Advertisement
Published: April 17th 2009
Edit Blog Post
I think it was the day after my last blog that I set off on the Routeburn track, one of New Zealand's "Great Walks" - and it certainly was. Walking becomes an expensive activity, once you've paid for a bed in the huts en route, transport to/from the beginning/end of the walk, hiring of rucksack and cooking gear, etc etc. And I thought it was free! It was all worth it though.
Day 1 I was picked up from Queenstown and taken to the beginning of the walk near Glenorchy, then it was just 4 hours of walking to the first overnight stop. Mainly through forest - or bush as its known here - not overly exciting in terms of scenery, although there was a lovely clearing - the Routeburn Flats - where I stopped for lunch. And the Routeburn falls hut was beautifully located with lush green mountain views - but boy was it cold, despite there being at least 25 bodies in the same room, and so the first night I didn't sleep very well. I'd gambled a bit by only taking my lightweight sleeping bag.
Day 2 was great, above the bushline and up to the Harris saddle
and then along the Hollyford Valley, with snow-capped mountains and views down to the Tasman sea. And that evening the Lake Mackenzie hut was much warmer, with the dorm getting heat from the kitchen below.
Day 3 began with a tough uphill and then meandered through more trees, down to "The Divide", where a bus picked up several weary hikers.
It was the first time I'd done this kind of hiking, taking everything on my back, and it was a little hard at times. But the backpack gets lighter as you go (eating your food!), or perhaps you notice it less. It was worth it. She's come a long way since "Daddy, carry..."
The next day, back in Queenstown, I could've done with a lie in but it was an early pick up heading for Te Anau, where I spent the next 3 days "chill-axing", and catching up with myself. Its a lovely spot, on Lake Te Anau, and the hostel was comfortable and suited my needs perfectly.
After a drive up to Milford Sound (having done an overnight cruise when I was in NZ before, I didn't do it this time), it was down for an overnight stop
in Tuatapere, the self-proclaimed "Sausage capital of New Zealand". You've got to give the Kiwis credit for their enthusiastic marketing of some really not very exciting towns.
On to Invercargill, the butt of many jokes because it has the worst climate in the country - which I experienced in the form of a hail storm. And after a night here we had a touring day, driving through the Catlins to Dunedin - the countryside here was now feeling very Scottish - maybe the chilly weather was helping reinforce that impression.
In Dunedin I had a rare night out - nice pasta restaurant and a lively bar, and then stayed one night in a hostel that was part of a hotel reminiscent of Fawlty Towers, in decor at the very least.
The next day I was picked up by Brent and Keryn, friends I met on a trip to Canada a few years ago. They had very kindly invited me to come camping with them for the Easter weekend. I have to admit there was a small part of me that had been looking forward to staying in their house with my own room and the possibility of a bath....but this
At the top of Conical Hill
Bloody steep climb, but worth it. Snow topped mountains all along the other side of the (Hollyford) valley and you can see the Tasman sea at the end of the valley behind me. would be fun! We headed for Naseby, in central Otago, which was another beautiful drive through flat plains surrounded by wonderful snow-topped mountain ranges.
As well as the 3 of us, we also had 7 month old Charlie, a cheeky charmer, and Jasper the dog. We set up the caravan and spent the first evening talking to our neighbours, pretending it wasn't really quite cold...
The days were spent driving to various nearby points of interest or beauty (particularly Alexandra, to pick up a good heater) and the evenings around the bbq in the very tranquil caravan park.
Back to Dunedin by Monday lunchtime, but didn't stay there long, as I jumped on the Taieri Gorge Railway, one of the most scenic rail journeys in the country. It heads out to Pukerangi, which was not far from where we had been, but I missed the morning train, basically due to not getting up early enough. From Middlemarch, further down the line, the old railway has been turned into a 150 km cycling track - the Otago rail trail, which looked like a wonderful thing to do, partly because its pretty flat all the way. Its brought tourism to alot of
tiny towns, now flourishing.
Finally on Tuesday morning, after a visit to Dunedin's Cadbury chocolate factory, and St Paul's Cathedral, it was off to Queenstown, but stopping on the way out of town to check out "the world's steepest residential street". I wouldn't like to live there - if not for the steep climb every day then for the hundreds of people puffing their way past your door.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.065s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 7; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0452s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb