Vistas, Blisters and Avalanches

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So day one we have to be at the office with our rucksacks and meet our fellow trekkers. It is always worrying when you meet people for the first time that you have to spend nearly 24/7 with them as you never know if you will like them or even if they will like you (don’t know anyone who would fall into the last category though, ha ha).



So on the coach we get and everyone keeps to themselves, if I am honest.



We stop at Te Anau where we have a change of coach driver and see a group returning from the trek. We all watched them avidly to see if they were limping and if they were still smiling. They did not give a lot away so we still did not know what we were letting ourselves in for - if we had have known what we were in for I can tell you I would have probably got on the return coach!!



So after a coach ride and a boat ride the trek starts and we had a very easy 1.2 km walk to our first lodge which was called Glade House. We then went on the optional nature walk which to be honest I think was just to appease the hardened walkers as 1.2 km is a stroll for them.



After the trek there is the normal icebreaker session where everyone has to get up and explain where they come from, why they are in NZ and also most importantly why they had chosen to do the trek.



So the guides decide to get us to do our explanation in country order. Singapore went first. There were four people from Singapore and as they all had the same clothes on I named them Team Singapore. Anyway it appears they were all there to support Hwee who was a really nice lady.



Next up was Australia and they were all hardened walkers except for one couple who were on their honeymoon (Tim and Courtney). All the rest were explaining that it was a life time ambition to walk the Milford Track and it was on their bucket list. The young couple Tim and Courtney explained that as they came from Australia they did not want a beach holiday and thought this would be really different.



Next up were USA and again they were all saying it was their ambition and also on their bucket lists and most of them had booked 6 - 12 months ago. - this is where I am starting to panic as I had only just booked us on the trek 1 week ago and to be honest did not know anything about the Milford Track apart from what I had read on the internet that said it was one of the finest walks in the world (I think the marketing men have been hard at work again).



So it was now UK’s turn to stand up and explain why they were on this trek. So it gets to me and I say where we are from i.e North of Manchester (easier than where we actually live as everyone knows Manchester United), I explained why we were in NZ as it was our next stop from Oz. So now comes the tricky part why was I on the trek - so not to hurt too many feelings I explained nicely that I saw it on the internet and thought that would be good to try and no it was not on my bucket list - sorry. So next up is Mike and he says he is doing it because his tour guide i.e. ME had arranged it!



So day 2 started after a good night’s sleep, however, we wake up to the heavens opening and rain like you have never seen before - so am I happy that we had to walk 16km to our next lodging with a rucksack on my back - NO. So we started walking from Glade House and were supposed to stop at Mackinnon’s Hut (1.6km ) for our first break - well did we stop, no, so you must be asking why did you not stop? We did not see the sign and to be honest did not listen to the briefing properly in the morning. So we walked in the rain and I mean rain to Hirere Falls hut (8.8 km) to the lunch hut where we ate the sandwiches we had prepared at breakfast. We then went on to see the hidden lake which was only 1.6 km away from the lunch hut, it is still raining cats and dogs (British slang for raining really really hard). Next from the hidden lake which was amazing we walked a further 4 km to Pompolona Lodge. So you can imagine walking all day through rain, rain and more rain and the vistas were quite delightful, but honestly were they amazing, I am not quite sure.



Mike started his own club which he aptly named “The Milford Track Slippery Shoes Club” so the President of this club was now in office, Mr Mike Fairbairn. Mind you when he fell he did not fall on solid ground, you guessed it he fell in a bleeding big stream which was fast flowing as well - teach him for trying to be cool and keeping his boots dry, as now he was wet up to his waist - I just went straight through the stream up to my shins. Mind you I should be ashamed as my first response was “is the camera ok”. Once I got the all clear on the camera, I did ask if he was ok - so I think I got a few points back there. It was quite funny though as you probably know we have been away for quite a while and as such I have had to hand wash our things all the time - after going through the stream up to my shins after I started walking a bit we noticed my shoes were foaming - make note to oneself - rinse clothes better to stop foaming feet!



When we get back we said to a few about the amazing hidden lake and they all said they did not see it - which seemed weird and then Greg who was one of the USA guys said he saw it and told one of the guides and she said we should not have gone there due to the big risk of avalanches and we were told this at the briefing - told you I should listen to briefings! hey ho sometimes it pays not to listen, ha ha.



So after getting to the Pampoloma Lodge we settled in for the night trying to dry everything which was hard work as you could not put your shoes, rucksack or rain jacket in the drying room. The only way you were supposed to dry these items was in your room which I hasten to add had no heating and had condensation running down the windows.



Now anyone who knows me knows I have a me, me, me streak - so Paula was not going to go out the next morning with wet shoes - so a plot was hatched by the Fairbairns with me as the Chief Executive, ha ha. The plot went as such; go and get as much newspaper as possible to shove in the shoes and keep changing it when it soaks up the wet. Then when it goes dark i.e after the generator goes out at 10pm, run and put our shoes and rucksack in the drying room as it was still hot and should have enough time to dry them before the generator is switched on at 6.15.



So we set our alarm at 6 am to ensure we have enough time to get them out before anyone sees the offending items in the drying room. Well you all probably know Mike was the Risk Director of a leading UK Bank. Mike is risk adverse and also has OCD, so does he wait till 6 am, don’t be silly, he wakes up at 4 am and goes and gets the offending items to ensure we do not get caught.



I sleep through the whole dangerous mission leaving Mike to successfully complete the task. So in the morning we have nice dry shoes and rucksacks. Unfortunately my rain jacket is still soaking so number 2 plot was hatched that I would stand with it in the drying room when the generator went on. So after breakfast I take my rain coat and go to the drying room only to find a couple of other ladies had the same thought and were walking around the drying room with their rain coats trying to dry them moaning about their wet shoes. I joined the crew but did not mention about the success of plot number one (Project Dry Shoes and Rucksack!).



Day 2 complete with no blisters - success or what! Day 3 of the trek was supposed to be the hardest as it was a lot of up and down hill. This time we listened or Mike did to the briefing so we knew exactly where our stops were and also if we should not go somewhere - see I do learn, ha ha.



The trek today was 15 km in total. We started in the rain but it quickly stopped and off came the rain jackets. The first part of the trek was past the Clinton River to Mintaro hut (4 km) where we stopped for a quick break and fill our water bottles up. Then we were informed the next part of our trek included the practice hill. This did not seem too bad to be honest, however, after this the real hill hit us of 4 km vertical uphill over massive boulders and rocks to the Mackinnon Memorial at the top of the mountain. We all stopped to see the views and have a drink of Milo (hot chocolate to anyone who has never heard of Milo).



Whilst drinking the Milo the clouds started to come in, so we decided that we should make our way to the lunch hut (1 km) away. Just as we started to make our way to the lunch hut it started to get cold so we put our fleeces on. This is when we stopped to talk to Greg you remember the guy from USA who went to the hidden lake like us! Anyway Greg could not make up his mind what to put on either his fleece or his rain jacket - which caused me to tell him he is like a woman and next he would ask me “does my bum look big in this!!!”. I must admit we had fun with Greg after this especially when I told everyone about the incident - so poor Greg was always being asked about his fashion sense - he took it in great spirit.



Anyway getting back to the trek it was great, we stopped to talk to Greg as he pointed out that the clouds were moving away and the views from the Memorial were amazing and not only that we then saw a couple of avalanches which were truly spectacular. I will now take notice when there are signs that say “no stopping as avalanche area” as previously I have stopped to take photos. While we were making our way to the lunch hut we see an almighty avalanche and all I can say is thank god we were at the top of the mountain.



Now comes the best bit of day 3, NOT - we cannot go down the normal track due to the risk of avalanches so we have to go down the emergency track.



All I can say is going down the emergency track for 4 km and most of it is a sheer drop over gigantic boulders, climbing over fallen trees is not funny and to be honest a few times I stopped and like a spoilt brat said “I was not going any further and stamped my feet”, if you know me you have probably seen this behaviour before - but after a couple of minutes I realised that this was not going to get me anywhere and the only way down the mountain was by my own 2 feet and all this stamping and throwing a wobbler was not going to change the situation.



So down the track we go and when we eventually got down to the Quinton Lodge all I can say is I really wanted a bath - but hey ho, we are in a lodge and baths are not one of their features. So shoes were removed and no blisters were found - how good is that, I am saying to Mike (make note to oneself when making comments like this don’t forget to touch wood - or in my case my forehead!!!!).



Anyway Mike’s “Milford Track Slippery Shoes Club” now had 2 other members as Rosie W mentioned that she fell on the track in the morning whilst trying to clean her glasses, holding her walking sticks in one hand and still trying to walk down the slope. So the club now has a Captain, Rosie W. Then we hear Rosie L also fell in the afternoon so Rosie L was sworn in as club Secretary. As the club is gaining in popularity, Mike has decided that the club needs Rules and Regulations. OMG you would think he would have wanted never to see Rules and Regulations again, after his 36 years in banking and insurance wouldn’t you.



Do you remember how I told you there were another 2 Fairbairn’s on the track, Mike also noticed their were 2 Mike’s and then he finds out that Craig one of the USA Team was an health insurance Actuary. Now can you believe it 2 Actuaries on one trek, I bet they are working out the probability of such an outcome!



So off to bed we go without having to hatch a plot to dry our boots as the Quinton Lodge has a drying room for boots.



Day 4 of the trek was the longest at 22 km and now my legs were really aching and my knees felt like they needed new shock absorbers. So I was not looking forward to this at all, even though we were told this trek was quite flat.



So off we go at quite a good speed and the vistas we saw were amazing. We stopped for morning break at a lodge and I had another Milo. I think this was probably not a good idea as I went downhill from here and my legs started to seize up - not good when you have over 18 km to go before you get to the end of the trek. So off we go and yes you guessed it I do not learn and decided to throw a wobbly again and this time plant myself on a tree trunk and not only stamp my feet but really throw a dicky fit - I should have learned by now at my age that throwing wobblies does not get you anywhere! So after pulling myself back together we carry on the trek to the lunch area which was right next to a massive waterfall which I must admit was really cool!



There were 2 boats to take us to the Mitre Lodge when we had finished the trek one at 3pm and one at 4pm. We decided as I was tired that we would get the 4pm boat as this would not put any pressure on us. Anyway the lunch did wonders and we actually made the 3pm boat which was great. However, guess what Mike fell again and this time it was just under the sign which said you had completed the Milford Track - I am wondering if he thought their was a coup by the Rosies to take charge of the now legendary “Milford Track Slippery Shoes” club so to defend his place he would fall again - keep watching BBC News as you never know when the next coup could happen!!!!



So we had finished the Milford Track, remember it has been described as “the finest walk in the world”. If I am honest and I was given a feedback form which asked would you recommend it to a friend? I would honestly say, no. Unless of course that friend loved trekking and it was on their bucket list. The views sometimes were amazing but a lot of the time you are walking on a path through trees and day 3 was a real killer.



Day 5 after breakfast we embarked on a cruise on the the Milford Sound. Out on the fiord you actually realise the grandeur of the surrounding mountains with the centre piece being the Mitre Peak, which rises vertically out of the water. We saw Southern Fur Seals and rare Fiordland Crested Penguins so all in all this cruise was amazing. If anyone goes to NZ you have to do a Milford Sound cruise, it is truly amazing. It was quite funny though as we were cruising Team Singapore wanted pictures with everyone so I ended up being the Team Singapore’s photographer which was quite fun.



After the cruise we all got on the coach to head back to Queenstown. This is when we had fun when we arrived at Te Anau as there was a party like us on day one waiting for us to arrive to swop coach drivers so a few of us when we got off the coach limped.



Well did I end up with any blisters you are all asking me I know - well unfortunately I did and they all came on the last day of the walk.



We are back in Queenstown now and have booked a Shotover Jet boat ride which is decribed as the worlds most exciting jet boat ride (these marketing men are at it again!). You take a high speed ride through narrow canyons whilst also holding on tight whilst they do 360 degree spins so we are back to being adrenaline junkies again.

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Photos

Our group at the start
Little did we know about the trek - or little did I know as not on my bucket list I can tell you

Frothy Shoes
Need to rinse socks next time!!!!

At the summit
OMG we got to the top and then it is downhill from here - little did I know about the emergency track