Back to New Zealand and a “normal life”.

Some of you have been asking me what I have been up to so here is a little post to bring you up to date.

After leaving New Zealand in early April, I arrived back on 1 October 2023, after my trip to Nepal and Australia.  I had been away from my house for over 2 years at that stage, so was pleased to be back. I walked in and unpacked my bag as though I had only been away for a week. Nothing had changed except  the fruit trees had got bigger.

My calendar was prepopulated with Granny duties well before I arrived back in the country.  So I had some busy days with active toddlers followed by some lazy days recovering.

I am doing about 10 hours accounting work online each week for my cousins business, which fills in some time and tops bank account. Being 65 I now get the Old Age Pension which all New Zealanders are entitled to, no matter what their assets are or income is.  It is not enough to do more than basic  living but I have always been cheap to keep. The work helps fund my adventures before dementia sets in.

I did a couple of 3 day tramps over this period namely  Pouakai Circuit with Kay in early December 2023. We had three days to walk the 25km track through forests, alpine tussock fields and the unique Ahukawaka Swamp. I had done this tramp numerous times when I lived in New Plymouth but this was Kay’s first time. This track has become very popular over the last few years so there have been some good upgrades to the track.

It was cold up there on that mountain but Holly Hut had a good supply of firewood. We had been told that there was no firewood at the next hut, named Pouakai. That would mean a miserable evening there. So I asked or encouraged or bullied? everyone into carrying a few pieces of wood with them. So we had a good roaring fire and even left some wood for the next lot of trampers.

Tramp to McKinnon Hut in Ruahine Forest Park

I did a 2 nighter up in the Ruahine Ranges later in December with 4 others. Friday was a walk up a river crossing it 22 times followed by a final crossing on a cableway high above the river, and then up to Kawhatau Base Camp for the night. The track was quite overgrown and there was a lot of stinging Ongonga weed that needed to be cleared.

The next day we went back and did a lot of work on the landing spot for the cableway making it much easier to get on and off.

Saturday was a 1,000m climb up into the Hikaurangi Range to McKinnon Hut. I huffed and puffed the whole way up, definitely not so fit! But the others were clearing the track as we went so I didn’t hold anyone up. It was so nice to be up on the tops again.

Sunday was all downhill until the river. I spent a fair bit of the time on my bum on the steeper parts.