiful day, the first on the track that could be said for. The views of the surrounding mountains and valley were outstanding. I took many pictures. It was annoying having to keep a schedule on a day like this. It was a few miles before I caught up with any of the independent walkers. I overtook them at a long bridge just beyond the guided walk's tea house, but they passed me again when I took some pictures. I stopped a while at MacKay Falls, which was one of the most beautiful falls I've seen, pouring through gracefully carved rocks lined with ferns. The hut warden had told us that even if we thought we had seen enough waterfalls to last a lifetime by now, this one was worth the short side trip. There were plenty of fern trees along the track. We followed the river most of the way, until it became a lake. Then it was a river again. Much of the trail followed board walks over swampy areas, but there were some deep muddy sections where the trail crossed avalanche paths. Some of the avalanches are actually "tree avalanches", where a whole section of the trees which cling to each other's roots over the rocky cliffs gives way in a rain storm. The sun was bright, and for the first time on this walk, I used sunscreen. I arrived at the lunch stop at Giant's Gate, a waterfall, at 12:30. There were some shelters here in case of rain, and a number of the independent walkers were gathered here. I was still ahead of most of the guided walkers. It was still an hour and a half to Sandfly Point, so it looked like I would make the 3 PM boat easily. However, my feet were becoming sore, since my boots never really dried out properly, and since I had to walk a total of 16 miles today because of my detour at the beginning. Mile markers along the track made it easy to monitor one's progress, so it was not hard to adjust the pace as needed. I was walking rather quickly toward the end. I arrived at Sandfly Point at 2:15, with plenty of time to spare. There was a building here to wait in, and a sign hung with boots marking the end of the track, 33.5 miles from the start on Lake Te Anau. The boat arrived at 2:45. Most passengers on this one were guided walkers, since they started an hour behind. The boat ride across Milford Sound was spectacular, with clear views of the conical Mitre Peak, said to be the most-photographed mountain in New Zealand. I was planning to stay at Milford Lodge, the budget accomodations in town, where I had reservations at the dormitory. They sent a van to meet the boat at the visitor's center. Two of us went to the dormitory, where we met another person, a German who had been diving in the sound. He said it was an interesting place to dive, because there are several meters of fresh water on top of the salt water, and many species of coral and other deep-sea life can be found surprisingly close to the surface. He also told me that he had walked the Hollyford Track, and enjoyed it because it was isolated and had lots of wildlife, such as penguins, along the coast. The Milford Track was a bit touristy and expensive for his tastes. A lot of people avoid it for that reason, and because it is so tightly controlled. Milford is a tiny town, and the only things there are the Visitor's Center, Milford Hotel, and Milford Lodge, which is quite a way from the center of things, actually. The Lodge had meals starting at 6. This was good, since there was no store in town. I had fish and chips. After dinner, I played pool with the other tramper in my dorm, an Israeli named Orey (spelling?), and then took a walk down to Milford Hotel, about 20 minutes down the road. Some pretty purple flowers bloomed along the way. The sky was still clear at sunset. I was hoping sunset would be over the sound, but actually it was in a different direction. Still, it was very pretty, and I sat there until dusk, taking some pictures by the waterfront. I walked back to the Lodge, stopping a while to look around the fancier Milford Hotel, which has a relatively expensive restaurant and bar. I talked to Orey in the common room for a while before going to bed at 10 PM. The generator is supposed to be turned off at 10:30, so there was no point staying up much longer. DECEMBER 16 Milford Sound I slept late, getting up at 9 AM. I had to leave before 10:00 to catch the 10:30 cruise I had reserved. I ordered a continental breakfast at the lodge: all the toast, cereal and coffee you wanted for $4. I didn't have much time, so after breakfast, I packed quickly and walked rapidly to the visitor's center. It was a long way, and it took me 20 minutes to half-run with my pack to the Red Boats desk, arriving at 10:25. They told me the boat had already boarded, and the next one was at 11:00, but the boat was still in dock, so they let me board it. The Israeli, Orey, was on board, with less than a dozen other passengers. I didn't have to worry about the boat being full. Orey wondered why I had brought my pack, but I said I did not want to walk all the way back to Milford Lodge afterward, when I could get the bus at the visitor's center. It was cloudy and a little rainy today, more typical Milford weather than yesterday's clear skies. The peaks were in clouds today. The cruise went out into the sound, a fjord technically, and we saw a number of waterfalls and a rock with seals. We went to the mouth of the sound, where the Tasman sea was visible, with a large rock ahead which was said to be on another continental plate. The beaches here were supposed to be a good source of greenstone, the local jade which was prized by the Maori. Collecting it is illegal. We turned inland into the narrow passage, saw some more seals, and stopped to see Stirling Falls, where the captain backed the boat directly under it for a wet closeup view. My eyeglass lens popped out while viewing the falls, and I was glad I had brought my pack, since I had a repair kit in it. Milford sound is unusual because all the rain makes a 10 meter layer of fresh water (at most) over the salt water. An observatory was built on the sound to allow the unusual marine life, which normally is found much deeper, to be seen from a submerged platform. You have to get a special boat to visit that. After we returned to the dock at 12:15, I walked out the board walk to Bowen Falls, which supplies hydroelectric power to Milford. Later, I met Orey at the pub, where we had pizza and beer. Orey then walked back to Milford Lodge to get his stuff and wait for the bus, while I walked over to the Visitor's Center, which actually wouldn't have been necessary since the bus stops at the pub also. The bus arrived at 2:45, and I boarded and was given a "Certificate of Achievement" from the Bus Company, Mt. Cook Landlines, for completing the Milford Track. Some people were a bit embarrassed by this. The bus left at 3, and forgot to stop at Milford Lodge, so it missed Orey and the German. There would be a later bus, however. The ride back was very scenic. There was a long tunnel, narrow and roughly finished, at the pass. On the other side, the bus stopped briefly to let people out for a view. Some mountain bikes were lying in the parking area, and a kea was busy pecking at the tires. We arrived at Te Anau at 5:15. I was happy to find that my car still started. Back at the hostel, I looked through menus to find an interesting restaurant. I picked Red Cliff Cafe, with an interesting gourmet menu. The front room is a bar. I sat in the small restaurant in the back. I had "Kiwi" onion soup (French onion soup with a cute name), followed by Algerian chicken over couscous with apricots and nuts a leafy garnish and a ring of mint sauce. The presentation was attractive. I also had a Speight's Old Dark, my favorite of the common beers I had tried so far in New Zealand. For desert, I had chocolate-strawberry cake. It all came to about $30 NZ, about the equivalent of $20 US, including tax. Later I stopped at the dairy to get some laundry soap, and had a hokey pokey ice cream cone too (hokey pokey is a kind of brownish aerated hard candy). Then I returned to the hostel and did laundry. I talked to Roy, who I had met earlier here, and who was on the Milford Track, for a while. I finished laundry fairly late, and went to bed. DECEMBER 17 Drive to Queenstown Today was relatively clear and sunny. I packed and headed toward Queenstown. On the way out of Queenstown, I planned to stop by the lake again for some more pictures in the nice weather. I saw Orey along the road hitchhiking, and gave him a ride. We stopped at the Wildlife Park by the lake, and went to a pretty spot with palm trees and yellow flowers to take a picture in the sunshine. I also took more pictures of the takehe birds. On the way to Queenstown, we talked about the English system of measurements vs metric. I dropped Orey off in the center of Queenstown. He had been here before. Queenstown is much larger than Te Anau, with many shops and booking agents for the local tourist attractions. This is the tourist center of the South Island. There were many traffic circles, making driving confusing. I saw some familiar fast food restaurants, including a McDonalds, a KFC, and a Pizza Hut. Queenstown had gotten a lot of rain recently, and the lake had flooded. Some streets were still under water. The YHA is a big one, on the edge of town near the shore of the lake. When unpacking, I realized I had left most of my food in the kitchen at Te Anau, so I went shopping for some more. The supermarket here was not too impressive, but adequate. I had everything I needed for the Routeburn walk, fortunately. I walked into town, and stopped at a gourmet vegetarian cafe for an olive-feta pizza. I found the DOC office, and bought my bus tickets for the Routeburn Track at the office next door. They were rather expensive, due to the long five-hour ride back, which cost $45 on a Kiwi Experience bus. I also stopped in a big information/booking center and made a reservation for a ride on the Shotover Jet boat upon return from the Routeburn Track. Later, I went up the gondola for a view of the city and lake and the Remarkables, the nearby craggy mountain range. It was now clear and sunny, and the views from the building at the top of the gondola were fine, with the sun shining on the bright turquoise lake below. This was supposed to be the best gondola in New Zealand. It would be possible to walk to the top also. I stayed on top of the mountain for a while, and had a venison pie with ginger beer and capuccino, and then wrote a couple of post cards to my brother and parents. I found some interesting circular stamps to mail them. I went back down to town around 5:30 and mailed the cards at the post office. Then I walked around town a while before going home to fix dinner and pack for the Routeburn Track. A couple of men from Minnesota in my dormitory room had just returned from the Routeburn Track, and had gotten very wet. I went to bed at 11PM. Roy was here now, staying in the same dorm room. His family was in another room. I set my alarm for 6 AM, since I would be getting a Backpacker's Express bus to the Routeburn Track at 8 AM. DECEMBER 18 Begin Routeburn Track I got up at 6 AM, finished packing, and had breakfast. The dining room in the hostel had a long row of windows overlooking the lake through the trees. I checked some bags with the hostel and waited for the 8:00 van. It stopped once at a viewpoint overlooking the lake on the way to Glenorchy. There, we waited until other vans came at 9 AM to take people to the Routeburn, Greenstone, and Rees-Dart tracks. We waited outside a camp store. Some people had come here to ride horses also. Broad, grassy fields were all around. It was a beautiful, clear morning when we arrived at the trailhead. An impressive view of mountains and a waterfall could be seen ahead. I took a number of pictures, and got started a while after the others had departed. I began walking at 10:45, crossing a swinging bridge over the clear, blue Routeburn River. The trail followed the river for a while, and began climbing through the forest. I thought the forest was in some ways similar to the Smokies, with large trees, and very lush, but not as dense and mossy as the Milford rainforest. There were a lot of conifers, and in a way, I was reminded of the forests in the western US. I eventually passed a few of the other walkers, and followed the clear, turquoise river past some nice rapids to a broad, flat grassy field, Routeburn Flats, where some people were fishing. I was the first to arrive at Routeburn Flats Hut, apparently, and I had lunch there. The day was too beautiful to stay there, so I packed a day sack (the top of my pack converts into a fanny pack) and headed up toward Harris Saddle, the high point of the track. I didn't expect weather this beautiful to last long in New Zealand. I set out at 1:30 PM, with plenty of daylight left, and began a fairly steep climb, arriving at Routeburn Falls hut at 2:15, in half the time the sign said. On the way, I saw a small mammal I didn't recognize. Mammals are rare in New Zealand, so I made note of this. The only land mammals in New Zealand before people were bats. Routeburn Falls Hut wasn't open yet when I made my reservations, due to snow damage. Otherwise, it would be the preferred place to stay, being closer to Harris Saddle, and having a fine view of Routeburn Flats below. Those who made reservations later were able to stay here, however, so the hut would be full tonight. A hut for the guided walkers, who pay a lot of money to have meals prepared for them, and hot showers and other amenities, was just up the hill from Falls Hut. Routeburn Falls was a long one, with many separate parts going on up the hill. The most interesting section poured into a long, narrow canyon. I climbed down into it and took some pictures, and then headed on up the trail, leaving the forest behind. Now the trail passed through open brush, going around a wide, wet tussock valley and climbing up toward the saddle. It looked a lot like the American West Now, in the high mountain valleys. After climbing a bit, a big, clear green lake became visible. The trail followed a narrow ledge above the lake, coming now to some snow patches. The view out over the lake was incredible, back down the valley, beyond Routeburn Flats (now looking very far away), and out to distant mountain ranges. Around the corner was Harris Saddle, with a small, low A-frame shelter for day use, and spectacular views of the mountains on the other side, across the Hollyford Valley. There were numerous small tarns on the saddle. A small peak, Conical Hill, rose next to the saddle, and a sign said it was an hour to the top. It was an extremely steep trail, and avoiding snow was not easy. I went off to the side for a while, and climbed up the tussock slopes, which was itself rather difficult, because the grass can be slippery, and this was not a place where you would want to slip. I rejoined the trail above the snow patch. Now the trail became steeper, and following the orange and white posts to the top was challenging. The view on top was definitely worth the climb. To the west, at the end of the Hollyford Valley, the Tasman Sea could be seen in the distance. Mountains could be seen in all directions. Another person came up shortly afterward. I got him to take a picture, and I took some of him with his video camera. Then I headed down around 6 PM, stopping to take some pictures of a kea, and leaving the saddle at 6:30 as shadows began to fill the valleys. No one else was around now. There would still be over three hours of daylight, so getting back was no problem, though it was a shame to have to leave this spot on such a beautiful day. I walked back down quickly, arriving at the lodge at 8:15. I found three Germans at the lodge, but no one else. Crowding would not be a problem tonight. I fixed dinner, and the hut warden came in to check our hut tickets. She warned us that mice were around, and we should hang our food tonight. I asked her about the animal I had seen earlier, and she said it was a stoat, a small carnivore. I had seen it not far above the hut, and she was surprised there was one so close, since she had not seen any nearby. Mammals are generally considered to be a nuisance here, since they were introduced by people, and eat the native birds. The warden was impressed that I had walked all the way to the saddle and back this afternoon. Actually, I think that with an early start in the summertime, Harris Saddle would not be unreasonable to do as a dayhike from the Glenorchy side. DECEMBER 19 Routeburn Flats to MacKenzie Lake across Harris Saddle I got up at 7:30, after the Germans. It was sunny again, and I had breakfast and got on the trail at 9 AM. Everything up to the saddle was familiar from yesterday, except that the lighting was now from the east instead of the west. Today there were high-altitude ice clouds, some in interesting oval shapes. I arrived at the Harris Saddle Shelter at 11 AM, just before the group on the guided walk. They have kerosene cookers and water in a locked closet here so the guided walkers can have tea. The Hollyford Valley was a little cloudier than yesterday, with clouds lining the mountain ridges across the valley. I decided to climb Conical Hill again. Since I knew a good route already, it was faster today. The Tasman Sea was still visible, at Martin's Bay. I stayed on top a while, and then had lunch at the saddle hut, relaxing in the sun a while before continuing on. After dropping a ways on the other side of the saddle, the trail remained relatively level, following the Hollyford Valley, high above it. There were no trees to block the views. Some blue-roofed buildings were visible next to the river below, along Hollyford Road. You didn't really get the feeling of being quite as isolated here as on the Milford Track, and a couple of roads could be seen. The trail started to climb some more, and you could see all the way back down the valley to Martin's Bay again. At one point, the trail passed under an overhang. Steep cliffs often dropped off sharply to the right. A "Deadman's Route" led steeply down into the valley from the track, without clear markings. Turning a corner, MacKenzie Lake became visible far below, with MacKenzie lake on its shore. This was today's destination. The trail followed along more steep cliffs, the kind that made a friend of mine afraid of heights during an earlier trip here. The trail was steep in places, and I passed some people who were making unusually slow, cautious progress, clearly concerned about falling. The track descended gently down switchbacks ("zigzags" in New Zealand), entered a forest, and arrived at the lake near the hut. This forest was denser and mossier than the one on the other side of the saddle, and reminded me more of the Milford rainforests. The lake still covered part of the trail, and a detour was marked by orange plastic arrows through the forest. It was a rather long detour, climbing over tree roots and mossy rocks, but it was beautiful with the sunlight filtering down through the leaves. I arrived at the hut at 5:30. The kitchen and bunk house were in separate buildings, although I noticed later that there were also some beds upstairs from the kitchen through an outside stairway. The bunk house was large, but densely packed, with double-level sleeping shelves, not individual beds like at Flats Hut or Falls Hut. It was about 2/3 full, and I found room on the bottom shelf. I fixed dinner, and met a couple from Aukland. The man was a physics teacher. We talked a little about physics and the internet, since I am a particle physicist myself, and part-owner of an internet service provider VIC in Knoxville. We also talked a while about the US. I also met some Canadians. I ran into the hut warden outside and gave him my ticket. Then he went around the hut collecting tickets. He said it would be cloudy tomorrow, and rain late in the day as the current high moved out and a low came in from the north. I met a couple of people on the porch who had been to Nepal several times. They mentioned how Kathmandu had changed. I agreed that the air was very bad now, and that if something isn't done, tourists will not want to stay in Thamel any more. As we talked, the sun began to set, so I hurried to the bunkhouse to get my cameras. The sunset was beautiful, with the clouds above the mountains to the west turning bright orange briefly. I was one of the first to notice this, so I was able to get a few pictures from down by the lake before the sky faded. Later, I talked to a Canadian for a while. He studied paleo-botany once, and was fascinated by the many ancient plant species in New Zealand, especially the "monkey tail puzzle" plant, which is an early conifer. It has broad leaves all down the stems, encircling them, and an unprotected seed-fruit at the end, with no actual cone around it. They are popular shrubberies in New Zealand. DECEMBER 20 End of Routeburn Track I wanted to get an early start today, because rain was predicted in the afternoon. I was one of the first up at 6:30, and finished breakfast and was ready to go at 8:30. A sign outside said it was a four hour walk to the Divide, where the trail meets the road between Te Anau and Milford. The same sign said it was a three and a half hour walk up to Harris Saddle, which seemed odd, since the sign at Harris Saddle said it was a four hour walk down to here. It was cloudy, but not raining, as I set out through the forest, passing the guided walker's luxury hut. There were occasional views down the Hollyford Valley, all the way to the sea. A very two-dimensional-looking triangular peak was visible among the mountains ahead. I thought it must be Pyramid Peak. The trail went up and down, passing through an open spot with a lake, known as "the Orchard", although the trees were beech, not fruit trees. The trail later passed close to the bottom of a large waterfall, Earland Falls. Its spray made the trail very wet here, and taking pictures close to it was tricky. The trail continued down to Howden Hut at the intersection with the Greenstone Track, which gives an alternate ending to the Routeburn Walk, leading back toward Glenorchy. A short climb beyond was Key Summit. A few other people were here. It was only an hour or less from the Divide, so it makes a popular day hike. There is a nature trail on top. Many backpackers leave their packs at the trail junction, but this is risky when there are keas about (I saw some). Keas will peck at anything, so I left my pack on and climbed to the summit. There were many zigzags and it was windy, but the climb was not steep. I had seen the zigzags yesterday from the ridge near Harris saddle. From the top, there was a long view down Hollyford valley, including the blue-roofed buildings seen yesterday, as well as an airstrip and road. The high valley I had walked from, at McKenzie Lake, was also visible to the right of the Hollyford Valley, as well as the trail I followed yesterday from the saddle. I picked up a guide card for the Alpine Nature Walk on top. The cards were sturdy and hefty, to stand up to the weather. Signs marked the sights along the way. I followed the nature trail, which pointed out many features of the tarns and tundra, and then followed a ridge walk which went out a long way across the tundra, giving views of a lake in the hanging valley in the mountains across the way. I saw a couple of other people from MacKenzie hut here as well. The "10 minute" walk mentioned on the sign was actually much longer. The ridge was muddy with many bogs. Finally, I arrived at a high point where the trail ended, but I went a little further down through a tussock and boulder field for a view of a big lake I had a glimpse of across the ridge, which I believe I had seen as well from Conical Peak. I stopped there and had lunch, with no one else around. There was a lot of wind on the ridge. I turned back, not wanting to be late for the bus, and encountered a large group of Japanese tourists without packs as I approached the Nature Trail. I passed more day hikers on the way down the zigzags, and many more on the main track. The forest became denser and more like the Milford forest, though I saw few fern trees here. Going down the final switchbacks, the road soon became visible. I reached the bottom at around 2:30, a half hour before my bus was scheduled to arrive. The sandflies were really annoying here, though I never found sandfly bites to be very itchy. A number of people were waiting, including two unsuccessful hitchhikers. The Kiwi Experience bus stopped at 3:15, fifteen minutes behind schedule. It makes daily sightseeing trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back. Kiwi Experience is one New Zealand's "alternative bus" companies, which cater to more casual, and perhaps younger tourists, and try to stop to do interesting things along the way. The bus was brightly painted with a mural, as is common for these busses. There were flags, fuzzy dice, and stuffed bungy-jumping kiwis hanging inside the windshield. The driver was barefoot, and wearing a tank top and sunglasses. The hitchhikers gave up and reluctantly paid the $45 fare back to Queenstown. Tapes of classic rock (60's - 70's mostly) played on the way. We stopped briefly to see Mirror Lakes, which had mountain lupins blooming along the shore. We arrived in Te Anau at 4:40, and had a break there until 5:00. I thought about going back to the hostel for my food, but it was a long walk, and it was hot and sunny now. I decided it wasn't worth the trouble, and got an ice cream cone at the dairy instead. On the way out of Te Anau, we went up a gravel road to a viewpoint overlooking the town and lake. The driver said he had just discovered this place recently. The hill was in the middle of sheep fields, but was marked by signs and had a locator on top showing features of the landscape. On the trip back to Queenstown, the driver showed a video of "The Lion King". The bus made a few stops in Queenstown, getting to the YHA at about 7:15. Then, I showered and changed and went out to eat. I went down to a pedestrian mall in the center of town, and chose a pizza bar, Winnie Bagoe's, because of their interesting pizza selection. I ordered a "tandoori lamb" pizza, which included broiled spiced lamb, chutney, and minted yogurt toppings. I had a Black Mac to go with it. There was live jazz in the bar, and the roof was open. It was attached to hydraulic cylinders that allow it to be lifted on a nice day like this one. By the time I finished dinner around 10 PM, most of Queenstown was closed. Except for bars, things don't stay open very late in New Zealand, even in the resort towns. Not seeing any place to get an interesting desert, I walked back to the hostel and went to bed. DECEMBER 21 Queenstown: Bungy Jumping I was scheduled to ride the Shotover Jet boat today at 9 AM. But when I arrived at the departure desk, they said it was raining on the river, so the trips were canceled for now. It would be very unpleasant to ride the fast boats in the rain, since it would hit your face like bullets. I tried rebooking for 10:00 and 10:30, but it was still raining, and looking worse rather than better. I was reluctant to give up though, since the man at Trusty Rentals had said it was an exciting ride. However, it was becoming very clear that this was going to be futile. As I waited in the booking center, called "the Station", I began to get some other ideas. A.J. Hackett's Bungy Jumping booking desk was on the other side of the center, so I stopped at their counter and asked for some information. The do jumps in any weather. I booked a 1:30 PM trip to Skipper's Canyon, which was a special today for $100 NZ. This trip included two jumps from the 229 foot Skipper's Canyon bridge, and jeep transport out the rough road along the Shotover river gorge, about an hour each way. The trip would take all afternoon, with six jumpers. For lunch, I had a salmon quiche and capuccino at Neff Cafe. I checked in at the bungy counter at 1 PM to be weighed and sign in. I weighed 83 kg, and this was marked on my hand. Eight passengers boarded the jeep, including one jumper's father, who was just watching, and a driver-in-training, who was going to get some instruction on driving the jeep road. The narrow dirt road was wide enough for just one vehicle. When another came by, someone had to pull over or back up. The canyon drops off steeply at the side of the road, which was very twisty. It was built by Chinese laborers during the 1880's gold rush. They were allowed to stake claims after two years of working for free. We passed the remains of a couple old pubs, and some former hydraulic mining sites. We also passed the "pipeline", a new bungy site from a pipe 102 meters over the river. This pipe was put in just two years ago for bungy jumping, though historically there had been a water pipe here. Finally, we arrived at the bridge. Another group was just finishing, and the rain had mostly stopped by now. I took pictures of a couple of jumpers. Then, fourth in line, I was fitted with a harness which would be used to pull me back up after jumping. It included a climber's seat harness plus a chest harness, both attached to a locking carabiner. When my turn came, I took off my glasses and crawled out onto the platform hanging from the side of the bridge. I sat in an enclosed area, where a towel was wrapped around my ankles, and webbing was tied tightly around the towel, with a carabiner attached. This was then connected to the bungy cord, a thick bundle of many tiny rubber strands. My main concern at the time was that someone would knock my glasses off the bridge. I got some instructions, and scooted my feet out to the edge of the platform. It looked really far down, and I was reluctant to let go of the railing, afraid of falling even though I was about to jump. Then they told me to smile and wave at the camera on the right. I did, and they counted down from 5, and I jumped, in a forward diving motion. Falling freely felt really weird. Although I knew the cord was back there, I couldn't feel it, because it was a couple of seconds before it offered any resistance. My thought was that whatever was going to happen, there was nothing I could do about it now. As the river rushed closer, the cord yanked hard and I bounced high up again. This happened a few more times. When the bouncing stopped, they slid a rope with a heavy ring and a carabiner attached down the cord. When I felt it hit my feet, I reached up and grabbed it and hooked it to the carabiner on my harness. Then I gave the two-thumbs-up sign as instructed. I wondered if anyone had ever dropped the carabiner while trying to connect them, since it would not be impossible. A truck on the bridge pulled me up. Eventually I turned upright. I had to throw the bungy cord over my shoulder a couple of times as it got twisted around the rope. At the top, they helped me onto the platform and asked if I wanted to go again. I could have settled for a free T-shirt and the one jump, but I wanted to do it again. This time I jumped backwards. They connected the bungy cord for a backwards jump and checked everything. Then I eased my heels over the edge, waved to the camera, and dived off backwards. This time my view was of the receding bridge as I fell. It felt just as weird as before, but seemed longer this time. Then I bounced a few times, and started to spin around a lot. By the time the carabiner slid down, I was a somewhat disoriented. I connected it and put my thumbs up. They seemed to be taking their time, but eventually pulled me up. The bungy cord was much more tangled this time because of all the spinning, and I had to keep throwing the heavy cord over my shoulder. Finally I reached the top and was disconnected. They asked what I did for a living, and I said I was a physicist. The guy was wondering how fast the fall was. I've read that it was around 140 miles per hour, but didn't really know. They also said I looked tense on the way down, and wondered if I enjoyed it. I told them that jumping made me nervous, but it was a lot of fun. The next person after me, a German, was afraid of heights, and was not sure he would go. He got ready to jump and went to the edge, but would not jump after the countdown. He went back and sat down for a minute before trying again. He still could not jump, and gave up. One more person jumped just as it started raining again. Then we began the jeep ride back to town. Two people were planning to catch the last run of the Shotover Jet at 6:00, and we radioed to check on it, but after running a few times, they had stopped again due to more rain. I rebooked for 11AM tomorrow, though the forecast looked bad. The Bungy center put on a video of our jumps. You could get a souvenir package with a video, T shirt and four photos for about $70, and I ordered one. I went back to the YHA to change clothes for dinner, and came back at 7:30 to get my souvenir package. Then I went looking for an interesting restaurant. The Moa Cafe had an interesting menu, but was closed tonight for a party. The Stonewall Cafe looked good and displayed a lot of awards, but I ended up choosing the somewhat less formal Chico's Grill upstairs, because it had a more interesting menu. In fact, both had similar prices and atmosphere, being located in an old stone building. Chico's gave a free beer or wine with dinner, and I ordered a Streight's Old Dark to go with my venison medallions, which were served with chutneys and surrounded by fried kumara (local sweet potato) and pumpkin strips. It was very good. Afterward, I stopped in Moa's to see what the party was like, but the band was still setting up. A couple of other bars had bands tonight also. I looked at a cafe for desert, but at 9:30, many were already closed. I found a nice chocolate mousse cake with ice cream at the Jazz Cafe, a tiny place with a small counter open to the sidewalk. Around 10:00 I returned to the YHA and went to bed. DECEMBER 22 Shotover Jet, drive to Wanaka I got up at 6:30, after everyone else in the room for a change. Surprisingly, it was sunny and warm today. I had breakfast and went down to the Shotover Jet counter at The Station to see about getting a boat while the weather was good, but was told that the river was too high today due to yesterday's rain. When my time came at 11 AM, it was still too high, and I rebooked for 2:30 PM to try again. I wandered around the shops a while. I went back to the hostel, and then across the street to St. Omer's park, which begins downtown and runs along the lake shore. It was still somewhat flooded, with some benches, trees and picnic tables under water. I took my shoes off and walked along the grassy shore. The water was cold, but it was hot and sunny. I sat for a while on a bench next to the water and caught up on my journal. There were some ducks in the park. People probably fed them because a family of ducks came up to me, and a little one tried pecking on my toe. I walked downtown around 1:30 and had lunch at a Lebanese sidewalk cafe, Habebe. I had a tasty vege-lentil pie with hummus and hot chile sauce, a cinnamon-tomato green bean salad, and a chocolate square. At 2 PM I checked on Shotover boats, and found that they were now running. At 2:30, I boarded the bus to the river, a short way out of Queenstown at Arthur's Point. The ride began near the entrance of Shotover Canyon, a short narrow section of the river with steep, jagged rock walls. When we arrived at the Shotover Jet center, it was no longer clear, but not raining. We were given black raincoats, and boarded the boats, which held 10 passengers. The driver gave some instructions, especially to hold on tight when he waves his finger in a circle to indicate that we were about to do a 360 degree "Shotover spin". The river was high today, and silty, which makes the boat harder to control. That is why they do not run when the river is too high. Normally the river is bright turquoise, but today it was brownish-gray. The boat took off fast upstream, then quickly turned and passed the dock for a photo, then rushed on down into the canyon. The driver buzzed many rocks along the way, coming within inches of them at high speed. This is the kind of maneuver that makes the ride so exciting. The cruising speed of the boats was said to be 55 km/h. There were some minor rapids on the river, which made a bumpy ride. I brought a waterproof camera and attempted to take some pictures. It was probably too dark for them to come out well, since it was now cloudy. The ride continued beyond the canyon, through some narrow passages and under trees, making occasional 360 degree spins. We waited a while for another boat to come down before heading back up the river. The driver explained how the boat works, expelling 300 liters per second out a nozzle in back. We had a wild ride back up the river and through the canyon, spinning at the dock. We went upstream until we got to some real class 2-3 rapids, at a point where we saw a tunnel which carried part of the river on the side. We were told that rafts can go through the tunnel. We then made one last quick run through the canyon and returned to dock. The whole ride lasted less than a half hour, but was very exciting. It would have been more interesting if we had gone through some real rapids. In fact, most of what I saw on the Shotover River, today and on the jeep ride yesterday, was fast-moving class 1-2 water with an occasional class 3 maybe. Someone told me there were some bigger rapids, and this must be true since it is a popular rafting river. The boat driver said there are more rapids in high water, so today's ride was actually bumpier than usual, but they don't buzz as many rocks because silt makes the boat harder to maneuver precisely. I thought we still buzzed plenty, though. Upon return to Queenstown, at about 3:30, I went to the hostel to get my car, and drove back to Shotover Canyon for a few pictures. Then I headed for Wanaka at about 4:30, getting a fairly late start. I stopped on the way at the historic Kawarau Gorge bridge, built for gold mine access around 1890. This bridge was also the site where A.J. Hackett introduced commercial bungy jumping. I had jumped with the same company at Skipper's Canyon yesterday. This jump was only 31 meters high, less than half the size of the one I did. Here, they use a raft for recovery, and you can do a wet jump, dunking in the river. Actually, there were no wet jumps today, probably because of the silt and debris in the river due to the high water. I saw one tandem jump and several more traditional jumps. I continued on up the road, arriving in the small town of Wanaka after 6 PM. The town was probably smaller than Te Anau, and also situated on a large lake, Lake Wanaka. The YHA was in a residential area a fair distance from the center of town. Since I had a car, this was fine. I checked into the YHA at 6:30, just before the office closed for a couple hours for dinner. I got a space in the dorm, in a room full of some people's climbing equipment. Then I went down to the supermarket for supplies. This YHA was a collection of separate buildings. It had a homier feel than some. The other YHA's I had stayed at all looked newer. This one was a bit more ragged, but comfortable, and the oriental lady managing it was friendly. The kitchen was rather small and cramped, so I waited a while to start cooking. I made a lamb and vegetable curry with fried noodles. People who had arrived from the west said it was very rainy across the mountains, and that the bridge near Franz Joseph Glacier had washed away, creating difficulty for people expecting to use the only coastal road for several days. A black and white cat named Sylvester lived here, and was very interested in a Japanese man's dinner, following him wherever he went and begging. Later, a table of people, mostly European, played cards and sang noisily, as if drunk. The manager came in to quiet them after 10 because it was quiet time and she was going to bed. I was the first to go to bed in my room. The others, with all the climbing gear, came in much later. DECEMBER 23 Deep Canyon Experience I slept until 7:30, and was still the first up in my room. The climbers had been up very late. After breakfast, I went downtown to the Adventure Center to see if they had any interesting trips today. I was especially interested in their Deep Canyon Experience, which I had read about. They have many different trips available as well, for all sorts of activities. I met one girl there who was going kayaking. I found that they still had space on the 9:30 AM canyoning trip, and signed up for $145 NZ. This is a full-day trip, involving rappeling, climbing, sliding and jumping down a stream in a steep, narrow canyon. It sounded really exciting. I was told to bring a bathing suit, towel and dry clothes, and that everything else would be provided. The lady at the desk said that some shoes were available, but I should have my own footwear if possible since the supply was limited. She said Teva sandals were good if the sole were adequate. I showed her the soles of the ones I was wearing, and she said they looked a bit worn, but I should ask the guide. A van would pick me up at the YHA. I went back to the YHA, got a room for the night, changed to water shorts to wear under the wetsuit, and packed a change of clothes. Two guides and six customers arrived on the van at 9:45. We drove out of Wanaka along the lake and through some livestock fields. We got out of the van once and walked across a stream so that the van could cross safely. This creek was the one we would be canyoning down. The level was high, and they said this would make for a good trip. The canyon was just a deep, narrow crack in the hillside. We parked near the bottom and were issued our equipment: a full wetsuit, spray jacket, helmet, wetsuit socks, and climbing gear. The climbing gear included a harness with a sturdy seat built in and an attached locking carabiner and figure eight, together with pieces of webbing attached to two other non-locking carabiners for connecting to safety lines. I asked about shoes, since I didn't want to get my hiking boots wet if possible. Some shoes were available, but none were big enough to fit over my wetsuit socks. The guides said the main problem with Tevas was that they could slip off, but that the soles on the ones I had should be fine, since they were very grippy, as long as they stayed on. I didn't think this would be a problem, since I had the amphibious model with buckles instead of velcro, which were designed to stay on in fast water. (Velcro doesn't work well in white water.) We started the steep climb up the hillside to the top of the canyon, wearing the harness, but carrying everything else bundled up in the spray jacket. I was going to bring my waterproof disposable camera, but our guide had a camera and would sell photos for $3 each afterward, so I left mine in the van. I thought it would just get in the way otherwise. It was warm and sunny today, and I wore only water shorts and sandals on the climb up, but was still uncomfortably hot. I had no trouble with the climb, keeping up with the guide and talking to him on the way up. We stopped to rest a couple times. When we got to the edge of the canyon, we had a steep climb down to the stream. The sides were slick and muddy, but ropes were placed to help keep our footing. I got a lot of mud between my toes, but the guide said not to worry since we would be at the river soon and could wash the mud off. When we got there, we put on our wetsuits and other equipment, and had some instruction on safety and rappeling techniques. We all practiced this on a gentle slope, and took a quick dip in the water to get wet. It was cold, even in the wetsuit. We began with a slide into a pool below. The guide was worried about how my glasses would survive, but I told him I was wearing an old pair that I brought just for such activities, and they were held on with Croakies, so they should be fine. The only real problem was fogging from the cold water. At the next pool, we didn't slide in because of a grabby hydraulic at the base of the slide, but jumped over the froth into the pool instead. Soon, we came to our first rappel, beside a small waterfall into the pool below. You never knew what was coming next on this trip: climbing, sliding, rappeling, or jumping into a pool. This kept it exciting. Eventually, we came to the "Gurgler", a 100 foot waterfall. Apparently, the expression "meeting the gurgler" has something to do with dying, and this inspired the name. As we approached the Gurgler, we latched our safety carabiners onto a succession of ropes bolted to the rock. The guide said to look over the edge as we approached, and it was a long way down, with a rainbow in the mist far below. The next step required latching both our safety carabiners to a doubled rope rigged from the left side of the canyon, out over the falls, and across to the right side of a huge boulder wedged between the canyon walls above the falls. We grabbed the webbing attached to the carabiners, and pushed off the edge of the falls, sliding out across the chasm down to the wedged boulder. There was enough slope to help the sliding, but some pulling along the rope was needed to get across. The guide said to be sure to look down as we crossed, to see the water falling into the pool 100 feet below. I went first, after the guide, and waited on the far side of the boulder, clipped to a safety line, while the others crossed. When we were all on the boulder, we had a break for tea and cookies. We would do it in reverse order, with the last person crossing the rope going first. The guide took a picture of the rappel, but his camera rewound, so there would apparently be no pictures from this trip. I was beginning to wish I had brought my little camera, since the canyon was impressive and it was a shame to have no pictures. I was last down the rope, and leaned over the edge to watch as I waited. It was a free rappel once you cleared the boulder, dropping through the spray of the falls between the canyon walls. The rope stopped ten feet above the pool at the bottom, and we just rappeled off the end, splashing into the pool. The spray was strong here, with a driving wind generated by the falls. The next step was a dive into the next pool. It was a long way down, but deep, and the trick was that you had to jump out far enough to clear the cliff on the way down. I normally don't like diving, and had never done anything like this before, so this was the thing that made me most nervous so far. A strong jump was needed to get past the rocks on the way down, and I cleared the cliff by just inches. Then came more climbing, sliding and diving, including one slide where you grab a rope strung across the top of the narrow, steep, drop, and let go. The final rappel started easily, straddling a waterfall, but then dropped over the edge, which was undercut, into the falls itself. The guide thought he should keep my glasses due to the intensity of the water from the falls, but I kept them and tried to shield them with my hand as I dropped under the water, an alternative the guide had suggested. The first person down belayed the others from the bottom pool. On the way down, the force of the water on my upper body turned me upside down, or at least that is what I was told afterward, since I couldn't tell with my hand over my eyes, and being inside the water was disorienting. I had the feeling the belayer was giving too much resistance because I had to pull the rope through to get down, though this may have just been because I was inverted. In any case, I was glad to get down out of the forceful water. At the bottom, I noticed that the front strap on my left sandal had slipped off, but the ankle was still securely fastened and the buckle had held. I also had bumped my right knee somewhere on the way down, probably at the bottom, and it was now sore. There was still one more big slide, and a place where you ran down a steep slope, jumping into the pool below. The reason for running was that it was too far to jump from the top of the slope, but too steep for a controlled climb down, and too rough for sliding. I jumped a little too far this time, perhaps overcompensating for the big jump where I barely cleared the cliff. However, I still landed safely in the deep part. From there on, the creek was relatively flat to the end, except for one steep muddy rope-assisted climb, where I slipped but recovered quickly. The van was parked nearby. We changed into dry clothes and had lunch, provided by the company. It was already 3:30. The time had gone fast. The guides built a fire and made tea and coffee as well while we sat in the grass and dried off in the bright sun. I asked the guide for suggestions for good places to hike in the nearby Aspiring National Park. He said Rob Roy Glacier was a nice short hike, and that Cascade Saddle was very nice, but hard to get to. He said I was probably in good enough shape to get there if I wanted to. Mt. Roy was also recommended. On the way back, the guide pointed out another canyon that is somewhat more technical, that is also used for canyoning. He said he got the idea for doing this commercially in France, where canyoning trips are done at Verdon. He said the Wanaka canyons are somewhat steeper and more technical than the ones in France. We stopped briefly at the Adventure Center on the way back, so that some people could pay. They also had T Shirts for sale. Unfortunately there would be no pictures. It was 5:30 when I was dropped off at the hostel. After checking in at the YHA, I went to nearby Mt. Iron to climb it, because I had heard the views were impressive. It was just next to town, so it was easy to get to. I followed a loop trail up to the top. It was a bit cloudy, but there were impressive views overlooking the large turquoise lake and the mountains beyond. Flowers bloomed on top. The trail descended by a steeper route, and I passed some rabbits on the way down. I ended up by the Puzzling Place, home of a big maze, and walked back past a deer farm to my car. I had dinner at the Kai Whaka Pia cafe, which was recommended by a guide at lunch time. I was going to get ginger chicken, but they were out, so I got venison with red currant sauce and avocado, peaches and vegetables, served over rice. I had banana-walnut pie for desert, and cappuccino. It was still reasonably warm, so I ate outside on the patio of the informal cafe. Most of the other stores in Wanaka were already closed, or I would have looked around town a bit afterward. I was planning an overnight hike for tomorrow, Christmas Eve, so I went back to the hostel to pack for it. I would have to wait until morning to buy food. The card-players who like to sing were outside on the hostel porch tonight, singing late into the night. The manager yelled out her window repeatedly for them to be quiet. This YHA was generally noisier than most I had stayed in, possibly because it was so small. I had allergy trouble and sneezed a lot after going to bed in the big mixed dormitory, so I contributed to the noise as well. One lady in the dorm took her sleeping bag outside so she could get some sleep. DECEMBER 24 Walk to Aspiring Hut I went to the Aspiring Park Visitor's Center after breakfast to check on trail conditions and register for a hike. I decided I would like to stay at Aspiring Hut tonight and try a dayhike to Cascade Saddle tomorrow, one of the hikes I had thought about on the flight over, and one which had been recommended by the guide yesterday. The hike may be impossible if there is rain, due to the slippery conditions on the tussock grass slopes above the tree line, but I thought it would be nice to at least get above the trees to see the view there, even if I could not go all the way to the saddle. The lady at the desk did not think this was an unreasonable plan for an overnight hike, though it is known as a very difficult one. I got a hut pass for the night for $14. Aspiring Hut is a category one hut with gas and water, that sleeps about twenty. I went downtown and stopped at the Adventure Center, where I bought a Mt. Aspiring map and a Deep Canyon Experience T shirt. I told the lady there that our pictures didn't come out, and she let me pick a picture left over from an earlier trip. Most of the left over pictures weren't very good, but they had a nice picture of someone rapelling the Gurgler, which was what I wanted, so I took that one. Then I stopped in the grocery store for some trip supplies, and went back to the YHA to finish packing and reserve a room for Christmas. I also called Trusty Rentals to extend my car return date to January 2, since it was now obvious that I would not be back in Christchurch on December 28. I started the long drive to the trailhead at 10:30. The road started in the same direction as we went yesterday, following the lake out past a campground and through sheep pastures. The road turned to gravel and passed through more farmland. Lots of sheep were on the road in places. I sometimes had to wait for entire herds to clear. The road forded a few streams. Some of these could have been trouble if the water had been any higher. The road deteriorated toward the end, and I scraped bottom once. I had checked in advance that rental cars were allowed on this road. Although it was warm and sunny in Wanaka, it was rainy at the trailhead. A front had been sitting on the mountains for a long time now, and showed no sign of budging. To the east was rain, and to the west was sun. The trail went up the valley through green sheep pastures, following a jeep trail up the West Branch of the Matukituki River, which was a light cloudy blue. I soon arrived at a junction with the Rob Roy Valley trail. I had heard this was a beautiful valley with a glacier view, and it was only two hours each way, so I had time to go up. I took my pack, since I didn't know what the sheep might do to it, and went up the trail, crossing a bridge and climbing into the hanging glacial valley. This trail had been improved recently from a "route" to a "track", with new bridges and even a bench, plus some interpretive signs. Parts of the climb were steep and muddy, however, so it was not really easy. Also, my right knee was still sore from canyoning yesterday. The trail climbed through wet, mossy forest, along a swift river. At times the view opened to reveal the glaciers hanging high above, and a big waterfall below the glacial ice. The trail eventually cleared the tree line. It was now clearing and partly sunny, but the mountain tops were in clouds. The track ended at some nature signs. There were some other people here, and some had followed the route past the end of the signs up the valley. I stopped here to have lunch, and attracted a couple of keas. A person coming down from the higher reaches of the valley told me that she had gone up to try to get closer to the glacier, but gave up because you can climb a long time and it still doesn't appear to get much closer. I went up just a little further, because I had to get started back to make it to Aspiring Hut before dark. I made it to the main valley at 3:30. There was now a strong wind and some rain. The wind was down the valley, making walking up it difficult. There were sheep everywhere, and some cows. I passed Bridal Veil Falls, which led to the first stream I couldn't cross with dry feet. It stopped raining eventually, and the sun came out, but it was still windy. Mountains were visible ahead, and a rainbow formed behind, rising gradually from the valley floor. I passed some black and white birds with long orange beaks, which made a loud high-pitched noise. They were common here. I had to cross several more streams, some of which could not be crossed dryly. My feet were already wet, so it didn't matter any more. Soon, Cascade Hut became visible. It is a small hut with minimal facilities, a half hour before Aspiring Hut. The trail crossed another big stream and then a swampy area before Aspiring Hut became visible, a nice stone structure with big windows. Inside, it was full of people, but was not at capacity. The big main room had windows all along one wall, a stove, a telescope, a kitchen on the wall across from the big windows, and tables in the middle and some beds around the edges. Another room contained just sleeping platforms. I put my stuff in the sleeping room, on the bottom shelf, and met a German who had been here many days, taking day hikes all around. He had just returned from a walk up Culler's Route toward Cascade Saddle, where I was planning to go tomorrow. He was not very encouraging. He said he went as far as the pylon at the highest point of the first ridge, and then turned back because he had not brought warm clothes, and the views were poor since the ridge was in the clouds. He said there were some difficult climbs, especially coming down, and that an ice axe would be helpful. He said that although he considered himself to be in excellent condition, it was an extremely difficult route, and he did not recommend it. He said some other walks with fine views were possible, including one up the valley to French Ridge Hut, where there was some snow. I decided that I would have to try Culler's Route after reading and hearing so much about it, even if I couldn't get to Cascade Saddle itself. It was too notorious to pass up. I started making dinner at 8:30, after listening to the German talk about his climbing and his trip to America and his slide shows. Some people were already getting ready for bed as I finished cooking. The hut warden came in and collected the fees and checked hut tickets. He said he thought Cascade Saddle had better views than MacKinnon Pass on the Milford Track, if conditions were good. It was not promising now, though the weather was supposed to be improving. Some people sang Christmas songs as darkness fell, and I want to bed soon after dark, expecting to rise early tomorrow for my attempt at Cascade Saddle. DECEMBER 25 Christmas: Cascade Saddle attempt I was the first up on Christmas morning, at 6 AM. I wanted to get an early start on the difficult climb to Cascade Saddle. It was still cloudy, but not raining, as I made breakfast. A family with three girls started getting up, and exchanged small presents. I started up the Culler Route at 8 AM. It began as a steep, rough trail through the forest, marked by small markers on trees. It was mostly easy to follow, but I lost it briefly a couple of times, especially in one place with a lot of downed trees. After climbing an hour, I came to a washed out area damaged by an avalanche. It took a while to find the orange pole showing where the trail crossed the stream here. The steep, eroded hills on both sides of the stream were muddy and crumbly, and hard to walk on, making the crossing treacherous. The climb continued through the forest, breaking through the timber line after about two hours. There were fine views up and down the valley from here, and Aspiring Hut was visible far below. Now, the difficult part of the route began: a steep climb through the slippery tussock slopes. Orange poles marked the route, and both the steepness and the danger of slipping added to the difficulty. Parts of the climb were very exposed, and there were occasionally steep rock-climbs, which would be much harder on the way down. A German who wanted to camp at the saddle came up as I climbed slowly and cautiously. Finally, near the cloud line, I came to a rock that was relatively hard to climb, in a place that would not be good to slip. I thought it might be unsafe to try to get back down here, so I turned back and let the German pass me. It was about 11 AM and snowing gently when I turned back. It was clear that there would be no views higher up, even if I did continue, and the snow could make the climb more dangerous. I didn't want to take any more risks. It wouldn't be nice to kill oneself on Christmas. Going down turned out to be much harder than coming up, as expected. This route is often done one-way, crossing the saddle and coming out the Dart Valley, so that the return is not necessary. It would be especially difficult with a full pack. I found climbing down to be scary in places, and took twice as long to return to the tree line as I did coming up. I arrived at a rock outcropping there at 1 PM and had lunch. It was no clearer now, and if anything, I believe the weather was deteriorating. As I descended through the forest, I came upon to Israelis, a man and a woman, a way below the washout. They seemed to be having a hard time. They had started much too late, and I wondered if they realized what was ahead. I didn't think they had much hope of crossing the saddle by dark. Ordinarily, the crossing takes at least 10 hours to the next hut, and they were not keeping a good pace. I arrived at the hut at 2:30. The German I had talked to yesterday was still here, as was the girl who I met at the Wanaka Adventure Center, when I was arranging my canyoning trip. She had just come down from a higher hut where she had spent the night, and was preparing to cross Cascade Saddle tomorrow, if conditions permitted. The saddle was not the only obstacle. The rivers on the far side were high from all the rain, and several trampers drowned in the Dart River on this route a few days ago. This girl, named Kay, was from Virginia, and traveling alone on an extended trip. She had also been to Nepal. The German told me the Israelis left here at noon, and were planning to camp at the saddle. They were not making good progress. He said their sleeping bags probably would not be adequate for the saddle either. A fire was in the stove, and it felt good. The hut warden had brought up some date bread for Christmas, and I had some. There were only a few people in the hut when I left at 3:30. It took me three hours to walk back down the valley. I stopped once to look at the Israelis on the tussock slopes high above, watching their slow progress through my binoculars. I made no attempt to keep my boots dry at the stream crossings today, but stopped once to wring the water out of my socks and insoles. I started back down the 40 km gravel road at 6:30, arriving in Wanaka at 7:30. There, I left the stub of my intent form at the DOC office to show I had made it back, and returned to the YHA. There had been a Christmas barbecue earlier, but I missed it by two hours, so I cooked fried noodles with vegetable curry, making do with the food I already had, since no stores would be open. The manager assigned me to the room I had the first night. I showered and went back to the common room, where the manager gave me a couple of chocolate mints which she was passing around for Christmas. It was a rainy night in Wanaka as I went to bed. DECEMBER 26 Drive to Haast: West Coast Beaches In the morning, it was sunny in Wanaka, but cloudy in the mountains. I had breakfast, and checked out, expecting it to be rainy across Haast Pass when I drove to the rainy west coast today. On the way out of town, I stopped one last time at the shore of Wanaka Lake to take a picture. There were some ducks here, and a Japanese man with a camera followed them around taking pictures. The road to the west coast followed the shore of a big, turquoise lake for a while, and then came to Makaroa, a small town with a visitor's center for the Haast Pass area. I stopped and looked around. Two Germans were preparing to set out for Gillespie's Pass, near Mt. Awful and Mt. Dreadful. (Whoever named the mountains around here apparently didn't think much of them.) They were told to expect chest-high water at a river, and to watch for planes when they crossed the airfield across the street. They were also told that there was a section of the trail you just don't do in bad weather. I read about the road to Haast, and then continued on my way. There were a few places to take short walks along the road. I stopped at Blue Pools first. Fish could be seen in the clear blue water. I stopped at two waterfalls also, both very close to the road. It was cloudy most of the time, so no mountain tops were visible, but there was no rain. As the road left the mountains and entered the broad coastal plane approaching Haast, the sun became visible. In fact, the whole coastal area was sunny, while clouds hung over the mountains a short distance inland. This was not what I had expected, after hearing the stories of how much rain the coast had been getting. I stopped at a big, modern visitor's center in the small town of Haast. I was especially interested in seeing where I may be able to find penguins, since one of the reasons I wanted a car was to look for penguins along the beach here. I decided to take advantage of the rare sunny weather to visit the beaches immediately, especially nearby Knight's Point, a popular overlook. I crossed the long bridge on the road north out of Haast. Pretty red flowers were blooming in trees all along the coast. I thought they might be mistletoe, since a hut warden on the Milford Track had said it blooms this time of year, but these flowers appeared to be part of the trees themselves. The road had excellent views of the clear, blue Tasman Sea below, as the road followed along coastal cliffs. There were many palm trees and fern trees in the lush forests along the sides of the road. I stopped and changed to shorts along the way, since it was now becoming warm in the sunny afternoon. Before long, I arrived at the big parking lot at Knight's Point. This was a popular stop for tour busses. There was a covered pavilion overlooking the sea at the point here. I once downloaded a picture taken at Knight's Point from alt.binaries.pictures long before I knew where it was taken, and had used it as a background on my workstation for a while. The same picture appeared in my Lonely Planet guide, which is how I learned it was taken here. When I first saw the picture, I had guessed it was probably Hawaii. In any case, I would have guessed it was somewhere more isolated, not a pavilion next to a big parking lot. Nevertheless, the view was stunning, and this was a perfect day, so I took several pictures with both my cameras. I ate lunch at Knight's Point, being bothered somewhat by the sandflies and some bees buzzing around. Then I continued on up the coast, looking for Monro Beach, said to be good for hunting penguins. I found the trailhead, and began the 90 minute round-trip walk through the rainforest to the beach. I hoped to find the Fiordland crested penguin at the nesting area on the beach. Signs warned not to go too close to their nests or to bother the shy birds. Bright sun filtered down through the trees as I walked to the beach, taking care not to step in the pools of water along the trail, which was mostly smooth and well-maintained. When I arrived at Monro Beach, I removed my sandals and walked, partly through water since the tide was up, toward the north to a rocky area where I believed the penguins would probably be nesting. I saw some people sitting on the headland beyond a marked nesting area, and walked toward them, staying close to or in the surf to avoid getting too close to the rocks. Signs said to be quiet, and cross the nesting area quickly, so as not to disturb the penguins. I joined the Germans on the rocks. They were looking carefully at the nesting area below, where they had seen a penguin. I didn't see any, but it was a beautiful spot, and I took pictures of the surf crashing against the towering rock formations off the headland. I stayed behind as the Germans started to leave, thinking the penguin may come out again once it was quieter. As the group crossed the nesting area, they started getting their cameras out. I went down to see why, and there, sheltered among the rocks, I saw a small crested penguin, which didn't seem too concerned with the attention. I got out my cameras and took some pictures of it also. This was tricky since the penguin was standing in shadows under an overhead rock. I walked a way south to another headland, but didn't see any penguins there, and started to walk back to my car when another group arrived. On the way back to Haast, I stopped at Ship Creek for another forest and beach walk. The trees were interesting here: big grassy leaves growing in all directions. The trail passed a lake and returned via the beach. There was an observation tower here. I didn't see any penguins. I returned to Haast, since it was late afternoon now, and I needed to find a room. There wasn't much in Haast. It is a tiny town with a couple motels, a restaurant, a grocery store, a gas station and some houses. I stopped at Haast Highway Accommodations and asked about their budget accommodations. They said they had shared bunkrooms, and I took a space in one. They also had motel rooms and a campground, and some cabins outside. There was a store and a big common room with a kitchen. The manager who showed me around seemed like a fussy old man. The big central building looked more like a hardware store or warehouse than a motel, and I learned later that it had once been a hardware store. I appreciated the spaciousness after the cramped YHA in Wanaka, but it wasn't very homey. After claiming a bed in the dormitory room, I went outside to the pay phone and called Alpine Guides in Fox Glacier, where I would be going tomorrow, to reserve a guided glacier walk. They said I wouldn't need a reservation, and could sign up at their desk when I arrived tomorrow. Both short and long walks were possible: one to the base of the glacier, and one up on top of it. The small store where I was staying didn't have much, so I went to the "supermarket" to get supplies. It was a big general store, but was not very well stocked. There were no fresh vegetables or meats, and the milk came in ultra-pasteurized boxes which require no refrigeration. The only meat was big slabs in freezers that would probably last for months, or canned meat. I bought a can of tiny shrimps. I noticed that they did have fresh "whitebait", a kind of thin wormy-looking fish that looks like its name would suggest, which is popular locally. It is cooked with eggs and eaten whole. I wasn't sure I wanted to take a chance with it, since I didn't know how to cook it, and since it didn't look very appealing. (Later I found a recipe in the Lonely Planet guide. If I had known that, I might have bought some.) I cooked an early dinner, making a spicy Thai curry with the little cocktail shrimps and some other things I had already. Then I headed down to Jackson Beach, at the end of a long peninsula south of Haast, which is said to be a great place to look for seals and penguins. It was a long drive down. I got to the end of the road at 8:30. Jackson Beach was a small town at the end of the road, with many fishing boats docked offshore. A trail went from the bay through forest to the ocean. It was becoming chilly as the sun sunk behind the hills, and I put on a jacket and my hiking boots. A few other people were starting out as well. At the first bridge, they pointed out a seal in an odd place - in the creek in the forest. I thought I might see the sun setting on the ocean side, across the forest from the bay, but upon arriving there, I noticed that the sun was still over a hill, not the Tasman Sea. I walked a while along the rugged ocean coast, which was all jagged rocks and tidal pools. I was glad I wore sturdy hiking boots here. The pools were interesting: full of living shells, chitons, and many kinds of starfish with various numbers of arms. There didn't seem to be any seals of penguins here. A number of people were at the shore, and may have scared them off, if there were any. I walked back at dusk, getting to the first bridge at 9:30, and finding the seal still in the creek. It was said that there could be penguins along the road north of Jackson Bay, and I stopped once, but there was a lot of construction there, and getting to the bay was not easy. It was late, so I just headed back to Haast. I was worried that my gas would run out, since the drive was much longer than I expected. I arrived at the motel at 10:30, almost out of gas. The manager was getting ready to close up for the night, and met me outside. I talked to him briefly, then went into the warehouse-like common room and had a snack and watched TV briefly. The sound was bad, and I couldn't make much of the program. In any case, the manager came in just before 11 and turned off the TV (not everyone was happy), because the common room is locked at 11 PM for quiet hours. There was no point staying up any longer, so I went to bed. Most people were already asleep in the room. DECEMBER 27 Drive to Fox Glacier, Glacier Walk It was raining hard when I got up. The manager had predicted it would rain today, and said yesterday's sunshine was quite unusual lately. It had been raining for weeks on the west coast. I had a shower, which cost 50 cents here, and then breakfast, and started north toward Fox Glacier. I was glad I saw the beaches yesterday, because there wasn't much of a view today. At times the storms were intense. I arrived at Fox Glacier at 11 AM, and found a room at Ivory Towers, a Budget Backpackers Accommodation. It was a very nice hostel. Parking was a bit scarce, though. I got a room in a small dormitory in a little building across from the main building. It was very homey and clean, with a central living and cooking area surrounded by several shared bedrooms, and a dinner table in a little alcove surrounded by windows. The main building had a bigger common area and kitchen, plus a TV room. I went to Alpine Guides headquarters and checked that the glacier walks were still going today, even though it was raining. In fact, the walks had been canceled for some time due to landscape changed caused by all the rain, but they were going again now. Helicopter tours were canceled, however, until better weather. It had been weeks since a helicopter got off the ground. I had some time before the afternoon glacier walks, so I made reservations for a cave rafting trip in Greymouth I had read about in the Lonely Planet guide. I would be there Saturday. I also tried to get a bed at the Franz Joseph YHA for tomorrow night, but they were full, so I arranged to stay at Ivory Towers another night. I bought some groceries at the store, where the supply of fresh foods was again very limited, especially meats. I went to the cafe in the Alpine Guides headquarters and got quiche and ginger beer and a chocolate square for lunch. Then I signed up for the long five hour glacier walk that goes up onto the glacier, for $35. There is a shorter and easier $20 trip just to the base. Rains and the associated landslides had completely changed the terminus area of Fox Glacier recently, and private cars were not allowed to go there yet. You had to take a guided tour to see it. We were issued heavy leather boots, wool socks and instep crampons, and raincoats if needed (I wore my own). We boarded busses at 2:30 and drove out to the terminal morain of Fox Glacier. Here, everyone got a walking stick with a nail in the end. It was still raining. The guide carried a large board to help us cross streams, which would be high today. Earth-moving equipment tried to move the river channel back where it was, so they could rebuild the road to the glacier. The old road was now buried under a huge pile of rocks. After crossing the soft, squishy grey mud of the morraine, and fording several streams (with the help of the board at times), we started climbing above the valley. The trail was steep and treacherous in places. There were ropes to hold onto at some of the steeper places, or above big cliffs. We had one difficult crossing over a swift swollen stream, aided by the board and the guides. This would not be a good trail for someone who was not fit, or who was afraid of heights. One elderly couple was along, and was beginning to think they had signed up for the wrong walk, having trouble believing a guided tourist walk would be so difficult. They did fairly well, however. The guide pointed out how dynamic the landscape is here, with frequent floods and landslides, and the advance of the glacier itself. New Zealand's coastal glaciers are among the few in the world that are advancing, after retreating for much of the century. The tops of the glaciers get around 10 meters of precipitation a year. This allows the glaciers to advance 100 yards or so yearly into the subtropical rainforest below. The only other place in the world with glaciers coming so low into rainforests is Chile. Finally, we arrived at the glacier, and put on our crampons. The guide used an axe to cut steps in the ice. We followed a way up the craggy glacier to a point where we could view the icefall above. Rain was only intermittent now. We stopped at several points for views, and I took some pictures. We then made our way back, as the rain started again. It was a long way down to the bus. The trail was surprisingly rough for a guided walk, but constantly changing conditions made maintaining the trail difficult. This was a very dynamic landscape, and the trail crossed a number of unstable landslide zones. We saw a big block of ice fall from the face of the glacier, crashing loudly into the river below. We got back to the Alpine Guide center at 7:30. As we changed back into our own shoes, the guide filled out "Certificates of Achievement" for anyone who wanted one. These certificates seem to be a big thing in New Zealand, and just about any adventurous activity seems to have one. Almost everyone, including me, insisted on having one, though I suspect the guide would rather not be bothered with this silly detail. I went back to the hostel to shower. I had food to cook, but I saw an interesting pizza place, Cone Rock Cafe, and went there for a deluxe pizza, with venison, pepperoni, and many vegetables, and a Black Mac ale. The cafe was crowded, and it took a while to get my pizza. Afterward, at 10 PM, I went to the glow worm grotto on the edge of town. For $2 NZ, you can walk around a short loop here and see glow worms in the dark trees. It was very popular, though some people spoiled the effect by bringing flashlights. at 10 PM DECEMBER 28 Fox Glacier: Rain and laundry It had been a stormy night: wind, rain, thunder and lightning. The morning was stormy as well. Some Germans who were motercycling around New Zealand were staying in my room. They were frustrated with the weather. I decided it would be a good day to do laundry, which I had been neglecting since Te Anau. They would do it for you at the hostel for $5, so I left a load to pick up in the afternoon, hoping they would do it correctly, since some things, like synthetic underwear, cannot be put in the drier. They said they knew this. The rain was worse than yesterday, as predicted. I was staying here an extra day, hoping Friday would be clear enough for a helicopter ride to a glacier. There was no real reason for optimism, but this would be my only chance, and my friend Sally in Knoxville had enjoyed the helicopter ride at Franz Joseph Glacier when visiting New Zealand. This morning, I drove up to Franz Joseph and went to the visitor's center there. The road had many washed out and damaged sections, marked by yellow signs with exclamation points, which generally meant part of the road was missing ahead, or covered by rocks. The bridge just before Franz Joseph had washed away a couple weeks ago. The old one could still be seen downstream of the new bridge. The river under the new bridge was full and fast, just a couple feet below the road. The road to the glacier terminus was closed due to flooding, or I would have gone to see it today. I went to the Cheeky Kea Cafe for lunch, and had a steak and bacon pie with spicy wedges and cappuccino. Before I finished, an intense downpour started and didn't let up. I decided I should go back to Fox Glacier now before the bridge flooded and I was stuck here. There was a stream running down the sides of the road, and I took my shoes off to cross as I dashed quickly through the rain to my car. I stopped at the visitor's center in Fox Glacier to check on the weather forecast. It looked like it could be a little better tomorrow, but not much. I bought a post card and made a YHA booking for Greymouth tomorrow night. The helicopter people at Alpine Guides were not optimistic about there being any flights tomorrow. There hadn't been any major flights in over two weeks. I picked up my laundry I had left at the hostel office, and then cooked dinner. Afterward, I watched TV for a while. A show called "The World's Weirdest TV" was on - a collection of strange gameshow excerpts from around the world. People competing in various injurious games in Japan were prominently featured, but there were also some American game shows, though none I had ever seen. Around the time that show was over, at 8:30, the sun came out. Everyone went outside to see it. Some people even got out their video cameras. Seeing the sun was a rare event here. A half hour later, the clouds started breaking up, and some peaks became visible as the sun prepared to set behind some clouds. I quickly grabbed my cameras, without stopping to put on shoes, and drove down to Lake Matheson. The guide had said yesterday that this was a great place to view the glacier and mountains. In fact, only the upper part was visible from there. I drove back to the bridge near the Fox Glacier access roads, and took some pictures from it of the snow-capped peaks in the orange light of the setting sun. Only the tip of the highest peak was fully illuminated. Then I drove back out past Lake Matheson, heading toward the shore, thinking there may be a better viewpoint further out. There was. I found a peak indicator in a field by the road, with an excellent view of Fox Glacier, except for the bottom. Clouds were forming around the glacier again in the dusk, and the view soon faded. DECEMBER 29 Fox Glacier helicopter flight, drive to Greymouth I looked out at 6:30 and saw blue sky. This was a surprise. I got up and showered and went down to see if I could get a helicopter flight. I had heard a couple helicopters flying already. None of the offices were open yet. At about 7:30, Fox Glacier Helicopters was the first to open, and I got in just before a big group of Japanese tourists who had been waiting across the street for Alpine Guides to open. I reserved a 9 AM flight with glacier landing, the first available, and went back to the hostel for breakfast. After breakfast, I went back out to the viewpoint past Lake Matheson for a clearer view of the mountains than last night. I was worried that the weather wouldn't hold until 9 AM, but from here, it looked pretty good. I returned to the helicopter office at 8:30, fifteen minutes before I was supposed to come. A van was ready to leave for the heliport outside, so they told me to board it, and I could pay when I returned. I was in the second group waiting at the heliport, and boarded a helicopter at 8:50. Almost everyone else there was Japanese or Chinese. I got a seat in front beside the pilot, and four Taiwanese tourists boarded in back. The view of the glacier from this seat was impressive as we approached. I took several pictures through the windshield on the quick flight up the glacier. My polarizer was useful to cancel reflections from the glass. Some clouds were starting to move into the landing area on the neve, so we flew to an alternative spot higher up. We flew over it a few times, circling to try to find a safe landing spot. After about four passes, the pilot decided he couldn't find a safe spot, and decided to fly back without landing. Afterward, the Taiwanese tourists on my flight went back to the office for a refund, since landing cost $100 NZ but just flying over cost $80. The lady pointed out that our flight was still longer than the fly-over and a landing was not guaranteed, and only refunded $10. But I hadn't paid at all yet, so I was in a better bargaining position, and I got the flight for $80. I stopped in Alpine Guides headquarters briefly and bought a map for Abel Tasman Park, where I would be going in about a week. Clouds were beginning to move in quickly now, so I don't know how many more flights would get off today. I packed the car and headed north, giving an Israeli in the hostel a ride to Franz Joseph. He was originally planning to go to Greymouth, my final destination today, to catch a train back to Christchurch in time for the New Year's Eve celebrations. But he decided instead to go to Okarito Lagoon, a wildlife sanctuary on the coast past Franz Joseph, and spend tonight at the hostel there. I dropped the Israeli off at the Franz Joseph bus stop and drove out to the Franz Joseph Glacier overlook. A walk along the river over the moraine led to a glacier face overlook. There, signs warned not to go further because of the danger of falling ice. A guided tour was climbing the face to the right. This glacier walk looked steeper than the one on Fox Glacier, but was more accessible, with no climbing through the forest or difficult stream crossings. Some other people, ignoring the warning signs, were exploring the unstable overhanging glacier face near the river and photographing their kids on the ice below. I thought something interesting might happen if I watched long enough, but after waiting a while, I decided I was unlikely to see any ice fall, like the big block I had seen fall at Fox Glacier. I was curious if those people thought at all about how that big snow pile their kids were playing in had gotten there. The guided tour continued their progress up the glacier, and I walked back. I stopped again at the Cheaky Kea for lasagna and cappuccino. It was crowded today. Then I continued on the road north. I stopped in a town called Ross to see some historic gold mining exhibits. It was sunny now, near the coast, with the mountains further inland in clouds. There were two choices of historic walks I had read about here, but one of them was closed. I did the Jones Flat Goldfield walk. This walk starts out along the boundary of an active gold mine - a deep pit with green pools on the bottom, rather ugly. The walk through the lush forest was beautiful, as usual, and several kinds of flowers bloomed there. There weren't too many gold mining artifacts visible. From up on the hill, there was a view out over Ross to the sea. After the walk, I stopped in a museum, and then continued on to Hokitika on the Tasman Sea. This coastal town is known for greenstone, a New Zealand Jade. It was a reasonably large town. I looked around there a while, and stopped in a big greenstone factory store with a Kiwi Experience tourbus parked outside. I didn't buy anything though: greenstone costs a fortune. I changed some money at a bank, and took a short walk on the beach. Few people were at the beach, although it was a nice, warm day. The beach was sandy, with fairly strong surf, and lots of driftwood. There were many rounded, polished stones as well. Three surfers were in the water, which was cold, though probably not as cold as California. Signs advised not to swim here, due to strong currents. I got an apple turnover at an old historic bakery, and continued driving north. The road crossed a couple of one-lane bridges that were shared by railroad tracks. I arrived in Greymouth, a large, scruffy-looking port and gold town, after 5, and looked for the YHA. The YHA was actually an old converted church. You have to climb a lot of stairs to get to it, and the parking is at the bottom of them on the street. I checked in for two nights, since I had reserved a cave-rafting trip for tomorrow. The dormitory room was the old chapel. A large Asian group was already there, and some were noisily playing with a foosball machine in the middle of the floor. I got a map to the grocery store, and went to get supplies before it closed. Getting there was tricky, because Greymouth is the largest town I had been in yet, since Christchurch, but it still had no traffic lights, just a lot of confusing multi-road intersections and turn circles, with fairly heavy traffic. I made some people angry at least once, getting a few honkings and middle fingers, but didn't hit anyone. (I was still signaling turns with my windshield wipers.) I thought the tide should be fairly high now, so after dropping off my groceries at the hostel, I headed up the coast 40 km to visit Paparoa National Park, to see the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. The drive was scenic, following the rugged coastline closely. It was reminiscent of the California coastal drives. There was only an occasional beach house. At Pancake Rocks, there is a visitor's center and a couple of cafes, and a walkway to the blowholes. The walk passes interesting rock formations, a big arch, lots of palm trees, and the blowholes. The waves force water up through narrow channels in the rock, and it spouts out like geysers. The effect is best when the sea is rough, but today it was calm, so although the tide was high, the holes weren't blowing very hard. They did blow occasionally though, spurting misty plumes up into the air. The rock formations along the shore had many horizontal bands, looking like stacks of pancakes, which is how they got their name. On the way back to Greymouth, I passed a police car checking for speeders in a 50 km/h zone, and was warned of the speed trap by cars blinking their lights. I got back and started fixing dinner at 8:30. By now, I had the kitchen mostly to myself, which was good, because I wanted to fix a fairly elaborate Indian-style curry: beef in a ginger-onion-yogurt sauce. Someone told me it looked really good, and it was. By the time I finished, it was about bedtime. The Asians were out late, but came in quietly. Much later, in the early morning hours, some drunks were shouting obscenities outside on the street below. DECEMBER 30 Greymouth: Taniwha Cave Rafting It was cloudy and chilly this morning. I had a "cave rafting" trip booked for this afternoon with Wild West Adventures, and had no reason to get up early. I had tried to get a space on the morning tour, but it was already full. In the morning, I drove downtown for some groceries. Later, I had lunch at the hostel and got ready for the cave trip. All that was needed was a bathing suit and a towel. A wetsuit, boots, and other equipment would be provided. A van picked me up at 1:15. The cave guide was driving. He was fairly heavy, with long hair and a beard. We picked up several other people downtown, seven in all, and drove to Wild West Adventures headquarters at a nearby lodge outside Greymouth. We went into the indoor pool/spa building to get wetsuits and gum-boots. Wool socks were also provided, but I had my own. I didn't think the gum-boots were ideal cave boots. They were rather loose without laces, and the soles were not very thick. The morning's tour returned as we put on our wetsuits. A hot shower and use of the spa, with hot drinks, was provided after the caving. We had a short wait for our van. Two of the participant's parents were tagging along to take pictures of the beginning of the trip. They were warned that the walk to the cave was muddy and rather difficult. They decided to come anyway, but took gum-boots. The drive to the starting point was short. We were all given helmets and electric head-lights, and started walking through the rainforest. The trail was very muddy, as promised. Sometimes the mud was deeper than my boot tops. It made me think that the DOC must put a lot of work into keeping the Milford Track in such good condition, considering all the rain it gets. I started out in the lead, but the guide said I should slow down, so I let someone else go first. He showed us the site of an old gold town from 1930. Nothing was left - it had all been reclaimed by the rainforest. The town was built of wood, which rots quickly here. Another time, the guide stopped to show us a rare fern. It has a long woody stem with thin leaves radiating outward. We arrived at a small hole leading down a vertical shaft to the cave, and looked down. This entrance could be used to rappel in. Further upstream was the walk-in entrance we would be taking, a low passage entered from the stream. One lady in our group was given a carbide light, while the rest of us used the electric ones. The parents were told we would be back in about three hours, but it was hard to say exactly how long we would be in the cave. We climbed down into the cave entrance, following the stream. We slid down a small waterfall into a pool. Glow worms were seen throughout the cave, and were especially concentrated in a few spots. We stopped once and turned out our lights. There was enough light from the glow worms to almost see by. We were told how the light attracts flying insects that wash into the cave so they can be caught in sticky webs. Further on, we saw a lot of flowstone, and some small stalactites. We came to a stack of inner tubes, and put them in the stream. We got in and turned off our lights, and floated downstream beneath the glow worms in the dark. It was like floating below a starry sky. At the end of the water passage, we piled up the inner tubes and went further into the cave. We had a chance to examine some glow worms up close. They are transparent, unless they have food inside. They can live on one insect every three months. They live inside tubes, and turn around occasionally. One end of the worm has a light. The webs are strands hanging down with sticky beads. We came to another stack of inner tubes, and floated down a short passage without glow worms. Further on, the guide asked if we wanted to try something more adventurous. We did, and we went up a crawl space, past a steep ledge, to the "love tunnel", a belly crawl through a smooth, narrow passage. For a bonus adventure, we turned our lights out for the crawl. There was one junction where you must make a turn, and we did this by going one at a time, feeling the person's leg in front to tell when to turn. The guide sat in the side tunnel, and glow worms were visible behind him. We crawled down the next tunnel, which sloped downward and ended in water. I was first now, since I had been following the guide. We waited there, in the muddy room with the water, with lights off for everyone to arrive. The water was full of foam from a plant - some fungus or something - that lives in the forest. It was said to be a protein, similar to albumen. The guide put some in his mouth. Continuing down the water passage, we came to a place I recognized, and started back out, taking the inner tubes back upstream when we came to them. When we came to the first inner tubes, we carried them to a point a few feet above the water and jumped backwards into them. The second tube passage, with the glow worms, had a stronger current. This time we made a chain and pulled upstream together. We stopped on the way back for candy bars and hot chocolate from a thermos. We did the final passage without our guide, who left us with instructions, and then went out the way we had come in. I led the way. It was a tight crawl under some flowstone and stalactites, through a series of small pools and one tight hole. It was a particularly attractive passage, with all the smooth flowstone and little pools. My light gave out along the way, and I let someone else pass me. Another person also had dead batteries. It was not far to the entrance, so we just alternated with the people who had lights. We got to the entrance at 6:30, and the parents were gone. We walked downstream to the final adventure, a hydroslide down a long slippery flat rock into a pool, riding a piece of blue foam rubber. The guide said this was the riskiest part of the trip, with the most potential for injuries, since once you start, there is no way to control the slide or to stop. He demonstrated, warning to hold on tightly to the foam, and to lie back, because you would spin if you sat up. I did the slide twice. The first time, I turned sideways a bit, and had a rough ride. It went very fast, and as we were told, there was no way to control it. My second run was smoother and faster. Everyone got two runs if they wanted, and then we started back before we pushed our luck too far. We found the parents back by the van. They had gotten tired of waiting by the cave and walked back early. I asked the guide about other good caves in New Zealand. He told me about Waitomo, which is a famous cave spot on the north island. The Lost World and Haggas Honking Holes tours sounded interesting. He also said there were excellent caves, the Te Tahi tomo, near Charleston, and recommended an adventurous "Xanadu" cave-rafting tour there, which I had also heard about from one of the Deep Canyon Experience people. That cave is supposed to be the biggest in the area. I wouldn't have time to get up there on this trip. In retrospect, it might have been worth driving all the way up there yesterday, instead of stopping in Greymouth, a relatively unattractive town. Charleston is said to have a good brew-pub also, according to Lonely Planet. At the spa, we removed our wetsuits and boots, and took turns in the shower. Then we got into the well-heated pool or whirlpool bath while the guide prepared hot drinks. Beer was available for purchase. I took a swim in the pool, which was actually uncomfortably warm, and then sat in the whirlpool and had hot chocolate. We had to take turns in the whirlpool because it only held four people. Then I took another swim in the pool, which felt chilly after the whirlpool. The guide said how he would not go adventuring in Queenstown, because of all the fly-by-night operators there trying to make a fast buck. For example, he told us that one raft company recently drowned several people while operating under unsafe high-water conditions. I had seen something about that in the paper as well. He said Kiwi Discovery Rafts had excellent safety practices, but tourists don't know this. They just read the flashy brochures and can't recognize the fly-by-night operations. Also, A.J. Hackett Bungy is very safe, though the perceived danger is great, which is what makes it thrilling. The guide said he had once gotten drunk and went bungy jumping with some friends one night, which probably wasn't too safe. It was after 8 PM when I got back to the hostel and made dinner. I made an Indian-style curry with beef and pumpkin and a tomato-onion sauce. I was the last one cooking, and had the kitchen to myself. A group of teenage Americans was staying tonight, and I played Trivial Pursuit with them until 11:30, when one of them, a black boy, was too sleepy to continue. We were playing the Kiwi Edition, full of questions about cricket, rugby and Maoris, that were impossible. We were the last ones up tonight, and I turned off the lights before going to bed. DECEMBER 31 Arthur's Pass: Climb Avalanche Peak It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Before leaving the hostel, I booked accommodations at the Kaikoura YHA, which is very popular. Signs here warned that it should be booked a few days in advance. I expected to be there January 2. It was about a two hour drive to Arthur's Pass. The last part of the drive was a scenic, winding road into the mountains. A train, the Tranz Alpine Express, crosses Arthur's Pass, but comes down a different valley that the road on the western side, ending up in Greymouth. I arrived at the small town of Arthur's Pass at 10:30 and checked into the YHA, for which I had made reservations yesterday. Then I went to the visitor's center to see what interesting walks were around. It was a beautiful day for one. There was a difficult eight-hour walk to Avalanche Peak up one ridge and down another. I thought this one looked most interesting. The route was said to be very steep, marked by poles, and for experienced trampers only. Signs warned that it was dangerous in bad weather, and that people had died there. It was a clear sunny day, so the view at the top should be excellent, and this would be a chance to make up for not finishing the difficult route to Cascade Saddle. First, I had to get some groceries for dinner, since the store would surely be closed when I returned. The tiny store didn't have much. I should have shopped in Greymouth. I got spaghetti sauce and sausages to have with spinach fettuchine I already had. Then, I called the whale watching company in Kaikoura from the phone outside the hostel. I wanted to make reservations for Jan. 3, but found that only small boats were available, which were unlikely to go unless the water was exceptionally smooth. I got a reservation anyway, and also made a reservation for dolphin swimming on Jan. 2. I had quiche and a boysenberry square at the cafe next to the hostel. While eating, I watched a kea repeatedly try to go into the store across the street. I then removed everything I didn't need for a day hike from my pack before walking to the visitor's center to fill our an intentions card. They use these cards to find walkers who need rescuing. Normally, I only filled them out for overnight stays, but this walk had a reputation for being a bit risky, and I was hiking alone. I started up the Avalanche Peak trail at 12:15. It was very steep, possibly as steep as the Culler Route to Cascade Saddle, with lots of climbing up rocks. A German family started just after me. The man passed me once, then sat on a rock, and I passed him and never saw him again. I made it to the tree line in 70 minutes, faster than the 90-120 minute estimate. I passed some more Germans on the steep climb up the tussock ridge above the tree line. I never saw them again either. The views were already great, including a large waterfall, Devil's Punchbowl Falls, across the valley. The climb was steep and followed a narrow ridge. It would not be good for someone afraid of heights. The climbs probably were less exposed than on the way to Cascade Saddle, though. Near the top, some poles marked the way through the scree to the summit. The last ridge before the summit was a knife edge with long drops on both sides. A man was helping his wife across, but she froze at one point and had to be helped back. I crossed, and the man came over without his wife. I sat on top a while admiring the stunning view in all directions. It was sunny and becoming increasingly clear in the distance. An Israeli man, about 50 probably, came up later. I had passed him a while earlier. I had completed the 1000 meter climb to the top in three hours, about one and a half to two hours less than estimated. I sat there for more than an hour, and talked to the Israeli, who was also staying at the hostel, a while. The closest mountain was Mt. Rolleston to the west. It was snowy. Avalanche peak, at 1800 meters, had only small patches of snow, and none on the black rocky top. There were a lot more snowy mountains in the Campbell Range to the south. I had brought a lot of warm clothes because it was chilly and windy in the valley, but I didn't need them. On top, there was no wind, and it was 75 degrees F, quite warm in the sun. I started down the Scott Ridge trail at about 5:30, and the Israeli stayed on top a while longer. This trail was not quite as steep as the way I had come up, so it was said to be a safer way down. It was still very steep and exposed in a few places above the tree line, but became much easier below the tree line. There were even occasional stairs and bridges on this track. I filtered some water to refill my bottle at a stream. The trail merged with the stream in places, but there was not much water today. I made it back to the hostel at 7:45. There, I met a factory worker from Christchurch, and we talked a while and exchanged business cards. I gave him one of my Virtual Interactive Center cards, and he gave me a card for D.I.Y. Signs. His name was Peter Davidson, and he makes signs on the side. I walked down to the D.O.C. Center and signed in, then came back and showered. Peter shared a bottle of port with me and a Japanese man. The hostel was quiet this New Year's Eve. I made my fettuchine with sausage, and ate at 10 PM. Some people were already at the pub, and others were in bed. Peter and I walked to the pub at 11, after finishing most of the port. He said the port was a fairly cheap brand. Most of the other people from the hostel were already at the pub. I had a pint of Canterbury Draught, which Peter said was good. He suggested staying with his parents when I visited Kaikoura, and gave me directions, but I didn't expect to do it unless I got stuck Jan. 3 and couldn't find anything else. I only had reservations for Jan. 2, because I wasn't sure I needed a second night. I had another Canturbury Draught. I was tired from the climb, and had some trouble staying awake until midnight. The Israeli I met on the peak was here. He had gotten down at 9:30, at dusk, returning by the same trail we climbed. Peter showed me a flier for a race up Avalanche Peak trail (and down yet another route, not an official trail). This was the Avalanche Peak Challenge, to be held in a few days. That would be a truly tough race. There was a little celebrating when the bell was rung at midnight. I could hardly stay awake, and returned to the hostel alone. A man in the next room snored loudly. I was too tired to care, but this really annoyed Peter, who came in later. The Israeli man was sore from the climb, and slept sitting up under his blanket. JANUARY 1 Return to Christchurch It was a beautiful morning at Arthur's Pass. The water here was not safe to drink, according to the health department, so I boiled it carefully before making coffee. Peter was going to climb Avalanche Peak today, and the Israeli would do another walk. I was heading back to Christchurch, where I would turn in my rental car. I called the Kaikoura YHA to ask about extending my stay to the Jan. 3, in case I had to stay longer to see the whales. The manager misunderstood, and said she had a bed for tonight. She thought I could get there today, taking a shuttle from Christchurch around 5:30, so I said I would try. I started driving to Christchurch at 10:30. On my way down from the pass, I came upon three trampers looking for a ride. I offered them a ride to a town on the way to Christchurch. It was a man around 60 and his two sons, who had been walking a partly unmarked route east of Arthur's Pass. They had encountered some bad weather earlier, and extended their trip to make a stream crossing safely. I barely had room in the small Mazda for the riders and their packs. When we arrived at their home, the father gave me $50 for the ride. He said he would invite me in for lunch, but they wouldn't have anything to offer since they had been out. I got back to Christchurch around 1 PM and went to the Antarctic Center near the airport. The Christchurch airport is the gateway for many Antarctic expeditions, in particular for the Scott Camp. I had lunch there, a kind of tomato-onion-cheese croissant and a lime milkshake. Then I toured the exhibit for $10. It was rather elaborate, beginning with a display showing a year at Scott Camp, long ago, which you could walk through. Cold air blowing from wind vents added a touch of realism, and it would have been uncomfortable to stay there long. The exhibit continued through several display areas, entering a replica of a research station and continuing on to an Antarctic aquarium, several continuous videos, penguin exhibits, an "ice cave", and a wide screen slide show. It was rather well designed in general. The gallery above had some nice Antarctic photographs. I drove downtown to see if I could really get a shuttle to Kaikoura today. At the information and ticketing center, they said that because it was a holiday, they were on a special schedule, and there were no more shuttles today. It was just as well, since I drove to Trusty Rentals and found that they were closed, though a sign said they would open if necessary. I decided to see if I could get a room for the night. I called the Cora Wilding Hostel, which was in a quiet part of town, in an old mansion in a park. They had space. It was a long way from city center, and probably gets few guests without cars. I looked around the arts and crafts center downtown, then drove out to the gondola, where I took a ride to the top for $12. Although it had been sunny in town, there was too much haze to see the city clearly, and clouds blew over the hilltop periodically, blocking the view completely. The view over the other side of the hill, to Lyttleton on a harbor, was more impressive. The hills surrounding Lyttleton and the harbor are remnants of an extinct volcano. This gondola view was much less impressive than the one at Queenstown, I thought, although it could be nice in better weather. Even then, it was clear that there was a road on the ridge, so there was another way to get here. After returning to the bottom, I drove to the hostel, which would be open now, since it was after 5 PM. I had to call them for directions once. The hostel was a beautiful old white mansion, with lovely grounds, and a large grassy yard in front, with flowers. After selecting a bed in the dorm, I drove back to the gondola to try to find the road to the top that I saw before. I guessed correctly that it was a road beginning in a residential area just beyond the gondola turnoff. I had a map to help. Summit Drive ran all around the rim of the old volcano. The sky was totally clear now, though it was still hazy in the distance, over Christchurch. I followed the road out to several viewpoints, as the sun began to set. I drove back downtown by a different route, past a fancy Gothic-style restaurant, the Sign of the Takehe, and parked near the Arts Center. I went to a brew-pub, Dux Delux, for dinner. I had stopped there my first time in Christchurch, and tried their beers. Their menu looked interesting, so I wanted to try the food this time. They had some interesting pizza, as well as a seafood selection and some vegetarian dishes. I ordered the Cajun calamari rings with three salads and a Hereford Bitter, brewed here. Afterward, I had a slice of chocolate-fudge cake. Actually, they thought the slices were small, so they brought me two. It was dense cake, and I was already full, so I brought one slice back to the hostel. At the hostel, I tried to book a bus to Kaikoura for the morning. This turned out to be difficult, because most left early to meet ferries in Picton. The manager was able to find a company called Southern Shuttles that had a van to Kaikoura scheduled for 9 AM. They were closed, but she left a message on their machine. That van should be leaving late enough to give me time to turn in my car in the morning. I went to bed around 10 PM. JANUARY 2 Kaikoura: Dolphin swimming, whale watching I got up early, before anyone else. While I was fixing breakfast, the manager came in and told me Southern Shuttles had called, and they had a space. They would pick me up at 8:45. I called Trusty Rentals at 8 AM, but they weren't open yet. I called their other number and told the man I had to return a car quickly. He said he would be in at 8:20, and would give me a ride back to the hostel, which was nearby. Returning the car was quick. The man said I could have had the shuttle pick me up at the rental car office, but I didn't know that. I was the first to be picked up by the shuttle. We made numerous other stops around Christchurch before heading up to Kaikoura. It was a sunny day, and hot in the van. Most people got off various places in Kaikoura before I was dropped off at the YHA hostel at 11:45. The hostel was just across the road from the bay, a fair distance from the center of town. Large windows in the common room gave a beautiful view. It was a nice hostel. The manager was very friendly also. She told me where I would stay, and said the office would open at 5 PM. I had a standby reservation for the 12:30 dolphin swim at Dolphin Encounter, so I called them and they said I would probably get on, and that a van would pick me up at 12:15. I also had a definite reservation with another company for the next day, but it would be easier to schedule a whale watch if I did the dolphin swim now. I ate a quick lunch, and the van came and took me to the office downtown. After a short wait, I got on, along with several other standby people. They said it would be good to bring a jacket for the boat ride, but I hadn't thought of that since it was a warm day. We were given thick wetsuits to put on. Mine had an attached hood. Some had separate hoods. We also got flippers, a face mask, and a snorkel. I got a prescription facemask (-5 diopters), so I could see without glasses. We boarded busses to the boats, and were given instructions on how to interact with the dolphins. They are wild dolphins, and are not fed, so they would stay around only if they were interested in us. Singing to them through the snorkel was supposed to make them interested, as was diving, or imitating dolphin-style swimming. We were told not to wave our arms too much or try to touch them, since this scares the dolphins. There were two jet boats. I sat in back for the smoothest ride. Several spectators were on the boats too. They would just be taking pictures. When we found a small group of dolphins, we stopped and slid into the cold water. The dolphins weren't interested in us and swam off. One came close to me on the way past. The second group we found swam off even faster. We were told to get in the water as quickly as possible next time, but without too much splashing, so we would have a chance to see the dolphins even if they swam off quickly. The third group of dolphins we found was much friendlier, and stayed a long time. There were many dolphins, swimming by at close range. Singing through the snorkel worked well to attract their attention. I used an underwater disposable camera to take pictures, but the dolphins were so close, I thought I would get pictures mostly of random dolphin parts. The dolphins here are dusky dolphins, a southern hemisphere species, which are rather small, under six feet, with black and white markings. They jump out of the water a lot, and seem much more interested in the boat than in people, who swim much too slow for them. If you try to swim with them, they go in circles and swim faster until you can't keep up, which doesn't take long. Next we went out to the large main pod of dolphins, but it was moving fast out to deep water, probably to feed. All the boat could do was get ahead of them and let us off as the dolphins whizzed by. The first time we tried, we were too slow and the dolphins were gone before we were in the water. The second time was better. A few stopped briefly to swim around us. After the last stop, we followed the dolphins in the boat a while, as hot chocolate and cookies were served. There was also a hot shower on board. Some girls were shivering, but I was warm in the wetsuit. I kept it on, since I hadn't brought a jacket. Although it was a hot day, there was a strong wind on the boat. We got back to the office around 4:30, and could shower and change. We all got information packets about dusky dolphins. My sandals had gotten soaked on the boat, so I carried them a while until they dried off. I walked up the street to see what was in town (not much, actually), and stopped at an information center to see about canceling my other dolphin reservation, and they told me I could do it at the Whaleway Station, where I would have to go anyway to check on the availability of whale watching tours. The Whaleway Station was an old railroad station near the bay. I found that I was the only person they had booked on the small boat (an inflatable with a capacity of 12), and it was unlikely to go, so I would probably be on a waiting list for a larger boat. However, it turned out that since it was a nice day, they put on an extra boat at 6:00 PM today, and it still had a few spaces. It was now 4:45, and I had only an hour to get back to the hostel at the other end of town (a half hour walk), put on warm clothes, and return. I walked back quickly, changed, and stopped at the office to give them my receipt to show I had paid. (You pay when you make the booking.) The manager said I did not have to rush, because a shuttle would arrive at 5:30. She called to tell them to expect another passenger. I also told her that I would be going going up to the Abel Tasman track next, since I would have done everything I came to Kaikoura to do. She said Nelson would make a good base for this, and she would make travel arrangements and call the YHA there. Three of the YHA people were going in all. The others were a Swiss man and an elderly lady. While waiting for the shuttle to arrive, I met Kay, the young lady from Virginia, who I had last seen at Aspiring Hut. She had made it across Cascade Saddle, but said the river crossing was hard, at chest level. She told me that she had taken a walk up the coast to see a seal colony, and that this was a very nice walk. I would have to do it tomorrow. She had also done a dolphin swim yesterday, and enjoyed it. The ride to the Whaleway Station cost $2. The whale watching trip was expensive, $95 NZ for two hours. We boarded a bus at the station, and went to the same dock where the dolphin swimming trip started. We were issued life jackets, and boarded the boat, a 12 meter rigid inflatable with three outboard motors. People with motion sickness or back problems were advised to sit in back. I sat in the last row of the front section, which was partially enclosed. The whales would be farther out than the dolphins, off the continental shelf, which is fairly close to land here. We had gone just beyond the continental shelf at the farthest point of the dolphin swimming trip. The big attraction here is the sperm whale, a deep-water whale which can be found unusually close to shore off Kaikoura. We went out to a spot where whales were seen earlier. A hydrophone was used to listen for their sonar clicks, but none were heard. We went further out, stopping to observe some dusky dolphins. A group of people was allowed up on the observation deck on the roof. We continued out further. Eventually, a spout was seen, and we headed for it, finding a sperm whale. I was in the group allowed on the observation deck this time (they work from front to back, eight at a time). Sperm whales can stay underwater an hour or so. When they come up, they breathe for a few minutes before arching their backs and diving again, with the tail in the air. We waited until the whale dived. We went to another spot and listened for whales, but had no luck. Then, a group of killer whales was spotted in the distance, and we headed toward it. The killer whales swim fast, coming above the surface often, like dolphins. Technically, they are not whales, but a kind of dolphin, and they eat anything they can catch, including dusky dolphins and small sperm whales. The driver of our dolphin-swimming boat had said he had seen dolphins being eaten by killer whales. After following the killer whales a while, we headed back toward land, still searching for sperm whales. One was heard nearby, and we waited until it stopped using sonar, a sign that it was about to surface. This whale surfaced like the other one, and anyone who wanted was allowed upstairs for to view. I went up and watched until it dived. We headed back toward the coast, seeing one more sperm whale dive in the distance on the way. The whales often surface sequentially in groups. It is rare to see so many whales on one trip, especially killer whales. There is no way to know whether any whales will be found. We stopped once more to look at a seal colony near Kaikoura before landing, just before sunset. I took a picture as the sky turned orange. A bus returned us to Kaikoura at 8:45. I didn't see anyplace too interesting to eat, so I stopped in a dairy for some supplies, and got fish and kumara chips from a take-away for dinner. After I walked back to the hostel in the dusk, the manager said we had been lucky to see so much on the whale watch. She had booked my bus to Nelson, but I could not stay at the YHA there, because it was full. She would try to get me into Tasman Towers, a nearby backpacker's she said was very nice. I ate my fish and chips, and went to bed soon afterward, since it was already late. I had had a full day. I never would have expected that I would fit both a dolphin swim and a whale watching tour in the same day I arrived from Christchurch. I thought I would need at least two nights here, maybe three. Some people in my dorm room were planning to get up early to catch the first whale watching trip of the morning, at 5:30 AM. They say this is a good option if you don't have advance reservations. If you get on standby for this tour, there is a good chance of going, since a lot of people never make it out of bed. JANUARY 3 Kaikoura to Nelson I got up at 6:00 so I would have time to walk down the coast to the seal colony before getting the 9:45 bus to Nelson, which would be my base for the Abel Tasman track. Kay was going to Nelson today also, to do sea kayaking along the Abel Tasman coast with a German friend she had met at Aspiring Hut. The morning was beautiful and sunny. I walked up to the end of the road. A short distance beyond, I found the seals I had seen from the whale-watching boat yesterday, but they were on an island, so I couldn't get to them. Some of them were not too far off-shore, and the channel was shallow and narrow. The rocks were too jagged to cross barefoot, and I didn't want to get my shoes wet, so I waited a little while to see if the tide was going down. Low tide was coming in a couple of hours. But the water wasn't going out very fast, and I didn't have much time, so I decided to continue on. I passed some belligerent seagulls, like in The Birds, that must have been nesting. They tried to dive-bomb me in large numbers. Once I got past them, I saw more seals out on the jagged rocks, and approached them. I came upon the first by surprise. It made some threatening noises, and I backed off, and the seal went back to sleep. Just beyond was a large group, mostly sleeping. When viewing seals, you are supposed to not go between them and the water, because they feel threatened if their escape route is cut off. Also, you should crouch low, since height is a sign of dominance, and is perceived as a challenge. There are seal-swimming trips in Kaikoura. That is said to be the best way to interact with the seals, since they lose their fear in the water, and are no longer threatening. I didn't have time to stay long, and walked back quickly to the hostel. There is another trail along the cliffs above the beach, which is said to be a nice alternative way back. I just retraced my steps. At the office, I picked up my bus ticket on Mt. Cook Landlines. Kay would be going on a different bus. I also had reservations now for Tasman Towers. The bus stop was nearby, at a triangular island in the road. A couple other people came to wait. The bus was late. First it took us downtown, and waited 20 minutes. I took a quick walk over to the beach and took a picture, since it was a beautiful morning. Then we proceeded up the coast, and went to Blenheim, arriving at 12:30. This small, fast-growing town is the heart of New Zealand's wine country. It is the sunniest spot on the South Island. We had an hour wait here before changing busses to go to Nelson. I found a popular cafe downtown and had a mince pie, fudge bar, and mochaccino. I noticed that a fair number of people in town weren't wearing shoes, especially children. They don't have the signs in New Zealand that keep barefoot people out of most stores and cafes in the US. New Zealand seems to be a more relaxed place. It was hot outside. Blenheim was sunny and tropical, with plenty of palm trees. It was mostly an agricultural town. I went back to the bus and train station to wait. Kay was there, with her German friend, Connie. They had arrived by a different bus, but we would take the same bus to Nelson. The bus was a bit late again. Before boarding, I checked the luggage bin to see if my bags were there, since they weren't marked with a destination and this was a different bus. "Oh ye of little faith", said the driver. When I gave the driver my ticket, I asked if he could stop at Tasman Towers on the way into Nelson. He said "yes, if I asked real nice." So I did, and he agreed. He gave a lot of commentary on the way to Nelson. Some of the bus drivers don't say too much, but most talk a lot, telling all sorts of details about the surroundings and their history. Kay and Connie got off the bus before me at the YHA. I arrived at Tasman Towers, just down the street, a half hour before the office opened at 4 PM, but the manager was expecting me on the bus, and gave me a key. This hostel was definitely one of the best I have seen. It was modern, with beautiful landscaping and palm trees out front, and could have been a nice motel. I unpacked, and got out my camp stove for the first time to test it. It was hard to tell if the butane-propane stove was lit in the bright sunlight. The flame was almost invisible. After the office opened, I arranged my transport to the Abel Tasman track and bought my camping passes. The hostel did everything. I could have rented camping equipment here as well, if I needed it. The lady also pointed out some good camping spots. I was going to camp on this track to get away from the crowded huts. The beach camping areas are supposed to be nicer than the hut locations anyway, and these huts don't have gas, so I would still need a stove. Following the lady's advice, based on the tides, I decided that I would walk the track from north to south, so that I would cross one tidal basin during the afternoon low tide. I would sleep out two nights. I went downtown and walked around a bit, looking for a place to buy freeze dried food and other supplies for the track. Nelson was one of the largest towns I had visited on the South Island. It even had traffic lights. However, everything was already closed except for the restaurants and bars, because it was after 5. Nelson has a population of around 50,000, including some bums and punks and other lowlifes. The commercial district is large, and a big church sits up on a hill. I walked up to it, passing a group of skateboarders. Later, I stopped in an ice cream store and had a cinnamon and cappuccino gelato, and then went to the supermarket for supplies. Fortunately, freeze-dried food can be found in supermarkets in New Zealand. (Unfortunately, it is not nearly as good as what is found in the US.) I showered, and then packed for the walk, and checked everything I wouldn't be carrying at the office. They wouldn't be open when I left in the morning. I cooked spicy Chinese-Thai style beef for dinner, and microwaved the leftover cake from Dux Deluxe in Christchurch. It was still good. The cat was very interested in my dinner, and sat in the next chair. Later, it climbed on the table. After dinner, I asked the manager about getting to Tongariro National Park on the north island, where I would be doing my last major walk. It would take two days: to Wellington on the ferry, and then to Tongariro. I had hoped it could be done in one day, since I hadn't left much time for the north island. I packed my food for the track and went to bed shortly before 11. JANUARY 4 Begin Abel Tasman Track, Separation Point I got up at 6 AM to catch a Murray's Bus van at 7:10 to the beginning of the Abel Tasman track. A number of people were on the bus, mostly going to the closer southern end of Abel Tasman National Park. Kay from Virginia and her German friend Connie were on the bus as well. They would be sea kayaking. That sounded like a good idea, and in fact it is very popular. They had to reserve a kayak a week in advance. Also, you need at least two people to rent them, which is why they went together on this. Otherwise, you would have to sign up with a group tour. On the bus, I told Kay I would be scanning some pictures from this trip and putting them on the internet, as I did for my visit to Nepal, and told her my home page and e-mail address in case she wanted to see them or contact me later. At Motueka, I got off the big bus and boarded a van to the northern end of the track, Totaranui. I was the only one on the van, although we stopped to drop off some packs at a visitor's center for some cyclists going to Tarakohe. This part of the ride wound up and down through the hills, coming finally to a dirt road. The Abel Tasman track actually begins further east at Takapou Bay, and crosses an inland section to Whariwharangi Hut, before arriving at Separation Point and continuing south down the coast to Totaranui. However, I was leaving off this first inland part, and starting at Totaranui, which is also a popular car-camping site with a wide beach. I arrived at the beach at 10:40 AM. There was a visitor's center here, but I already had my camping passes, and didn't bother signing in. I planned on doing the part of the track north of Totaranui that went up to Separation Point, and then coming back before heading south. This is supposed to be one of the nicest segments of the track. I didn't need to carry a pack, since I would be returning, but I didn't want to leave it at a car-camping place, so I carried it up the trail a way and hid it in the forest. The walk to separation point and back to Totaranui is a popular day-hike. It was supposed to take two hours to reach Separation Point, but I wanted to make better time than that, since I had to cross Awaroa Inlet, another two hours to the south, between 2:10 and 6:10 PM, while the tide was out. I could walk fast without a pack, just carrying water and a camera. It was sunny and hot today. I came to the beach at Anapai Bay soon after climbing a few hills. It was pretty, with some distinctive pointed rock formations at the end pictured on the Abel Tasman track map. A bit further was another beach. The track alternates forest and beach, climbing up and down a lot between beaches. At the last beach before Separation Point, in Mutton Cove, some people were waterskiing. You couldn't really get a feeling of being in the wilderness in this park, with all the car-campers and power-boaters. It was more like one of the popular hikes in the Smokies back home. Many day-trippers walked the easy track from beach to beach, some without shoes. I made it out to the end of Separation Point at 12:15. This point had good views all around. Back the way I came, there were beautiful views of the beaches and clear, turquoise water. To the north were high bluffs, and mountains in the distance. The Tasman Sea here had some of the clearest water I had seen in an ocean. My heavy hiking boots were not really needed here. When I got back to my pack, I stowed them and changed to sandals, and I had lunch at 1:30, when I got back to the Totaranui visitor's center where I started. I still had plenty of time to make the low-tide crossing at Awaroa Inlet, but it was still annoying to have to deal with this time constraint, with so many beautiful beaches around. The track to the south left the beach and entered the woods, and then crossed a long beach at Goat Bay. The beaches here were sandy, not like the rocky, rugged beaches I had encountered further south. I found it easiest to cross them barefoot, wading in the water sometimes. After crossing another beach, the track climbed inland for a while, emerging at the now-dry Awaroa Inlet. Many people were crossing, since it was 4:15, at the lowest tide. I crossed to Awaroa Hut, following the track to a big orange disk across the bay, although a shorter route would have been possible. There were a lot of clam shells in the soft sand, which was still quite wet. There were a few water crossing too, all shallow. I crossed barefoot, ignoring the clam shells. After a brief rest at the hut, I followed the track toward the mouth of the inlet, past some vacation homes and beached boats. Here the track felt much more like a beach resort than a wilderness walk. In fact, there are a number of places where the track passes private land. An inn here tries to entice trampers to its cafe ten minutes off the track. Going past it would have made a good short cut. Instead, I followed the track high into the hills for about two hours, with occasional ocean views. Finally, the track descended to Onetahuti Beach, one of the longest on the track, over 1 km long. A large vessel was parked a short distance from the shore. On the way down, I passed a noisy group of teenage girls, who I hoped would not be camped anywhere near me. I planned to camp at the far end of this beach. The campground was already rather full, with both trampers and boaters. I explored a small cave at the end of the beach, which is said to contain Maori writing. I didn't see the spirals, but I saw some enormous cave crickets, or wetas, and some glow worms. It was deep enough that I had to bring a light. There was another cave to the right, but according to Lonely Planet, that one, which had water in it, should not have had the writing. I thought maybe there was a cave further out that was not accessible from land. Some people were swimming there. I put on my water shorts and swam out past some big, rough boulders to a cave. It was big and had water in it, possibly connecting to the other cave on the beach with water in it. This would not be the one with the Maori writing. Now that I was used to the water, I stayed in and swam a while longer. The water was chilly, but not uncomfortably cold. When I got out and changed, A bee got into my shorts, and when I picked them up, it stung my finger. It was really sore. Some Germans camped nearby saw this, and said they had something to help. It turns out they were into holistic medicine, and had a case full of vials of various mysterious substances. They gave me a few little tiny pellets that were supposed to help bee stings. I was skeptical, but my finger really hurt, so I tried them anyway. I also got out my antihistamine cream, which I trusted more. After fixing dinner, I took another walk on the beach as the sun set (over land), and looked in the cave again, before going to bed in my bivy sack. This was the first time I had used the bivy sack, and I found that it worked well. JANUARY 5 Onetahuti Beach to Te Pukatea Bay At dawn, I could see orange in the sky through the mosquito netting on my bivy sack, and got up quickly to take sunrise pictures. It was cloudy, but there were pretty colors in the sky. The tide was fairly low now. I looked more carefully in the cave for Maori writing, but didn't find any again. There were a lot more worms glowing this morning. They are easily frightened, and will stop glowing if people make noise or shine a light on them. I was the first in the cave this morning, so many were glowing. I got my Nikon camera and mini-tripod and tried taking pictures of them. I bounced my flashlight off the opposite wall to gently illuminate the rock, and took a couple exposures for several minutes. One of them actually came out quite well, and would have been impressive if I had gotten more glow worms in the picture. Then I brought a towel and bathing suit up the short path to a small, deep fresh-water pool, with a shallow pool and waterfall above it. I took only a brief swim here: it was much colder than the sea. I went back to camp and fixed breakfast before taking a long swim in the ocean, followed by another dip in the fresh water pools, which didn't feel as cold coming immediately from the sea. The other people there were impressed by how easily I tolerated the cold water. The tide rose quickly, with high tide coming around 10 AM. The caves were now in water. It was after 11 AM when I left camp. This was such a beautiful spot that it was a shame to leave. I was glad I had not stayed in the hut, which was not in nearly as nice a location. A brief walk led to the next beach and campsite. A quarry had once been here. There were big square granite blocks and remnants of a port. Kay and Connie, who were kayaking, had stopped here for lunch. They had just kayaked around Tonga Island off shore and seen little blue penguins and seals. Blue penguins are shy, and don't go where there are many people. The kayakers were waiting for the 12:30 weather report before continuing. The track climbed up a long way, and then back down, arriving at Bark Bay, where I found the water was still a little deep for crossing. It would be possible to go around, but crossing was more direct. Some people were waiting on the shore, and said that the water level was dropping rapidly, so a short wait would be enough. I stopped there and had lunch. By the time I finished lunch, the crossing was no more than knee deep, leading to a wide beach on the other side. Many boats were beached here. I had not walked far before I wanted to take a picture, and realized my camera was missing. I had forgotten to pick it up after lunch. I left my pack on the beach and walked quickly back to the place I had lunch, at the edge of the forest. On the way, a man came toward me with my camera, guessing that it was what I was looking for. I walked on, beginning a long climb through the forest. A side trail led to a lookout at South Head. I came upon another high point overlooking Sandfly Bay further on. The track would remain inland for several hours, crossing private land before emerging at Torrent Bay, site of a small town of vacation homes with sandy streets. The bay was empty at 4 PM, due to low tide, but there were still some shallow rivers less than knee-deep. A big orange spot on the far side marked the way. Toward the end, there was some deep, mucky mud. Anchor Bay was just over the next hill, with a beach, so I could wash my feet there. If the tide had been up, it would have been possible to walk around Torrent Bay, but the route would have been much longer. The Anchorage, on Anchor Bay, is the site of a large grassy campground and hut, plus many anchored boats. The left side of the beach had some interesting rock formations. I thought this place looked too crowded and "civilized", and had not planned to stay here, but at a more isolated beach at Te Pukatea Bay, a 20 minute walk over the hill. But it was still early, and I did not have to go there yet. By crossing Torrent Bay, I had bypassed Cleopatra's Pool, a popular swimming hole I wanted to visit. It was still low tide, so the easiest way to get to Cleopatra's Pool was to go back across a corner of the bay, up to the river mouth, meeting the trail a short way below the pool. A ten minute walk off the main track (muddy in places) led up to the pool, which was big and deep and surrounded by huge boulders. A waterfall fell onto one long rock, which channeled it sideways down a chute into the pool. It looked like it might be a nice waterslide, but no one else was around to test it for safety, so I didn't try it. I took only a brief swim in the pool, which was freezing cold. The frothy little pool at the base of the chute made an interesting (but cold) whirlpool spa. As I was leaving the pool, two more people walked up the trail. I crossed the bay again while the tide was still out, passing the camp at the Anchorage again, and climbing over the headland to the small campsite at Te Pukatea Bay, arriving there at 7:30. A number of people were in camp, but there were still good spots. A sailboat was anchored off the beach. It was getting cloudy, and was a little too chilly to make an ocean swim inviting, so I just prepared dinner. The only water supply here was a swamp on the inland side of camp, with brownish murky water. My filter came in handy here. The water could be taken from a stream running down toward the beach. After dinner, I sat out on the beach for a while until dusk, and went to bed just after dark. I saw something that looked like a big cat climb the tree outside my bivy sack. I shined a light up, and saw a big opossum right above my head. I pulled my pack closer to me so I could hear if any opossums messed with it. JANUARY 6 End of Abel Tasman Track I got up at dawn to prepare for the walk to the end of the track. I thought I might get the 12:25 bus back to Nelson, but I didn't need to rush, since there was another one at 5:30. The only advantage of getting back earlier is that this might make it easier to get a ferry tomorrow to to Wellington. I didn't have reservations yet, and was concerned about missing it. When I got out of my bivy sack, I saw that the sun had recently risen, and the sky was still orange. I took a walk around a 45 minute loop, visiting Pitt's Head, and then came back to camp and fixed breakfast. It was cloudy when I got up, but the sky cleared quickly as the sun rose. The people in the next tent had seen the opossum last night also. It had gotten into their food and eaten an apple. After breakfast, I went down to the beach for a morning swim. The water was cold, but I swam a long time, from one end of the small, sheltered cove to the other, and back. The water was clear and calm. A few other people tried the water as well, but didn't stay in long. By the time I packed, it was 10 AM, so it seemed unlikely I would get the 12:25 bus, a three hour walk away. But I walked fast, so it didn't seem impossible. On the other hand, maybe I didn't want to walk fast, since this is a nice track to take one's time on. I would have to see how it went. It was mostly sunny now, as I returned to the Anchorage, and then climbed into the hills. This probably wasn't the most direct route, but I got good views of Torrent Bay, now full at high tide, from the hills above. The track crossed the Moncrieff private nature preserve next. There are several possible trails, and I didn't take the shortest of them. The walk through the forest was beautiful, with many fern trees in the valleys, while the high ridges were dry and dusty. At noon, I arrived at the next campsite, near Yellow Point. By now I knew I would not be catching the early bus, for sure. I walked out to the viewpoint there. I could have used some more water, but didn't want to walk all the way down to the campsite, far down the hill, to fetch it. At the next bay, I tried getting down to the beach, because the turquoise water was really beautiful, but there was actually no beach at the bottom: the tide was too high and covered it entirely. I found some water at a stream along the route, and continued on to Apple Tree Bay, stopping at the long beach here for lunch. I changed into a bathing suit, planning to stay here until 3:30, since this was a nice beach, about an hour from the end of the track. There were a lot of birds along the shore, including black ones with long orange beaks. Mountains were visible in the distance, across the water. Several tour groups of kayakers paddled by, like flocks of ducks. I went in for a swim. The water felt warmer than this morning. While I was swimming, I saw two women waving from the beach. It was Kay and Connie, who had also stopped for lunch while kayaking, and planned to stay until 3:00 and catch the same bus back. They had stayed just over the hill from me last night, at Watering Cove. Sea kayaks hold a lot of stuff, so they had been eating well, and were finishing off a box of wine with lunch. They offered me a cup. They said they had just been watching more penguins out at the island offshore, and that one was swimming around their boats. I took pictures for them just before they departed, and left a half hour later. I decided to carry my sandals for a while upon leaving the beach. I climbed steeply up a poorly marked path, with ropes, webbing and some stairs for assistance. The track then followed the hills back, near the waterfront with plenty of open ocean views, finally crossing a long causeway over an empty Sandy Bay. The shoes were unnecessary until the gravelly causeway at the end. There was a cafe at the end of the track, next to the Marahau Information Shelter at the end of the causeway. I had a ginger beer, and then a blueberry thick shake (a milkshake with ice cream). Blueberries have seeds in New Zealand. The burgers here looked delicious. If I had more time, I might have ordered one, but I had only a half-hour wait for the bus. Kay and Connie arrived as well. A New Zealand man noticed my walking stick and asked if I always walk with a stick. Walking sticks aren't used much by the locals, apparently. The bus got into Nelson around 7:30. Kay and Connie got off just before me, at the YHA. It would be the last time I saw them. I got some information about the ferry to Wellington at the hostel, and then went down to Little Rock Cafe, a crowded place I had seen earlier, for dinner. There was a 45 minute wait for a table, so I went to the bar and ordered a mussel, fish and shrimp pizza with a beer. As I was finishing the pizza and starting on a Black Mac, I suddenly began to feel dizzy and ill, like I was going to pass out. I told the bartender, and he took me to sit in the restaurant, which was no longer full, and gave me some water. He asked if I had been out in the sun, and I said that I had. It was possible that I had been dehydrated from being in the sun so long at the beach and not drinking enough water. I felt better after drinking a couple glasses of water, and walked back to the hostel and went to bed. JANUARY 7 Ferry to Wellington I got up at 6:30 and packed. I was not sure yet how I was going to get to Wellington, and I was planning to go to the Information Center at 8:00 to ask about ferry tickets. When I asked the manager at Tasman Towers about this, I found I could call the ferry for free, so I did. The 1:30 Interisland Ferry was fully booked, but there was space on the 4:00 Lynx, a faster (and more expensive) hydrofoil boat that does the crossing in about two hours. The 10 AM bus would get me to Picton at 12:30, in time for both afternoon ferries. When I arrived in Picton, I got my Lynx ticket for $65 NZ, and waited for the Interisland ferry to leave before checking my luggage. I went upstairs to the cafe at the terminal and had a steak and cheese pie with potato chips and a slice of lolly cake. Then I went outside on the deck. The weather was beautiful, and a dolphin was seen swimming offshore. Around 3:00, the Lynx appeared, moving fast at first, then slowing as it approached the port. I checked in at 3:30 and boarded. It was a nice, new boat, with lots of room. None of the seats had a great view in all directions, so I picked one near the windows on the left, where Wellington would appear later. There were viewing decks upstairs in front and outside in the rear. There was also a cafe, a souvenir store, and some gambling machines. Lunch orders were taken, but I had already eaten. The prices weren't bad, though. I got an ice cream bar later when the lady brought them around. The ride began through the narrow sounds around Picton, eventually reaching open sea, with a little fog, and then entering Wellington harbor. A rainbow formed in the spray behind the boat as we approached the city. Wellington is a big city, with lots of big buildings. It's the capital of New Zealand, and second in size to Aukland, where most of the country's population is concentrated. I picked up my bag and called the YHA to find out how to get there. They suggested a shuttle in front of the terminal. The ride cost $8. This YHA was a big high-rise. My room on the fourth floor slept six and had an attached bath. A big supermarket was conveniently located just across the street. I asked at the desk about how to get to Tongariro National Park. I called the bus company, but they told me the train would be better, so I booked a seat on a budget train (older cars, without air conditioning) leaving at 8:40 in the morning and arriving in National Park at 2:06 PM. I wanted to stay at Whakapapa, where the track begins, and called Skotel there to see how to get to it. They said there should be busses from National Park, but could not give details. I would have to work this out when I arrived. If possible, I wanted to leave my stuff at Skotel and start the first short section of Tongariro Northern Circuit tomorrow, so I wouldn't have a seven hour walk the next day. I met someone at the YHA who had just done the circuit, and said that doing it in just two nights was a lot of walking the first day, especially if you climb Mt. Ngauruhoe, the volcano in the middle. If I could start tomorrow, I could do the circuit in three nights and still have two nights each for Waitomo and Rotorua, my last stops. I called Waitomo to book a "Lost World" tour, which rappels 300 feet into the cave system, plus another wet vertical tour, the "Haggas Honking Holes" on the same day, Saturday. This combination was known as the "Gruesome Twosome", and cost $280 NZ. This would be a big day of caving! It was highly recommended by the cave guide in Greymouth. They said I could bring a camera for the Lost World tour, because it was dry, but that the Haggas Honking Holes was a wet cave tour. I used up a whole $10 phone card making all these calls today. I bought some supplies across the street, and then went out looking for a restaurant called Satay Malaysia, which Lonely Planet says good things about. Although it is not far from the YHA, I had some trouble finding it, because the Lonely Planet map makes it look like it is on a different side of the block, and since it is just a small upstairs restaurant. An employee standing outside said they have Malaysian cooks who don't tone down the spices for European tastes. This sounded good. I went upstairs and ordered the hottest thing on the menu, chicken sembal, a chicken curry in a sauce made of three kinds of chiles, with cloves and star anise prominent in the flavor. I had it with two servings of rice, a roti, and a DB Export Dry beer, all for $21 NZ. It was an excellent meal. The owner/manager asked how I liked it, and whether it was too hot. I told him it was great. He asked if I were from Holland, and I said no, I was from the US. Apparently they like hot curries in Holland. I got back to the YHA after dark and went up to the TV room, where a violent movie was playing, until I got sleepy and went to bed at about 11 PM, the time the hostel closes for the night. Most others in my room went to bed then as well. JANUARY 8 Train to National Park, Begin Tongariro Northern Circuit I got up at 6 AM to have breakfast and pack. The large dining room and kitchen on the ground floor were almost empty at this hour. I took the 7:50 shuttle to the train station, near the "beehive" government buildings. I bought a $33 ticket for the budget train, and booked my Waitomo and Rotorua YHA accommodations from a credit card phone. My phone cards were too low for long distance, and I didn't want to buy another before changing money, since I had less than %50 NZ. The train boarded at 8:25. The budget train was an older model with smaller windows than the new trains, and no air conditioning. But a ticket on the newer trains cost twice as much, so I figured this would do. There was a lot of commentary on the surroundings throughout the ride. We made a lot of stops. Tea and a small sandwich were served in the morning, and lunch was served at 12:30. This was better than the busses, which just stopped briefly at meal times to let you find a cafe. Snacks and drinks were also sold in the next car up. We crossed a few deep gorges, and arrived at the town of National Park at 3:40, a half hour behind schedule. It looked like a sleepy little prairie town, and could have been a tiny settlement in the western US. During skiing season, when the slopes in Tongariro National Park are open, it could be crowded here, but now it was practically a ghost town. The land was mostly flat and scrubby, with few trees. There were some houses around, and the streets were deserted. I had hoped there would be someone at the station who could help me get to Whakapapa Village, where the track began. I had called the Skotel yesterday about staying there. Not seeing anyone around, I followed the Lonely Planet map to a small store. They told me a shuttle could take me to Whakapapa Village around 4:30, and they could check if there were any coming earlier. They also told me that it would be easier to stay in National Park, and take a shuttle from there to the track, since there were more places to stay and regular bus and train service here. A budget motel called the Ski Haus was across the street. It was mostly empty. The manager stopped vacuuming and came to the desk. She told me she could arrange a shuttle to the track at 4:15, and I could store my extra baggage in the closet here and get a room upon return. She also charged a traveler's check for me, and sold me the necessary hut passes for three nights on the Tongariro Northern Circuit. I found the kitchen and quickly packed my food for the track, leaving behind my stove and bivy sack that I used at Abel Tasman, since I would not need them in the huts. I also called Rotorua to book a Maori "cultural experience", including a concert and hangi. A hangi is a traditional Maori feast cooked in the ground over hot rocks, and I wanted to be sure I tried one of these before going home. The bus was a half hour late, but the lady said it would definitely come. In the mean time, a bus of canoeists returned from a three-day trip on a local river, which the lady said was worth doing if I had the time. The bus finally came and took me to Whakapapa Village, 15 km away on the lower slopes of Mt. Ruapehu, which made global news when it erupted in September. Several other people took the shuttle as well. It was raining lightly in Whakapapa Village. I stopped in the visitor's center, and then looked in the tiny grocery store near the campground to see if they had any freeze dried food. I hadn't had a chance to buy any since the Abel Tasman track. It looked like I would have to make do with 2-minute noodles, a popular backpacking staple, this time. But it was already late enough for an early dinner, so I got a mince pie and hot chocolate before setting out on the trail. I started walking at 5:30 PM in a light rain, following the road out past the Skotel to the beginning of the track. Most people here seem to like to walk in the morning, so I was not too surprised that no one else was on the trail at this time of day. The track crossed relatively flat, scrubby land with few trees, but some small white wildflowers. The flatness of the land was deceptive, however. There were many deep creek beds to cross, and the trail itself was muddy and severely eroded in places, with deep fissures making walking difficult. A sign at the beginning had warned that this part of the track was in poor condition, and a person I met in Wellington had told me this as well, but it was worse than I had expected. Work was being done, and some new bridges and stairs were in place. I often had the feeling of crossing some badlands in the Western US, because of all the deep furrows and the scrubby, mostly treeless landscape which was much different from the dense forests I had experienced elsewhere in New Zealand. I reached a junction in the trails, and started uphill for a while. Magnatepopo Hut became visible in the distance at 7:30, and I reached it at 7:50. The estimated time for this trail was three hours, so I had made good time in spite of the poor conditions. The hut was crowded, but not full. Some people in tents camped beside it. Many of the people inside playing cards were actually campers. The hut warden found me quickly, having just made her rounds. She was a friendly young lady. I told her that I just got in on the train from Wellington today, and started the track at 5:30, and she said I had a big day, so I must be hungry. I told her I had a snack in town before starting, and she said that wasn't fair, since everyone else was making do with 2-minute noodles. I made my noodles, with pumpkin soup and cookies, and sat on the porch talking to people for a while. A Maori lady was there, and she said she was still unhappy with how this land was taken, and how the Maori language was once discouraged. This park was sacred ground to the Maori people. The warden told us that there was a hot spring near Ketetahi Hut, where most of us would stay tomorrow, but that it was on private land, and you were not supposed to trespass there. She also told us that almost everyone does. She warned that the crust near the hot spring was unstable, and that a German was recently severely burned there after falling through the ground into the superheated water below. The warden said there was also a nice spring near Waihohonu Hut, which looked inviting, but unfortunately was frigid. The conical volcanic peak of Mt. Ngauruhoe emerged from the clouds at dusk, dominating the skyline to the east. If there were clear weather tomorrow, I planned to climb it. The weather was supposed to be clearing, according to the posted forecast. I would have a second chance to climb it the day after tomorrow, with some backtracking, which would make a very long day. We sat talking on the porch until well after dark, while others played cards by candle light inside. The warden told us how they were amused by all the fuss made around the world about the eruption of Mt. Ruapehu in September. At one point, car-sized boulders were spewing out from the cone, and Dome Shelter on the rim had been crushed by one. But she said it wasn't really such a bad eruption, and that people were skiing on the slopes on the volcano while it was erupting. Some of the news reports made it sound like they had to evacuate half of New Zealand. A tourist came into the visitor's center at Whakapapa Village and asked where the volcano was that had erupted, and they told him he was standing on it. He wasn't happy to hear that, and left quickly. The warden said it was worth climbing Ruapehu if we had time. You just take a ski lift up as high as possible, then climb a few hours to the rim. I wasn't sure how I would fit this in, but it might be possible on the last day of the circuit, with an early start. JANUARY 9 Mangatepopo Hut to Ketetahi Hut, Climb Ngauruhoe I got up at 6 AM when people started stirring about. I could see that there was an orange glow in the sky. The sun was just starting to rise over the slopes of Ngauruhoe to the east, and I hurried outside to take some pictures. The sky was mostly clear this morning. I had breakfast, and started walking at 7:45. The track was flat until it started the climb to the pass, actually a big volcanic crater rim. Before starting the climb, I made a quick detour to Soda Springs, a small waterfall. The climb was steep, over big black volcanic rocks. Jagged boulders were everywhere, and little vegetation except a bit of grass. A side trail went up Mt. Ngauruhoe, and a sign said it was a two hour climb. Already, at 9:30, clouds were sitting on top, and more were on their way. Several people had started up, and I decided to climb in spite of the clouds. It was a steep climb, marked by poles, up loose volcanic rock, which was hard to get good footing in. Much of the climb followed a rocky ridge. At one point along the way, it started raining lightly, and it was becoming so cloudy that I stopped a while under a ledge to consider whether to continue. Clouds blew up from the west and over Mt. Tongariro, whose wide craters stretched out below the cone of Ngauruhoe. The desolate landscape below looked like the craters of the moon, only cloudier. Occasionally the view would be completely obscured. A couple more people came up while I was watching the weather, and I decided to go on. Beyond the ridge, the climb followed loose red rock steeply toward the summit. The poles were gone now. The rock was looser toward the top, and progress was slow. I passed a snow field and began the final steep climb to the summit. At the top, I found just a thin rim, with a steep drop on the other side. There was no visibility at first, because I was in a cloud, but I could hear other people. Then the clouds broke briefly, and I could see that I was on the edge of a deep volcanic crater. I walked around to the lowest part of the rim, where there was a relatively gentle slope into the crater. You were not supposed to go down into it, because of the noxious gasses which could be seen venting around the crater. I went down a little way, and felt the heat coming out of some vents. A couple more people arrived, and went all the way to the bottom, where there was some ice. They said they had done it before. I went down a little further, but not all the way. Visibility was mostly good into the crater, but not away from the mountain. There were only fleeting views as breaks in the clouds passed by. When there was some visibility, the surroundings seemed a long way down, and the cone very steep. It was hard to believe I had climbed that. I saw a lake far below, probably one of the Tama lakes to the south. There were also brief views of Tongariro's moon-like craters. I stayed on top a couple hours, and walked all the way around the rim, hoping for improving weather. I noticed that this crater was actually the higher, inner crater of the volcano, and that a wider on surrounded it on the south-eastern side. The weather only got worse, and the mountain clouded up completely again, as it was when I first reached the summit. I started down soon after the visibility disappeared, following the path I took up, mostly. It could have been hard to follow the path if it got too cloudy. I heard thunder, and was glad I started down then. Some people were still coming up. I sat down and took some pictures while a couple people climbed the loose red rock, so I wouldn't dislodge rock on them while they came up. There was still a decent view from a short way below the summit, and I could see how steep the route down would be. It hadn't seemed that steep on the way up. Some rain started, intermittently. As I started climbing down the rocky ridge, the rain became more intense, and it started to hail. I was glad I had my rain suit. I passed a family with children, who were still climbing up. I told them that they had at least 45 minutes to go, and that it got harder, but they continued anyway. When I got down to my pack, at 3:30, it was still raining. I had a sandwich and went on, crossing the wide, flat South Crater of Mt. Tongariro, and then climbing the crater rim on the other side. There was almost no vegetation here, and the rock was slippery in the rain. The trail climbed to the main ridge of Mt. Tongariro, in the middle of several wide, flat craters. A side trail led to the summit in an hour. This was not nearly as high as Ngauruhoe, and there didn't seem to be much point of going out there in the rain. Maybe I would come back tomorrow. Some people told me there were some nice rock formations out there, but there were nice rock formations everywhere. The trail climbed onto a high ridge next to Red Crater, a stark but beautiful red and black crater, classified as active, with lots of hot gasses coming out. The smell was quite acrid, and I could feel the heat when a cloud of gas blew by. I didn't take any pictures of the crater yet, because of the rain. If it were nice tomorrow, I would backtrack a little to see it again. The track then descended steeply through loose, black volcanic soil toward the Emerald Lakes, which were very beautiful, in a harsh volcanic way. Steam rose from the ground all around, and sulfur stained the slopes. The ground here was hot to the touch. The rain on the hot ground added to the steam, making it look like hell. The view was truly impressive on the way down to the Emerald Lakes, and I took many pictures in spite of the rain. The part of the track that I was walking today is also a popular day hike, known as the Tongariro Crossing, said to be the best one-day walk in New Zealand. This section is the most scenic part of the Crossing. The track then crossed the wide, flat, muddy central crater of Tongariro, and climbed the far rim, giving a view of the big, round Blue Lake on the other side. Then the track left the volcano, and descended gently. The rain stopped, and a big lake, Lake Rotoaira, became visible below, far away. Looking back, I could see the steaming slopes around the Tongariro's Red Crater, with Ngauruhoe towering above in the distance. The trail wound down wide, gentle switchbacks to Ketetahi Lodge, which had a big porch in back overlooking the valley and lake beyond. A hot spring was letting off immense clouds of steam nearby. It was the Ketetahi Hot Spring, on a little island of private property, where people are not supposed to go. I was arriving at the lodge rather late, and many people had already been to the hot spring. I brought a towel and water shorts and went down to check out the spring myself. The track passes near the spring, and there are a couple of places to view it without passing the "no trespassing" signs. I saw someone in a bright yellow raincoat wondering around well beyond those signs, in an area marked "dangerous", due to the unstable ground, through which some people had fallen at times and been severely burned. The water comes out of the springs at boiling temperature, but gradually cools as it flows downstream. I walked downstream of the dangerous area, put on my water shorts, and tried the water. The spot I picked was just comfortably hot. I sat in the murky, grey water in one of the deeper pools (about knee deep) for a while. I had read that hot springs in New Zealand can have a kind of brain-eating amoeba, so I was careful not to put my head in the water, which had a powerful sulfur odor. Around 8:00, I got dressed, just as a teenage girl arrived on the track downstream from the springs. She was on her way to the hut, and stopped to wait for some others. I went back to the hut and fixed dinner. At dusk, a group of eight teenagers and a guide, including the girl I had seen, arrived at the hut. It was an adventure outing. They had rafted in the morning, bicycled in the afternoon, and walked up tonight. Tomorrow, they would climb Ngauruhoe. The teenagers started cooking dinner about the time most people were going to bed. They were noisy and annoying, and had to be constantly reminded to keep quiet. Ketetahi hut is said to get a lot of school groups during the December holidays, with as many as forty people in a hut that holds around twenty, without much floor space. JANUARY 10 Ketetahi Hut to New Waihohonu Hut The forecast for today said "mostly fine - maybe", but it was completely cloudy when I got up. I started walking at 8:30, but turned back in fifteen minutes when I realized I had forgotten my flashlight. It soon started raining, and was so foggy I couldn't even see Blue Lake. It was still foggy when I got to the Emerald Lakes. I left my pack by one of the lakes and climbed the track up the steep volcanic ash to the high point next to Red Crater. It was much harder going up than coming down, and I was glad I hadn't brought my pack. I sat near the rim of Red Crater for a long time optimistically waiting to see if it would clear. Around 11:30, the clouds started breaking up suddenly, giving good views of Red Crater and beyond. I walked part way around the crater, taking some pictures. I then crossed the high point of the rim for good views of the Emerald Lakes. A lot of people had been waiting for the view to clear, many of them doing the Tongariro Crossing day-hike. It was now crowded at the lakes. On the way down, I passed the teenagers on their way to Ngauruhoe, hauling their packs up the difficult climb on the crumbly ash. I returned to my pack at the farthest lake, and had lunch there. This area was the highlight of the track, and I was not in a hurry to leave. At 1:30, I started walking again, climbing down the side of the volcano along a long lava ridge leading to the desert below. The desert looked like a badlands, with lots of lava rock formations scattered across the desolate landscape. The cone of Ngauruhoe was always visible to the right. The path continued far into the desert for 90 minutes or so, to Oturere Hut, where I stopped briefly. Some other people were here too, but I am not sure any of them were staying the night. Beyond this hut, the desert had little lava. The track followed a dry stream-bed and then crossed broad, smooth gravelly ridges, with poles marking the path leading as far as I could see into the distance. I was glad for the clouds, because the sun would have been merciless in this desert otherwise. Eventually, a ridge with trees appeared, and the track crossed a river and entered a forest. This was a welcome change after the desert. I climbed through the forest to the top of the ridge. Ngauruhoe was now far in the distance. There was more forest on the other side of the ridge, and the hut became visible below. I arrived at New Waihohonu Hut at about 4:30. Some people were washing in the cold river below, and there was a shaded campsite across the river. I walked to Ohinepango Springs, a pretty, clear, high-volume spring a twenty minute walk away. It was blue and surrounded with lush green vegetation and moss, and looked inviting until I felt the water, which was freezing. It was surprising how much water was flowing out of the ground here, in an area which was otherwise mostly dry and barren. It was like an oasis. I walked back to the hut and fixed dinner. This hut was not very crowded. Not so many people do the whole circuit. Mt. Ruapehu made a brief, rare appearance from among the clouds in the distance before dusk. I talked to an Australian for a while. The Maori lady was here also. The gas heater made this lodge rather hot inside. Even with the windows open, it was too hot to sleep comfortably. JANUARY 11 End Tongariro Northern Circuit In the morning, there was drizzling rain and little visibility. If it had been clear, I was thinking of leaving at sunrise to try to get back in time to climb Mt. Ruapehu, at least part way. Ski lifts operate there on clear days, taking you most of the way up. But it seemed unlikely that this would be a clear day. There was little point waiting to see the forecast, because it never changes, always "mostly fine". I decided to take my time this morning, and waited around the lodge a while for the rain to stop and the clouds to start lifting, beginning the 4-5 hour walk back to Whakapapa Village at 9:30, with a very relaxed pace. Signs along the track warned that it crossed lava flow zones from Mt. Ruapehu, but the volcano itself was hidden behind clouds. I stopped briefly at the old Waihohonu Hut, the first tourist accommodation in the area, built of corrugated metal, in two layers, with pumice between for insulation. The hut was painted bright orange, contrasting with the deep green forest surrounding it. The Australian man, who was walking rather slowly, and who had left after me, caught up with me briefly at the hut. Beyond the hut, the trees disappeared again. The sun came out around 11 AM, but clouds still hung around the mountains. I crossed more eroded areas, similar to the first day's track, and reached the Tama Lakes at 12:30. I had lunch at an overlook above the lower one, in an old volcanic crater. Although Mt. Ruapehu was still behind dark clouds, Ngauruhoe was now emerging from the clouds. I left my pack and walked up the steep path along a crater rim to the Upper Tama Lake. There was an excellent view from this ridge, overlooking the sunny, blue Tama Lake, with Mt. Ngauruhoe behind. I stayed on the ridge until 3:00, and then started down the path again, as clouds started moving in again. The Australian man was on the ridge too, as were a number of other people. The Tama Lakes can be reached from Whakapapa Village by a day-hike, so they make a popular destination. On the way back down, the trail came to a deep gorge with a steep rocky side. A waterfall was here, Taranaki Falls, down the steps from the main track. This is just a short walk from the village, so plenty of people come to see it. Some children were bathing in the cold water under the falls. I walked around the slippery rocks leading behind the falls. It was a short walk back to Whakapapa Village, through drizzling rain, arriving behind the Skotel near where I started. I looked around the visitor's center a while, and went to the store for a lamb and mint pie, potato chips, ice cream and hot chocolate while I waited for the 6:15 shuttle to National Park. The shuttle actually arrived a half hour early. Most riders had just completed the Tongariro Crossing, having started at the Ketetahi end. The shuttle stopped at a BP on the way back so we could buy milk or other groceries, since the tiny store in National Park closes at 6:00. I got a room at Ski Haus with one other person, who had also done the Circuit. After showering, I went to the lounge/restaurant, sat at the bar, and ordered a seafood basket with a Mac's Ale. Some Canadian girls were there. One had spent New Year's Eve in Knoxville last year, and thought the Old City was like New Orleans. I would say that is quite an exaggeration. I talked about particle physics with a local man at the bar. He had just seen a program about solar neutrinos on TV. The lounge had a pit with a big fireplace. It was a popular spot tonight. I fell asleep sitting there, and went to bed at 9:30. JANUARY 12 Bus to Waitomo, Glow Worm Cave I got up at 6:30 and walked outside to see if Mt. Ruapehu was visible. Although it was clear and sunny in National Park, most of Ruapehu was still in the clouds. Some of the snowy slopes were visible. I went back to the kitchen and had breakfast. A few people who were up early to do the Tongariro Crossing were there. I packed and checked out, and bought a bus ticket to Waitomo from the Manager. Actually, the closest the bus gets is a turnoff about 6 km from Waitomo. The manager said I could hitchhike in from there, or walk, or possibly get a ride from a shuttle. There was no actual town at this intersection. The closest town on the main road was Otorhanga, a little way further. The busses and trains all pass through National Park at mid-day, so I had to wait until 2:40. I took a short walk around National Park, a sleepy, dull prairie town, at least in the summer. There would have been more to do in Whakapapa Village, where there is at least a visitor's center, but that is not convenient to transportation. Ruapehu was now covered heavily by clouds, although National Park was still sunny. I looked through the visitor's book in the Ski Haus, and read the entries from the time of Ruapehu's eruption. At lunch time I got a hamburger and fries to take out at the little store across the street, and brought them back to the Ski Haus kitchen. I took another walk to the highway at the edge of town to see if Ruapehu was visible yet. It was showing through the clouds a bit more now, but the top was still hidden. I took a picture, since this was the most I was going to see of the famous volcano. Ngauruhoe and Tongariro were clear today. The people doing the crossing would have a good day. I went back to the Ski Haus and brought my bags to the side of the road to wait for the bus. As usual when I traveled by bus, I had my pack inside my big green duffle bag. It was a heavy load. The Australian man I met on the Tongariro Circuit was going to Waitomo on the same bus. He had stayed at a different hostel last night, and had a ticket to Otorhanga. He said there was a shuttle that meets this bus, and I would be better off going there than getting off at the intersection. The bus came at 2:40. When the driver saw my ticket, he also suggested going all the way to Otorhanga. This actually cost a dollar or two more, but he didn't say anything about it. I hoped they would have room on the shuttle. Around 4:30, we stopped in Te Kuiti for a half hour. I called the shuttle in Otorhanga to let them know I was coming, and went in the nearby cafe for an ice cream cone. The shuttle was waiting at the bus stop when we arrived in Otorhanga. The shuttle driver talked constantly on the way to Waitomo, telling us all about the Maori history of the area, called the "Land of Kings" because this is where their kings came from. Traditionally, there was no Maori king. They got the idea from the English. There is presently a Maori queen, with no official government role. We asked the driver why it was so complicated to get to Waitomo, with no direct bus service. He said they liked it that way, because it kept the town relatively quiet. They still get a lot of tour busses coming in during the day to see the Glow Worm Cave, but at night, the town is quiet. The driver said the best Glow Worm Cave tour is the last one of the day, at 8 PM, when all of the day-trippers are gone, and they give one more tour for the people staying overnight. Waitomo is a tiny town amid rolling, green hills. The driver showed us around, pointing out attractions such as the Shearing Shed, where they have angora rabbit shearing demonstrations, and the Maori pa site, where there is a nature walk describing the medicinal herbs used by the Maoris. He also gave us maps, and showed us the bushwalk, which he said was worthwhile. He told us that the bushwalk was a good place to see glow-worms at night, and pointed out on the map where to go to find them, a section of the walk between Aranui Cave and a natural bridge. The driver dropped me off at the YHA, where I had reservations. It was full, so the Australian would have to stay elsewhere. Actually, I was dropped off at the entrance to the fancy Waitomo THC hotel, which once housed the queen. The YHA hostel is just out back, and shares the hotel's registration desk. I followed the shuttle driver's advice and bought a ticket for the 8 PM Glow Worm Cave tour at the hotel desk. Then I walked down the steep hill through flowers and fern trees into town. I carried my small camera and a flashlight, since I thought I might try to find the glow worms on the bushwalk after seeing the cave tonight. The central area of town had a pub just down the hill from the hotel, and a Cave Museum and Visitor's Center down on the main road. Next to the visitor's center were a store and cafe. I went to the store, but found it didn't have much, so I just got milk and brought it back to the hostel, before returning to the cafe attached to the store for dinner. The cafe had a Chinese menu, and was reasonably priced. I ordered the Supreme Venison Dish, a stir-fry with vegetables and five-spice, and a Waikato Bitter beer. Then I walked a short section of the bushwalk, beginning across the street from the Cave Museum. I walked up to an overlook on top of a hill in a sheep pasture. The path up passed through dense forest and fern trees, and interesting limestone formations. I continued along the path as far as the Glow Worm Cave, arriving just before 8 PM. The ticket office was closed this late, and the ticket for the 8 PM tour must be bought at the hotel. Several of the people waiting didn't know this, and had to walk up the path to the hotel to buy their tickets. The Australian man was among them. This tour group would be small. During the day, the groups are much larger, because most people come in on afternoon tour busses, see the cave, and then leave. The last tour can take more time and visit more of the cave. The guide said she enjoys this tour most. While we waited for everyone to arrive with their tickets, she told us about the glow worms on the bushwalk, which the shuttle driver had mentioned earlier. The Glow Worm Cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites - much more decorated than any of the South Island caves I had seen. Some glow worms were seen already at the entrance. The guide said these ones are not seen during the day. Glow worms become more active at night, when the activity in the cave decreases. They don't like noise and light. We went down into a big central room, and then up stairs into a side passage leading to a beautifully decorated chamber. The guide said this chamber was not visited by the large day groups, because the carbon dioxide level would get too high. Carbon dioxide damages the cave formations. We walked back down into the cave to a room with a high ceiling. There was almost no echo here due to the porous limestone walls. The guide said it was a great place to sing, and that many famous people had sung here. One person in our group volunteered, and did a fine job. Some of the formations on the wall made a ringing sound when struck gently by the guide. We walked down to the river for a close-up look at the glow worms. Thousands were here, with many long lines for catching insects. Some of the lines were as much as a foot long, maybe more. We were told the now-familiar story of the life-cycle of a glow worm. Then we walked down to the river for the boat ride. Everyone fit in one boat, so no one had to wait, and we could take our time. The boat was pulled along an overhead wire into a grotto with a 35 foot ceiling covered with glow worms, so many you could see by them. It was the most glow worms I had seen in one place. The Te Ana-au Glow Worm Cave had nothing to compare to this. We remained silent, surrounded by the constellations of glow worms and the sound of dripping water. We went around the grotto a couple times. Then we followed a passage to the original cave entrance, the "water hole" that gave Waitomo its name. There were many worms glowing here now. The day tours wouldn't see so many. A few Japanese tourists got off at the entrance, normally the end of the tour. But the guide had to bring the boat back, so she let us come too. (The tourists who got off had puzzled expressions at this point.) We made our way slowly back to the inside dock where we had boarded. The guide used her light to point out some features of the cave, and told us some of the history of the grotto. Then we walked back up to the entrance. The Australian and I both wanted to see the glow worms on the bushwalk, and started down the road. We had walked a kilometer when someone stopped to give us a ride. They were also going to see the glow worms. We parked at the Aranui Cave parking area. The path did have some excellent glow worms, especially just before a swinging bridge. It was not quite dark yet, but the path followed a narrow ravine, and there were plenty of glow worms on the dark walls. I used my flashlight only when necessary. It might have been possible to take a picture if I had brought my good camera. We followed the path out to a natural bridge. The route wound through some little caves and around interesting limestone formations. We returned by the same route. A number of other people were out looking at the worms tonight also. I returned to the hostel and talked to some people in the bunk room for a while, going to bed around midnight. JANUARY 13 Waitomo: Gruesome Twosome It was a rainy morning. After breakfast, I walked a section of the bushwalk, beginning in the same place as last night, but going further, beyond the Glow Worm Cave. I walked back to look at the exit (historically, the entrance) of the cave. A lot of busses were parked here now, with large numbers of tourists, especially Japanese. A little gift shop at the cave entrance was open now, but it was expensive and I didn't buy anything. I went to the information desk at the Cave Museum and found that there is an afternoon bus to Rotorua, so I would have time for a Black Water Rafting trip in the morning tomorrow. I made a booking for this. I also checked in at the next desk for my "Gruesome Twosome", the combined Lost World and Haggas Honking Holes tours I had scheduled for today. Admission to the museum was included with the cave tours, so I toured the Cave Museum before stopping at the cafe for lunch. I figured I would need a lot of energy today, so I got a steak and onion pie plus a sausage roll and chocolate cake square. After lunch, I returned to the desk in the Cave Museum to check in for the Lost World tour. Two elderly people there were trying to figure out which tour their travel agent had booked them on. It appeared to be the Haggas Honking Holes, which is much more difficult than the Lost World tour offered by the same company. But they said they wanted a tour in a wet cave, and the half-day Lost World tour is dry. There is a wet version of the Lost World, but that is a day-and-a-half trip, which begins with rappeling instruction, followed by a full-day cave trip. They were shown a video from Haggas Honking Holes, and the lady indicated that this was not at all what she was expecting, with lots of crawling through water and rappeling in waterfalls and squeezing through holes. She was wearing a lacy white dress, and I wondered what she thought she was getting herself into. The people at the desk suggested they probably would be happier with the Lost World tour. Two Germans came in who were signed up for the 12:00 Lost World tour I was on, and were disappointed to learn that the half-day tour was dry, so they switched to the Haggas Honking Holes tour. I think a lot of people are confused about this, since there are two different Lost World tours. That left me alone on the half-day trip, so they asked if I wanted to do the long version instead. However, I didn't want to stay another full day in Waitomo, since that would leave me with no time in Rotorua. The elderly couple decided by now that they would do the Lost World half-day trip, so it turned out that I was no longer alone. We ended up leaving the Cave Museum an hour late. We had two guides, a young lady named Kim for me, and a man for the elderly couple. We drove out to a sheep farm to begin. The Lost World is a big hole in the ground, 100 meters deep, surrounded by trees. It is a former cave whose roof had collapsed. There is still a cave continuing on beyond the opening. We put on overalls, a harness, helmet, lights, and gumboots. It was still raining intermittently. Sheep grazed around the landscape scattered with "pancake rock" limestone outcroppings. We began with a practice walk along a safety rope down to an overlook into the Lost World. This was for practice learning how to use the clips on our harnesses. Then we went around to the other side of the pit, where a metal platform was set up, with a number of ropes dropping 100 meters into the wide hole. We approached using safety ropes and climbed down to the platform on metal ladders, and then sat on a bar hanging over the edge. Anyone afraid of heights would probably be panicking now. The guides helped to connect our racks and gave some instructions. This would be a tandem rappel, with the guides connected to us with webbing. They would follow on adjacent ropes, so we could not fall too far if we did anything wrong. The day-and-a-half trip does not use a tandem system, but begins with a few hours of instruction instead. It was a free rappel to the bottom. We all started out together, but Kim and I went faster than the others. I could control the pace. I had my small camera, and we stopped a few times to take pictures. I had 400 speed film in the camera today, which was the fastest I could find in Waitomo. (I had expected a cave town would have some faster film than this.) The film turned out to be mostly adequate. The hole was lush and green, with a mist hanging in it. Weird stalactite-like rock formations hung near the top. About half way down, we passed a ledge. As the weight of the rope below decreased, there was less tension on the rack to hold us back. Kim said to wrap the rope over one foot for more control. We took about twenty minutes to descend, which is typical. The couple was a few minutes behind. Once at the bottom, we made our way into the big cave opening at the far end. It would have been possible to go the other way too, but probably wetter. A stream flowed along the bottom, and we followed it uphill. At the entrance to the cave, we had a break for candy bars and orange juice. The ceiling was 100 meters above, with a few holes. I posed for a couple of pictures before we went on. As the cave became darker, we turned on our lights. We saw a big fossilized oyster. Further in, we came to a hanging ladder, made of metal bars strung between wires. The male guide climbed it, while the rest of us went on to a place with a low ceiling and some small stalactites. We turned out our lights and saw that the ceiling was covered with glow worms. We walked back to the hanging ladder. This was our way out. The elderly lady went first. A rope was attached to her harness. The ladder is climbed with one leg and one arm wrapped around it to keep close. The guide at the top pulled up on the rope for assistance, and to prevent a fall. He used a pulley and counterweight system. This ladder was about 40 meters high. The top was not really visible from the bottom. I went second, and left my camera with Kim so she could take a picture of me. Kim came up last, climbing the rope with ascenders. The guides were impressed with how quickly we all climbed the ladder, which was a bit strenuous even with assistance, and they asked the couple's ages. They were 61 and 58, and were in excellent condition. They said they work out and run regularly. The lady turned out to be a juvenile detention officer. She was obviously pretty tough, even though she was wearing a lacy white dress under her overalls. They probably could have done the Haggas Honking Holes. We still had a long climb to go, up a series of walks, climbs and ladders, using safety ropes when needed. We arrived at the surface through a big hole a short walk from the hole we entered. We got back to the cave museum at 5:00 and had 15 minutes to get something to eat before the 5:15 Haggas Honking Holes tour which would complete my Gruesome Twosome. Kim would be guiding this one as well. I hurried to the cafe next door for another meat pie and chocolate cake, and returned as the check-in began. As a test, everyone going on the Haggas Honking Holes tour had to crawl through a small demonstration tunnel in the museum. There would be twelve people on this tour, all fairly young, with three guides, including the two from the afternoon Lost World tour, and a Maori. We drove to a nearby farm (owned by a man named Haggas), and went into a sheep barn to change into wetsuits. We wore red coveralls over the wetsuits, plus helmet, harness, rack, and gumboots. The lights had high- and low-beam settings. We split into two groups and went into sheep pens in the barn (still used for sheep at other times) for some rappeling instruction. Normally, they do this on a slope outside, but it was raining hard now. It was a short drive and a short walk to the entrance hole. We sat there and introduced ourselves. The Maori led the first group in, and Kim (also known as Kimbo) led the second, which included me. The other guide followed. The cave started with a steep climb down to the first rappel, about 30 meters, the highest one in this cave. It followed a narrow waterfall, but it was not necessary to get wet, except for walking in the stream. Some sheep bones were found along the way. Sheep sometimes fall into the holes, and one guide said he once rescued one. The cave was beautifully decorated, with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, cave coral and soda straws everywhere. The guides warned not to touch the "pretty white stuff", the delicate formations common throughout the cave. The second rappel was a wet one down a short but strong waterfall. Rappelling down a waterfall probably sounds like more fun than it is at the time, especially when you are directly inside the water. At the bottom, we had to find where the water was flowing, and follow it. This took me a minute. It turned out to be flowing through a low crawl-space. This passage, like some others we would come to, was so low I could not keep my face completely dry. We slid down one waterfall, aided by a guide with a rope at the top. We got a close-up look at some glow worms. We saw soda straws a couple feet long. When we got to the deepest part of the cave, 65 meters below the surface, the stream went through a sumped passage, which the guide said could be passed by holding your breath for 30 seconds. We headed back up at that point via a different route. We raced with Kim through one winding section, and stopped for hard toffee candy bars and lemonade. Then we came to a free climb, which was not too hard. I went first, and got the job of attaching the safety line to each person at the next big ladder, calling "up rope" to Kimbo at the top when they were ready to climb. I was the last one up the ladder, attaching my own rope. Then there was a series of tight climbs and crawls, where we followed a rope through a series of narrow passages with some steep parts. After more climbing, we emerged under the waterfall we first rappeled down. More ladders and climbs brought us to the exit, just over the hill from the entrance. It was now dusk. We climbed back up to the bus, went back to the sheep barn, and changed and showered before returning to Waitomo. Many people on the trip planned to go to the pub, which had live music tonight, since it was Saturday. I went down after I got cleaned up at the hostel. At 10:30, they were shutting down the kitchen, so I just got a beer, a Mainland Dark Ale, which was passable but not great. I was sorry I missed the pizza. I did see a few other people from the Haggas Honking Holes. I was tired and didn't stay too long. Back at the hostel, two guys in the bunk room were talking about religions until late. I went to bed around 11:30. JANUARY 14 Black Water Rafting, Bus to Rotorua, Hangi I got up at 6:30 to get ready for a Black Water Rafting trip at 8:00. It was still raining, and there was a chance the water in the cave would be too high. When I arrived at the Cave Museum to check in, someone was checking the gauge in the cave. It was decided that the trip would go. The water was about at the maximal level, and if it rose any more, we might have to turn back. Seven customers and three guides went on the trip. They added an extra guide for safety due to the high water. We went first to their headquarters, the Black Water Cafe, where we were issued wetsuits, laced rubber boots, helmets, and purple stretch pants to protect the wetsuits. We then went to the Aranui Cave parking area, where we had gone for the glow worm walk the night I arrived in Waitomo. It was no longer raining. The sun was coming out, and it was becoming warm. Some procedures were explained. We practiced "eeling up", making an inner tube chain to go through the glow worm passages in the dark. We also practiced jumping backward into the water and landing in the inner tube, which would be necessary at one waterfall. It was a short walk from here to the cave entrance. We quickly came to a fast-moving stream and walked down it. We arrived at a deeper whirlpool, then went through a place with a low ceiling into another passage. The high water moved fast, and the guides warned us not to be careful not to drop our inner tubes. The water was noisy, and we had to stay close to hear the guides. So far we had just been in a side passage. We soon came to the main stream, which was wider and faster. There we got into the tubes for a fast run in water that would be about class 1-2. My tube flipped, and I swam half of it, but held onto the tube. Then we came to a small waterfall, where we jumped over it and landed in the tubes, as we had practiced outside. The first glow worm passage followed. We "eeled up" into a chain and turned out our lights, and then floated down the glow worm passage in the dark. Next, we walked around another waterfall, and tubed another fast section. This led to a wide, slow-moving stretch where we turned out our lights again and floated freely under the glow worms. Little red LEDs remained on while the lights were out, so we could see where everyone was. This passage led to a cave entrance, where we took our tubes out of the stream. I had a big cave spider on my back. A guide removed it and showed everyone. We carried our tubes to the creek and floated a couple hundred meters back to the point where we had first jumped in. The water had a lot of foam in it from plants. I put a pile of it on my helmet. People thought it was disgusting. We took the bus back, changed and showered, and went to the Black Water Cafe for soup, toast, and coffee or tea. They mentioned that they also had a longer Black Water II trip now, that they started because the same people had been running the trips for several years now, and they were getting bored with just one. This trip was a lot wetter and more exciting than the cave rafting trip in Greymouth, although there was more to that trip than just tubing. Back at the Cave Museum, I got a ticket for the 2:00 Intercity bus to Rotorua. I also bought a Haggas Honking Holes T-shirt while I was there. Then I walked down to the Ohake Maori pa site, a walk to the location of a one-time fortified village (pa) site on a hill in a sheep pasture. The walk had signs explaining the medicinal uses of various plants along the way. There was nothing left of the pa itself. At the bottom of the hill, near the beginning of the walk, was a small Maori craft shop, with weaving demonstrations and traditional and contemporary Maori art. I stopped there after the walk. A pre-European Maori village recreation was out back. I visited it for $2.50, and then walked back to town and stopped at the Shearing Shed, a bright red building where a busload of Japanese tourists were watching an Angora rabbit being sheared. The rabbit's legs were stretched out with cords before shaving it. They had pretty T-shirts for sale here, and I bought one. I stopped at the cafe and had a bacon and egg pie with a cup of chips before going up to the hotel to wait for the bus. Most visitors to Waitomo just come to see the Glow Worm Cave and leave. This was true of most of the people on this bus, who had come from Rotorua and were now returning. The driver didn't say much until we got close to Rotorua. He said Rotorua meant "second lake", counting from the sea, and it was a collapsed, semi-active volcanic crater. He said there was a raft trip down a 7 meter falls that went through a pretty gorge on the Kaituna River, and he highly recommended it. He also pointed out some tourist attractions along the way, including the Agrodome, where they have sheep on stage, and you can see dogs walk on their backs. I thought I would pass on that. Rotorua is the center of the North Island's tourist industry, and has all sorts of tourist attractions. A friend of mine who had been here didn't like Rotorua because it was too touristy, comparing it to Pigeon Forge in the Smokies back home. Actually, it's not nearly that bad. We stopped briefly at the Visitor's Center, modeled after the historic baths building, and I got off at the YHA hostel, a big one near the Polynesian Pools hot spring on the lake. I had reservations, and got a room in a small dorm. Then I asked about geyser tours, and received several brochures. I thought I might have time to see the Whakarewaka geysers and Maori Cultural Center 3 km away today, but they close at 6 PM and it was already 4:00. So I called Tamaki Tours, where I had booked the Maori Cultural Experience for tomorrow, and asked if I could go today instead. They said it would be fine. A bus would pick me up at the hostel. Tamaki Tours was highly recommended by the Lonely Planet guide book. I looked through the geyser tour brochures. The Australian I met on the Tongariro Circuit had recommended the Pink Bus, which is the cheapest way to see the Waiotapu thermal area, said to be the area's most colorful and best. I decided on Carey's Capers, which visits all of the thermal areas, includes a hot swim, and visits the Maori Cultural Center in a full day. The same company also has a Get Volcanic tour which is similar, but includes a 4-wheel drive tour of a volcanic crater, but skips Whakarewaka. That sounded interesting, but I would have to fit Whakarewaka into my last morning then, and I wanted to have time to do the raft trip the bus driver described. I called Carey's Capers and made a reservation. At 5:45, a bus came to pick up me and a Swede named Patrick for Tamaki Tours' Twilight Cultural Experience. The Maori driver/guide led everyone in a greeting "Kia Ora". Everyone boarding was greeted this way. I met the owner of a travel company, Black Sheep Tours, who was escorting a group to the hangi. She said she thought this was the best one in Rotorua. We went to the office at the Tourist Center to pay, and then took the bus to the marae, or ceremonial place, being instructed in Maori etiquette along the way. We were told what to expect, so no one would laugh at the warriors who came to challenge us in the traditional manner, sticking their tongues out and making faces. We were taught a simple song, "Kia Ora Ko To", sung to the tune of Happy Birthday, to use as a greeting in the meeting house. The driver selected an Australian man to act as our chief. A lot of other busses arrived at the marae as well, including one full of Korean students. We made an arc around the entrance to the marae, and a group of Maori warriors came out to greet us. This began a series of challenges, meant to determine the visitors' intentions. The warriors came out in traditional flax skirts, waving weapons and sticking their tongues out. This was to threaten and insult the visitors, to provoke an attack if one were intended. We came in peace, so palm fronds were offered by the chiefs. Acceptance was signaled by a "hongi", pressing the noses together twice in an expression of unity through our common breath. Then the women came out, and they made a speech and sang, and invited us into the compound. Inside was a model pre-European village where a number of Maori activities were being demonstrated. We watched for a while, before we were escorted to the meeting house for the concert. In the meeting house, only men were allowed to sit in the first row, no women or children by tradition. This was to protect the women and children in case hostilities broke out between the hosts and guests. We were greeted with poetry and song, and responded with the song "Kia Ora Ko To" we had been taught on the bus. The Korean children sang a special Korean song. A variety of songs and dances followed, now that the serious formalities were over. Guitars, used by the Maori since the turn of the century, were used for accompaniment. There was an audience participation song, with hand motions, about a "tunifa", or monster. After the concert, we went to see the hangi, our meal, being unwrapped. There were three layers of baskets, the top and bottom having pork and chicken and dressing, and the middle having potatoes, carrots, and kumara. These were over an open pit containing hot rocks, which had been heated white hot by burning wood (which is removed before cooking), and covered with cloths and sacks (traditionally flax and mud). The food steamed for three hours over the rocks. We were told that traditionally, the meat could have been human: the Maori were cannibals before they became Christians. The rolling eyes and waving tongue in their warrior's challenge mean "your flesh looks good, and soon you will be in my belly". We went into the banquet hall and were served buffet style, one table at a time. Everything was really tasty. There were mussels and cole slaw too, and breads. Seconds were permitted, but I stuffed my plate well to begin with, and was still eating when desert was served (a bit prematurely, perhaps). The desert was pudding. Alcohol was available for purchase, if desired. Afterward, there were more songs. Overall it was a very enjoyable night, and it was too bad it had to end so soon. Finally, we boarded the busses for the ride home. The driver told our "chief" that his job wasn't done yet, and gave him a microphone with a long cord to pass around to get people to introduce themselves and hopefully, to sing a song. We got back to the hostel shortly after closing time at 10 PM, and used the pass code to open the door. JANUARY 15 Rotorua: Carey's Capers I got up at 6:30. The weather looked promising as I prepared for Carey's Capers. While waiting for their van, I called Kaituna Cascades and made reservations for the rafting trip the bus driver recommended, with the seven meter waterfall. The van picked me up at 8:10. The Get Volcanic tour shared the same morning schedule, and the same van. Their tour would leave us in the afternoon for a four-wheel drive excursion up Mt. Tarawera. We left Rotorua after picking everyone up, and headed toward the Waiotapu thermal area about a 20 minute drive away. On the way, we stopped briefly at New Zealand's biggest boiling mudhole. Waiotapu is said by many to be the region's best thermal area. All the thermal areas are privately owned, and the tour covered the various admission fees. It reminded me of what Yellowstone could have been like if there were no national park, and every geyser basin had a different owner. We began at the visitor's center and souvenir shop, and had 45 minutes to follow the path around the thermal lakes, steaming pits, and boiling mudholes. We were given maps, and told not to venture onto the Ngakoro Loop Walk, because it takes too long and people get lost on that bushwalk sometimes. The pools were rather colorful, and the rocks were marked with bright yellow and red mineral deposits. It was clear why this is said to be New Zealand's most colorful thermal area. Some say it was more colorful in the past, though. Artist's Palette, whose colors are said to be constantly changing, was most impressive. The path continued to an overlook, and then down into the valley past a colorful waterfall, to the loop walk through the bush we were supposed to skip. I turned back, passing white sinter terraces said to be the largest in New Zealand. The path then passed around the largest spring in the area, Champagne Pool, named for the tiny bubbles if carbon dioxide rising through the water. The pool was so steamy it was hard to see the water. There were then a series of craters, including one where birds nest so that the heat from the crater will incubate their eggs. We had to get back on the bus at 10:10 to make it to nearby Lady Knox Geyser in time for the scheduled 10:15 eruption. This is the biggest geyser around. The eruption is artificially primed so it will occur at the same time every day. They pour soap down the geyser to reduce the water's surface tension and prompt the eruption. A large crowd was gathered around the bleachers overlooking the geyser. A few minutes after the man put the soap in, the geyser started bubbling, and shot up to a maximum of twenty meters. It would continue erupting at a lower level for another hour or so. We were told not to wait for it to stop, because it would take a long time. After watching the geyser a few minutes, we walked back to the van, which had been moved to a private logging road behind a locked gate. This was because we were now going for a hot swim, a unique feature on Carey's tours, and they didn't want anyone else following. We drove out the dirt road to a hot creek, Kerosene Creek, and walked to a steaming swimming hole at the base of a small waterfall. The water was smelly, and a sign on the far side warned not to put your head in the water, or you could get amoebic meningitis, from amoebas that live in the hot water and can enter the brain through sinus cavities. We changed in the woods, men and women in different directions. The water was comfortably hot, and the sand and gravel on the bottom was even hotter. The waterfall made a bubbly spa effect. We stayed here until about noon, and then drove to Waimangu Valley, a volcanic site with an interesting history, which has been quite active over the last century. We received bag lunches from the cafe at the entrance, and sat on the porch to eat them. It was now sunny and hot out. After lunch, we went inside and looked at some old pictures as the guide explained the area's history. A popular tourist attraction, the Pink and White Terraces, were a major tourist attraction here until they were demolished by an enormous eruption of Mt. Tarawera in 1886. Afterward, the Waimangu Geyser appeared in this valley, which was the largest geyser in the world from 1900 until it stopped in 1904. Our guide led us on a walk down into the valley. He was very knowledgeable about the history, geology, and plant life of the valley, and his commentary added a lot to the walk. A big blue lake, Waimangu Cauldron, is at the bottom of the crater, with steaming Cathedral Rocks behind. This is predicted to be the site of the next major volcanic eruption in the area, and is carefully monitored by geologists. Beyond the lake, we followed a hot creek past boiling pools, and made a side trip up to a pretty blue lake with a temperature over 80 degrees C and a PH of 2.8, very acidic. It rises and falls cyclically, and is very interesting to geologists, who have a wire running into it for monitoring. When Tarawera erupted in 1886, it completely changed the landscape here. We saw the site of the geyser that appeared in 1900, the biggest in the world. People would watch from shelters built around it. All that remains now is a cross marking the spot where the geyser killed four tourists who would not stay in the shelters. Another volcanic eruption in the 1970's buried everything here under deep mud and killed several people. At the bottom of the walk, we saw another small hot pool with deep blue water, and several petrified trees. Then we boarded a bus back to the entrance at the top of the valley. The people doing the four-wheel drive tour left us here, as did anyone doing only the 3/4 day option of Carey's Capers. (Options range from half-day to full-day.) That left only two of us doing the full day excursion. The tour will go with only one person, if necessary. The next stop was Whakarewarewa, just 3 km from downtown Rotorua. Many people would just walk here, but I was on a tight schedule since my plane was leaving tomorrow, so I came on the full Carey's Capers tour to see it today. We were instructed in Maori etiquette before arriving at the Maori Cultural Center at Whakarewarewa. We would say "Kia Ora" and do a hongi, or nose press, with the man who greeted the bus. Then we went inside the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and joined a guided tour. Our Carey's Capers guide would meet us at the end. We first visited the Maori Carving Institute, where apprentices learn to carve from master carvers. The apprentices must be Maori boys between 15 and 18, and come from a "carving family". They spend three years studying here. We saw some of the carvers in the workshop. Some examples of carvings were on display in the lobby, and our guide explained their meaning. The tongue played an important role, and the way it pointed had a variety of symbolic meanings. The wood carvings have eyes made of paua (abelone) shells. The lady guiding us then demonstrated flax weaving, stripping the green leaf from the fiber with a mussel shell and rolling the strands together against her leg. We then toured a model pre-European village and the meeting house. Shoes must be removed before entering the sacred room. It was a big new building, decorated with elaborate carvings and woven panels. Next we saw the Weaving Institute, where anyone interested, not necessarily Maori, can learn Maori Weaving. Then we visited the Kiwi House, a dimly lit room where two kiwis could be seen. These are odd-looking nocturnal birds about the size of a fat chicken. I had never seen one in the wild, so this would be my only look. The room was so dim, some people could never find the birds. We walked out to the geyser field after leaving the cultural center. Two geysers were spouting as we approached. They spout often, but unpredictably. We also passed a boiling mudhole and a blue lake in the small thermal area. Then we moved on to the Maori village, and saw a cemetery with many small totem poles. Burial must be above ground here, or it would create new geysers. We also saw a small Catholic church and passed numerous souvenir shops. A thermal pool in the village was used to cook corn on the cob, which was sold to tourists. Not all pools can be used for cooking, because some contain arsenic. I tried an ear of corn. It was pretty good. There are also boxes in the ground that the residents use to steam food. We saw the village thermal baths, and then met the bus out on the main street. The driver said our tour had been longer than usual. We drove to the final thermal area, Hell's Gate, which the guide said was really smelly. We got complementary tea or coffee at the cafe here, and I also ordered a hazelnut tart. We were given maps, and had 45 minutes to follow the paths here. It certainly was smelly, with lots of steaming mud pools and lakes, but was not very colorful - just gray mud and a few streaks of sulfur. This was billed as "New Zealand's hottest and most active thermal area", but actually it was probably the least interesting of the day, with little variety and no geysers. As we walked, I talked to my partner, an Englishman, about physics for a while. I changed film for the last time, suspecting that maybe it didn't load correctly. There were some peacocks and pigeons roaming about, but generally the place gave the impression of having been past its prime. We returned to the bus and got back to town around 5 PM. As the guide said, we had probably had more than enough of thermal areas by this time. When I got back to the hostel, I put on a bathing suit and went out back to try the whirlpool spa for a short time. Then I showered and changed some money, and booked transportation to Aukland for tomorrow afternoon. Then I looked in some of the nearby souvenir stores. I wanted to buy a Maori carving before I went home. By this time of day, after 6 PM, almost everything was closing except the big Japanese or Korean shops, which stay open to 11 PM. I also scouted around for some restaurants I had read about in Lonely Planet, trying to decide where to have dinner. I then walked down to the historic Bath House, which is now a museum. It is an attractive Tudor style building on very carefully maintained grounds with blooming flowers and bowling greens. The place has a very British atmosphere. It also has a few steaming pools and vents. I took some pictures, not thinking about whether I had loaded the film properly. I decided to have dinner at Alzac Cafe, which Lonely Planet said has "eclectic international dishes". I had some trouble finding the cafe because it had moved. It was worth the search, though, because their menu was quite interesting. I ordered vegetarian orzo with smoked tomatoes and pumpkin dumplings and a salad. The food was tasty and well-prepared. I also had a Mac's Ale. For desert, I got apple-cinnamon cheesecake with a cinnamon-fig crust and cappuccino. It was an excellent, filling meal for about $30 NZ. On the way back to the hostel, I stopped at a drugstore and bought a waterproof disposable camera for my raft trip tomorrow. The price was outrageous, more than twice what they cost at home. I got back to the hostel after 9 PM and got the after hours code, and picked up a towel and bathing suit to visit the Polynesian Pools, which are open until 10:30. A huge Japanese tour group was at the spa. I arrived just before a new busload came to check in. There was a 35 degree C pool inside, which was regulated by mixing the spring water with tap water. Outside were small "Radium Springs" and "Priest Springs" pools, ranging from 35 to 45 degrees C. These bubble straight up through gravel on the bottom, and the temperature is unregulated. Gas comes up too, and the bottoms can be quite hot at spots. It was suggested not to stay more than 15 minutes in the small pools, to avoid overheating. There were no signs here about brain-eating amoebas, so maybe they don't have any. I stayed until almost closing time, and then walked back downtown, which was now practically deserted. People don't stay up very late in New Zealand, even in resort towns. I visited a brewpub, Pig & Whistle, which I had seen earlier, and tried their Snout Dark Ale, which was a tasty, malty brew. I went back to the hostel around 11:30, and took a walk down to the lake across the street before going to bed. JANUARY 16 Kaituna Cascades Rafting, Bus to Aukland, Flight Home This would be a long day. I would be going home tonight, and gain a day at the International Date Line, making this about twice as long as a normal day. I got up, had breakfast, and packed for the plane. I got out everything I would be needing for my raft trip, and checked my bags. This YHA makes you pay to store stuff: they have coin lockers. This was the most secure storage I had seen yet, though. Many hostels use an unlocked closet. The Kaituna Cascades raft trip would spend only 45 minutes on the river. Its main purpose was to run Okere Falls, a 7 meter waterfall said to be the highest commercially run drop in the world. The bus came just after 9 AM and brought four passengers to the takeout on the Kaituna River. I had actually met the other three before at the Ski Haus in National Park - two were Canadians. The Kaituna River is one of the warmest in New Zealand, and shorts and a fleece top (provided) were sufficient. There were enough people here for three rafts. People such as myself who had sandals wore them, while others went barefoot. Helmets and lifejackets were distributed, and we received some instruction. The rafts had webbing to grab onto for the bigger drops, especially Okere Falls. We were told to get in the bottom of the raft and hold the webbing for the big drops, with the oars held outside the raft, parallel to the edge. I brought my waterproof camera to take pictures, but the gorge was deep and and lushly vegetated, and it was cloudy, so I suspected I wouldn't get many good pictures. The river started with reasonably easy class 2-3 rapids. It was narrow and deep enough that rocks weren't a problem. The lush green plant life made the run quite pretty. We practiced some maneuvers on the easy rapids. I was in front, beside one of the guides. Each raft had two guides, one at each end. I was told my paddling was excellent, and I said I had lots of practice at home. The first big drop was a 10 foot falls, probably class 4, which was pretty straightforward and not too steep. An old generating station was next to it, now in ruins. The second big drop would be Okere Falls. Our raft went last, and we flipped at the bottom. I tried holding on and coming up under the raft, as instructed, but the water was too frothy for there to be much air under there, so I came outside. The raft was quickly righted in the big smooth pool below the falls. We all paddled back up for a "victory picture". We could buy a pack of six pictures later, if we wanted. [Okere Falls: about to flip] The remaining rapids were minor. We did one while spinning, and surfed a hole. We were last, and tried the hole twice. The gorge had beautiful fern trees and high rock walls. The short run ended quickly, just before a falls that cannot be run safely due to a death hole at the bottom which has claimed a few people. We were back at the hostel at 11:30. I stopped in some souvenir shops trying to find a nice Maori carving, and I bought one. It was a carving of a warrior sticking his tongue out, with big paua shell eyes. Such carvings can be found in most of the shops. Tikis are common too. Then I went to the Pig & Whistle Pub for lunch. I had decided to do this last night when I was here, because they had an extensive menu. I got lasagna with garlic bread and their Swein Lager, which was not as interesting as their ale. I managed to use up most of my coins here. I went back to the hostel, and took a short walk along the smelly lake-shore, which was bubbling with noxious gasses. I picked up my luggage from the hostel locker and waited for the Murray's Bus I had booked. It arrived around 3 PM, and was actually a small van with a trailer, with no air conditioning. It was cheap, though. There would be only a few riders. The driver was a nice young lady who was very friendly. After boarding, I rewound the film in my cameras, so I could carry the film separately through the airport X-ray. I noticed now that none of the pictures on the last roll in my Nikon camera would come out, because the film was not loaded correctly. This was disappointing, because I would have had some pretty pictures of the Bath House gardens. The bus got warm inside on the ride, because the sun was out now. We picked up an elderly lady along the way, who talked a lot about how much things had changed. We went through a town called Paeroa, home of L&P soft drink, which is very popular in New Zealand but unknown elsewhere. The name stands for "Lemon and Paeroa". I had tried it once, at the Shotover Jet headquarters, and wondered what paeroa was. Originally, the soft drink was made with naturally carbonated water from a spring in Paeroa. That spring no longer runs, and ordinary carbonated water is used to bottle the drink in Aukland. The elderly lady on the bus said it still tastes just like it did originally, and she finds it more refreshing than other soft drinks. We came to a coastal town, Papakura, on a bay south of Aukland, and stopped for a while. I was the only passenger going on, and I was let out at the Information Center, next to a mall, for 25 minutes while the van was serviced before our scheduled 4:15 departure, when we would pick up two more people. I walked to the mall next door and looked around. I thought of getting a snack, but I didn't want to change any more money, and I had already spent most of what I had. I would need $20 at the airport for the departure tax, and some money to get from Aukland to the airport. I found a CD store and bought a Maori CD. Most CD's in New Zealand are expensive by American standards, even considering the exchange rate, but this one was reasonably priced. There was a lot of traffic on the highway as we approached Aukland at rush hour. I was glad I didn't have to drive in a place like this. We decided I would be dropped off at Aukland Central Backpackers (ACB), which has regular shuttle service to the airport for $8. I got there at 6:30, and had time to get dinner at the budget cafe on the seventh floor before departing. I had exactly $7.95 to spend, beyond the $8 for the shuttle and $20 for the departure tax. I spent all but 15 cents of it on shepherd's pie and an L&P soda. I think L&P soda tastes something like lemon hard candy. I waited in the cafe, which was painted like a forest. Backpackers' Hostels often have such murals, though they are not seen at YHA's. At 7:30, I got my shuttle to the airport. I tried opening my big duffle bag to get some things in it, and noticed that I had lost my key, probably on the bus. I had a spare key, but it was locked inside. The duffle bag already had a few holes in it from this trip, which were patched with duct tape. I thought I might have to cut another one. At 8:10, there was already a long line at the Air New Zealand counter in the airport for the 10:30 flight to Los Angeles. I checked in, and after some hunting, found the place to pay the airport departure tax and get a departure card. The security lady agreed to check my film by hand, and opened all fifty of the containers. We departed a little late for the 11 1/2 hour flight to Los Angeles. An Australian couple sat next to me, and the man gave me an Australian mystery book to read. It was really dull, and I quickly went to sleep. An Australian movie about a pig came on, and I slept through most of it, except when they served dinner. I had the beef casserole, and slept through another movie, waking in time for breakfast. I had the mixed grill, just like on the flight over: sausages and baked beans. We were still a few hours from LA as the sun came up. It was the morning of January 16 again. They showed American sitcoms and Pink Panther cartoons and a really bad comedy gameshow. We arrived in LA at 1:15 PM, a little late. I collected my bags and went through customs, with nothing to declare. A little dog with a green "Agricultural Inspector" vest sniffed all the luggage. There was time to check my bag here, so I didn't have to carry it all the way to the domestic terminal, a long walk. (I didn't take the bus.) I just had time to get a chocolate croissant and cafe mocha before boarding the 3:15 plane to Atlanta. There was no one next to me for the 3 1/2 hour flight, so I could sleep comfortably. I skipped the movie, Truman. They charge $4 for earphones to hear it. I had a chicken pasta dish for dinner. We got in on time at 10:20 PM, and I just had time to walk to the other terminal to board the 11:05 flight to Knoxville. This flight was not very full, so they planned to leave early if everyone arrived on time. The half hour flight arrived in Knoxville at 11:40, and I got an ABC shuttle back to my apartment, arriving just after midnight. Using a little topology, I was able to get my duffle bag open far enough to find the extra key inside and unlock it, so I didn't need to make any new holes. Copyright 1996, Scott A. Yost. All rights reserved.