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Published: January 9th 2010
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Hobbit Wanders Part 4: Tararua Hobbits
Did you know that E A R T H can be re arranged to read H E A R T ?
On this over night tramp in the Tararua mountain range we have to change plans to avoid spending a night without shelter in the alpine, do a river crossing as the track has been washed out, and I have my first go at fire writing.
I love the lightness of my soul when I am tramping. All the daily demands of urban life are shed, like dirty clothes and I am free to just walk in the woods. Wandering like a hobbit.
Not long after setting out, it begins to rain. Our spirits are not dampened by the drizzle though. In fact , the rain that seeps through the trees draws our attention to the light struggling through the mist. A simple thing like daylight becomes a magical force that captures our attention and lightens our mood and our souls. We stop to take pictures and feel like we are on the set of Lord of the Rings. Oh wait! We are!!
Soon enough the trees thinned out and our upward climb declined as we reached the ridge. Casting our eyes back over the valley we had come from creates a sense of achievement. Skipping along the track now we can see that there was a fire here not so long ago. There are lots of charcoled trunk stumps protruding from the alpine bush at odd angles acting like tombstones to past generations.
Our plan is to leave Kaitoke and see how far we can get. If things go well we will be in Otaki, if not we will loop back. We have ‘Skye' so we can camp as we do not have hut passes. I am sure you will agree with me that track signs in New Zealand are pretty accurate - it says 45 minutes and you arrive in 30. Unfortunately the markers along this section were far from realistic. The sign said two hours and it took us four!!
We found ourselves at an intersection heading either further across the ridge to Alpha hut or heading back down into the valley towards Cone hut. Being the smart individuals we are, we headed down. Down seems like an easy option, but when you are following
markers that are few and far between for a couple of hours straight down it actually takes quite a toll on the legs.
When we reached the bottom the signs did not match our map . It turns out there had been quite a lot of rain recently and huge chunks of the track had been washed away by the river as well as a bridge, hence a two hour diversion was required.
It was getting late in the afternoon and so time was pressing. Our alternative route kicked off with a river crossing. I have to say, that in all reality a decent tramp isn’t complete without at least one river crossing. I haven’t done one in so long and I seemed to skim across to the other side, with enough time to get my camera out and capture Moka freezing his legs off! He he he
A wee bit of bush whacking and we find the track. In the last moments of light we get ‘Skye’ up and begin to gather wood for the evening’s fire. There are absolutely no humans around. However the city girl inside me is scared of what else might
be out there…..
Fire writing is so much fun! Set up the camera on long exposure, light your stick and off you go. It is actually an art that takes quite a while to perfect - I think my heart came out pretty well for such a novice.
Sitting around an open fire, sipping a hot drink after an exhausting day tramping is one of those moments in life when everything seems that it is as it should be. The trees fill the forest, the river flows and the stars hang in the sky.
Striding along the river back out of the valley we constantly have to risk life and limb to shimmy along what is left of the track. At one point I was clinging onto a root near the top of a cliff we had just scaled and then I froze solid. I couldn’t move a muscle out of fear of falling. It was so hard, but I closed my eyes and breathed slowly and deeply. I felt the grip I have under my feet and in my hands. I relaxed and found where I could place my weight to hoist myself up onto the top
ledge…… Bloody hell! The things we do! Nothing like the fear of death to make you feel alive though ay!
Anyways apparently our lunch break was too long or something because we realise we are going to be late for our 4pm pick up at Kaitoke. We pick up the pace and gallop along the rest of the track. Me, quite literally, as my ‘bung knee’ has decided to play up. Thankfully we make it more or less on time. No call to the police required.
Honestly I could so do this every weekend! 😱
Perhaps it could be my ‘church on Sundays’ - the way I nourish my soul. I can fill it with all the pure and good things on E A R T H and keep them in my H E A R T to share with others.
(Yeah, pretty cheesy I know, but what can I say…. I like cheese! )
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