Tramping in NZ

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Well I don't really even know how to start this entry...I definitely had an experience I will not soon forget. I know it is long but trust me it is really entertaining!! I went tramping this past weekend. The Kiwi version of hiking, but more rough and intense. As you can see in the picture I'm all geared up and ready to go. I've got my strippys on (signature kiwi long underwear), my hiking boots, and my pack fully loaded with my sleeping bag, food, I-pod, and a limited supply of warm clothes.

The weekend started by meeting up with the tramping club and then splitting up into groups for driving and meal purposes. I was paired with Andy (a fellow Australearn from Massachusetts), Richard (an young Englishman from Leeds right where one of the bombers was found), Willie (a late 20s Kiwi who writes for a NZ TV morning show), and our group leader James (a kiwi/English law post grad who is keen to 8os hits). And then there was little old me, early 20s American blonde who thinks she knows what she’s in for.... well I could never have guessed!!!

We started out at a supermarket to buy dinner for our group. The boys had decided on nachos...and I decided to go with the flow and leave it up to there past experience. After choosing our cheesy chips, spicy beans, and mini bottles of bubbly we were on our way. The trip up was very relaxed and we had good conversation although my accent was continuously picked on...they thought the movie FARGO was an accurate depiction of ND!!! We drove up winding roads on small mountains and gravel paths through fields of sheep and finally reached Torahua.

Once we reached our destination we started out in our little group, with a few additions including my friend Shelly. The tramp started out a little damp with a light drizzle but I was super excited to put all my new equipment to use. Everything was so green...the ground the hills and even the trees had ferns growing out of their trunks. A lush sub-tropical rain forest that none of my pictures could ever do justice.

So to fast forward a bit we followed the guys for a while across single person wire bridges, up and down rocky paths and across small streams of water. But I came to the realization that the Kiwis are so used to the gorgeous landscape that they kinda take it for granted and don't care about enjoying the scenery. Trust me you know I'm competitive and will never be last if I can help it but I really like taking pictures and wanted to soak in everything so I took breaks on the way up the trail. By the way the trek up was not so easy anyways...it was steep and the tree roots formed stairs to help, but my legs are kinda short and I had to be on all fours some times to make my way up...plus I had the heavy pack on my back that only added weight; but hey I'm tough... I think!!!

After we reached the top of the path I realized that we still had on hour left to the bottom and our hut where we were staying for the night. And the race was on to claim a bed...there were only room for 16 and we came with 34 people!! Well I started out strong but when my friend Andy caught up I tried to stay with him and I wasn't doing to bad. But then I stopped paying attention and ran my knee into a tree trunk and because of the weight from my pack I flew forward onto the ground. Don't worry though I wasn't hurt...only my knee and ego were a little bruised, haha. Well I made it the rest of the day down across streams and over tree trunks to the hut. And this is when it starts getting really interesting...

The hut, as you can see in the pics, is just that. And we stayed at a brand new one!! No electricity, just candles for light and a wood burning stove for heat. But heat didn't seem to be a problem because besides our large group there were about 10 other trampers shaking up for the night!! They were all a little older and weren't to thrilled to see our lively bunch of faces show up. They also weren't to keen on making room for more of us to sleep inside so it was good I went fast downhill because I managed to score a little sliver of mattress!!

Because this is brand new to me I didn't realize I needed to bring extra shoes, a plate, fork, cup, and TP.oops!! So I borrowed Willie's jandals (flip flops) whenever I needed to venture outside to use the long drop (outhouse), and I managed to find some TP... thank the lord! When it came time to dine on the cuisine of mincemeat and bean nachos( I ate it all!!) I had to use the top of the Billy (large cooking pot) for my plate and luckily found other kiwis to donate a cup and spoon!! But I must say I had a fun time eating with my little group of guys. I learned to appreciate any food after a day of tramping and the English fellows clued me in on the hip British slang...e.g. "Cheers, I'll take a Nelson Mandela." Translated "Hi, I'll take a beer" HAHA

Well the night continued on with me perfecting the cooking process of dessert, little chocolate cakes, getting quizzed on the state capitals, and watching the trampers pound down a few more Mandela's, haha. I was soooo tired and ready to go to bed by nine so I climbed up into my bed. By the way I was sleeping on top of a sleeping bag with another over it and sharing it with Shelly and Lauren so that we could all sleep inside. It was a little tight because we had to sleep between two old tramping couples that were glaring at us the entire night.

So we finally were all situated for bed...I put my I-pod headphones in and blared James Taylor so he could sing me to sleep, but this is the first time that even James couldn't sooth my mind and send me off the sleep!! Nothing could disguise the stench that filled the hut's air!! It was a mixture of every food imaginable and stinky BO boys, yuck. I did eventually fall asleep with my nose in my vest that was doubling for my pillow! It was a restless night but I was managing to catch a good hour now and then, but that was only until a tramping club guy interrupted it. I woke up to a very intoxicated guy climbing up onto my level of bunks and grabbing his sleeping bag, which I didn't even realize was next to me. He got inside of it very violently, thrashing about while trying to get situated. He eventually settled down but not until he was basically on top of ME!! He then proceeded to snore and the entire night was the conductor of what we termed the "Snoring Symphony"!! And anyone who knows me knows that snoring is my pet peeve, I wanted to scream!! So between this random cuddler (that trust me I tried to move over), the stench, and the gargling, sleep was the last option I expected to happen!! And poor Shelly and Lauren had to deal with it because I had to crush them to escape being smothered!!!

I was never so glad to have to wake up! The morning focused around with hung-over kiwis piecing back together their nights... and their packs. It didn't take long for everyone to bounce back, put on the gators(splash guards), clip together their packs and start out for another day of tramping. The way back was a lot more relaxed, and even though the weather was a little chillier and wet I had a great time trekking back up and down and across the heaps of streams that had emerged from the past night's rain. Shelly, Andy, and I took our time and took pics of all the foliage, and landscapes, and don't worry I got made fun of for being a tourist every time I pulled the camera out from under my jacket. But having these pictures definitely makes it worth it!!

It was truly a great trip, and besides the sleeping situation I thoroughly enjoyed my first authentic Kiwi tramping experience. I might wait a little while to recover before undergoing another adventure but I definably haven’t seen the last of the NZ terrain.

I hope you enjoyed this entry (SORRY again about the length). SO let me know what you think of everything I love hearing from people...so keep in touch!!

Luv,
Rachel

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