I hitched into Christchurch on 1 February to catch up with family and friends. I waited for about an hour fir a ride because it was lunch time and most travelers had stopped in Tekapo fir lunch. Bad timing as this was the longest I have ever waited for a ride. I tried dancing 🕺 but that didn’t help. My dancing is not very good, unless I am drunk, but with a pack on my back I was not much better.
Eventually a little blue car passed me and turned off on a side street only to return and go past me again. Then the 3rd time they stopped with an offer of a ride the whole 3.5 hours to Christchurch. The two women told me they had never picked up hitchhikers before but thought I looked harmless enough. Usually they had their kids in the car so thought “Why not?”. They said the long journey had flown with someone interesting to talk with. My happy place!!!
One was the staff manager of a large supermarket and shared the stress if keeping staff on safe and happy throughout Covid and the planning for the Omicron outbreak. We defunitely owe them our gratitude.
Her partner worked in despatch for a courier company and she was also showing the results of two years of stress and hard work behind the scenes keeping our parcels moving.
I stayed with Anne and Drew and their managery fir a couple of days (2 dogs who like to share my bed and morning coffee with me, a cat and a bunny)
My bedfellows at Anne’s in Christchurch
Then I stayed with my cousin Nicola and hubby Stewart and their wee dog, Jack a Jack Russel He is a real character and I would be stealing him if I ever decided I needed a dog.
Jack the Rus.
We wandered around Lyttleton and I dragged Nicky and Jack up to the top of the Bridle Track. We visited the markets had many coffees and I picked up some more suitable town clothes at the 2nd hand shops.
We completed one puzzle and started another one. Lyttleton has many eclectic shops.
I also visited a friend who used to live in Palmerston North. Nearly 80 years old, Kay is a lady I want to emulate in my old age. She is as sharp now as ever, never getting her words or names mixed up like I do already. We chatted all day about family, friends and fixed all the problems of the world.
Kay enjoys following my outside adventures and I am amazed at her involvement in the community arts and dance etc. The world is made up of people with different strengths, interests and personalities. Everyone is imortant and makes life interesting in their own way. I am blessed to have many interesting friends and family who fulfill my life.
Lyttleton is the major port for the South Island
I didn’t know what was coming next on my wee journey until I received a message from Motel/Backpackers in Tekapo saying they had work for me until the end of February with free accommodation in the backpackers. Why not?? So I caught a bus back there.
We cycled for 2 days alongside canals where we met Tim and Isaac who I hadn’t seen since Colac Bay. They were still going strong and seemed happy.
Leaving Tekapo on another hot dayTim and Isaac
We spent nights at Twizel then at Ohau Lodge. The Lodge was our bit of luxury with a spa pool to enjoy. However the ay was ho (about 28 degrees celcius) so too hot to sit in the water for long. The edges were also too hot to sit on but we persevered and enjoyed a beer to keep us cool.
TA section hikers catching up on the news
Next day we were onto the track towards the Ahuriri river crossing. Jane and Pip were planning a night at a little private hut, about 10km from the big river crossing and I planned to turn back at that stage.
Jane and Pip on a mission.
However we were passed by Ian and we knew two other men were ahead of us, so the lure of males had Pip looking as though she was going to follow them another 3 hours to the river.
So I decided to stop and spend the night beside the track. I was mostly influenced by the fact that I had a book to read that I picked up at Lake Ohau. I don’t usually allow myself the extra weight of a book but this one was too good to leave behind and I was keen to get on and read it.
My home for the night.
So I put up my tent all alone in a wilderness mountain area. Then I sat in the sun with a my book, loving the peace and quiet and being really entertained by the book and laughing out aloud with only the tussock grass to hear me.
Man who created the Coast to Coast race and many other adventures.
I needed to keep moving as the sun went down dehind the hills. Eventually I ate my dinner and crawled into my sleeping bag for the night.
It was a cold night and I enjoyed being able to snuggle down under my Zpacks quilt for a change. There was no wind so I had quite a lot of condensation in the tent.
When I woke up there was no sun yet so I quickly packed up and walked for 2 hours before finding a sunny spot to eat my breakfast and lay out my tent and sleeping quilt to dry.
Along comes the French girl who had met at Aparima hut making fresh bread She had had a very cold in a hut not more than 200 metres from me.
Also met Michael from Auckland (Originally South Korea). He is a well known character on the trail who had lost his fish’n’chip shop as a result of Covid. However he was very happy to be free and easy out on the trail. I totally get that!!
Somehow I left my cheese and crackers on a big rock and met 3 people in the following days who had seen them. No one had eaten them.
At one stage I wandered off track a bit and needed to climb straight up a slippery cliff to get back on track. My theory of just followed the river was not working out. I was not concerned about being “lost” as I had no real aim for the day. I could spend another night out here if I wanted to, but I did manage to make it out of the open tops leaving the last 3 hours of bush walking to do.
There I met a young woman who was on a day walk/ run who was happy to chat and walk with me. She then gave me a ride to the camp ground. Very sad looking place after a major fire last year and empty because of covid. The beautiful shade trees had been cut down so it looked desolate and sad and really hot, a 28 degree day in New Zealand sun is scorching.
As happened to me when I was here 2 years ago, a car stopped asking me if I needed a ride. A quick decision was made to go back to the Ohau Lodge as he was working there in the kitchen. So the young lad moved the cigarette packets, beer cans and half eaten pizza from the front seat and I jumped in. He explained that he couldn’t afford the beer out there so had been into town to buy a box of beer for his evening off. 10 minutes up the road and he was inviting me back to the staff quarters for a beer which I politely declined. I needed a shower and was hungry. My room had sink with a dripping tap and some noisey mosquitoes so not a good night!!!
I shared my dinner and breakfast with a lovely kiwi couple who has started Te Araroa on the Queen Charlotte Track where he proposed to her. I had heard this story and was pleased to see that they still appeared to be getting on well.
Hitched ride next morning with a bike company to main highway intersection where I nabbed an old lady at the intersection for a ride to Twizel 60km away. She was on a compulsory stop and a sitting target. When she dropped me of she told me that she had never picked up a hitch hiker before and now wished she had done so more often as we had had a lovely chat with me. I had talked at high volume as she didn’t have her hearing aids in. She drive at about 70km per hour so it was a nice relaxing trip and many cars overtook us.
Hung out in Twizel watching rowing teams going in and out of the shops as there was a big regatta on. There was no accommodation there as a result so I headed back to the highway 8 to hitch to Tekapo.
Along comes Geoff,obviously a T A walker because of his light oack and brown legs. He was also wanting a hitch to Tekapo.
He instantly recognized me as Karen from Karensdamnlongwalk.com saying he had followed my TA from Canada and decided to do some of it while over here on family business.
It took a bit longer than usual to get a ride because there was 2 of us. Kiwi Indian gave us a ride and he and Geoff had a lot to talk about as Geoff had spent quite some time in India.
We signed in to the Tekapo Backpackers and went out fir dinner. That night, Sev, another TA walker arrived. Ex forces and had managed a MIQ in Auckland, he had a lot of interesting stuff to share with us.
Very interesting guys
Both had a rest day so lots of things to talk about. Sev dropping things out of his pack after seeing my light weight packing.
There was no work to be had here at this time so I decided to hitch into Christchurch to catch up with family and friends.
We started our day a bit layer than usual, 7.30am, as we had a short day out to the end of the Motatapu Track. Then it was to be a 2.5km walk to Glendhu Bay motor camp followed by a 16km walk to Wanaka the next day.
I remembered this as really easy piece of gentle downhill track through peaceful beech forests. I had nearly run it last time thinking it was one of the easiest parts of TA.
But they had changed the track dramatically! There was steep drop offs, tricky bits, dodgy bits and I became more uneasy about the whole damn walk.
So I discussed my concerns with Kay. I felt good talking it out aloud and Kay as very supportive and understanding, agreeing that there are many other options for me.
My 2019-20 Te Araroa was a significant feat for me; a milestone in my life; something I had planned for many years. I cannot repeat the magic of the trail, or being blissfully unaware of what was going to happen next.
So by the time we had accepted a hitch into Wanaka I had decided to look at other options. I need to live in a decent body for a few more years yet. I have nothing to prove to myself oy anyone else.
A good view of Lake Wanaka from our hostel
Friends, Pip and Jane are on a SOBO and will be in Tekapo on Monday so I will hitch there and cycle a section with them.
Kay and I gave enjoyed our time in Wanaka, staying in our beds until 11am and catching up on news around the country and world. Neither of us can get to Western Australia to visit our kids and grandchildren and the whole country has gone into Red Traffic Light.
So watch has this space.
Adventure doesn’t only mean tramping. The best job I ever had was planting tomatoes and there is lots of that kind of work going down here. There are many vacancies in hospitality although I am not sure how hospitable I can be these days. I have people to visit and people to meet.
As has become our routine we were both awake at 6am and leaving the hut at 7am.
Breakfast for Kay
Today would be an easier day with only one huge climb compared to yesterday’s 2 huge climbs. It was cool and we were in the shade as we went up up up, then just as we gained some decent elevation the damn track takes us down part of our gain into wee valleys.
The start of the track was quite narrow with very steep drop offs and parts were covered with thick bushes meaning I couldn’t see where I was placing my feet. I began to feel quite anxious and was not in my usual relaxed mind set.
Close to the bottom the vegetation becomes thick and covers the track. These valleys are water courses so it becomes mushy underfoot and there are underground water ways. So I had to concentrate to ensure I didn’t step into any of the holes into the water which would have been disastrous. There are high drop offs sometimes on both sides of a narrow track which made me unusually uncomfortable.
DOC needs to get in here and do some track maintenance, cutting back the vegetation so we can see where to walk.
But then we would climb out again and be in the short tussock grass on a narrow ridge track.
Furn Burn HutLunch stop. Happy.
We met along the way a Dad and son, a church group of 4, and mum and daughter. They were all going the opposite direction to s and give us a good excuse fir a long stop and chat. The SOBOS are always interested in hat is coming up and we are the same.
Today I was again doubting my sanity. Should I be going forward with RA again? Do I really need to put myself through the risks that I know it will present? This time I know what is coming up. I know how how much it will hurt if I fall. My body is another 2 years older and in good shape; do I need to risk accidental damage? Am I stupid to carry on? Maybe I should just do some easy stuff instead and there is lots of that in the South Island.
I was thinking this throughout the day to Furn Burn Hut.
We arrived early in the day and I had Granny nap before a Mother arrived with a huge pack full of fresh food. I was on the last of my food supply having no dinners left I ate a wrap with cheese and carrot for dinner. Mum was a but worried because 25 year old Daugherty daugher was late arriving but it turned out that daughter had been taking her time and having a nice day on her own. Mum and daughter time needs to be managed well I think!
I had asked Garry to talk to the Weather Gods and cool things down a bit. Being in the high country with little shade is hard work when the temperature are high 20s. So he came to the party and there was snow on the hills above us overnight.
We had 2 huge hills to climb today so I was pleased to start off with my jacket, hat and gloves on. The grass was wet as we had gad some hail overnight so my shies were soon wet and my feet cold. However they warmed up as we climbed straight up the first hill. Each time we thought we were at the top there was another peak ahead of us. I set a slow pace and we had lots of little stops to look back down the valley below so it was quite enjoyable climb.
Finally at the top
Then it was down, down down to a creek for an early lunch stop in the shade. Then us was up and down another damn mountain with beautiful views forever.
I wasn’t really enjoying the tracks as we got lower because they are overgrown and very hard to see where to place my feet. There are underground water courses that can be stepped into if we are not careful. Also the tracks have long drop off that could be disastrous if I fell. I was becoming a bit anxious about these parts. I know I won’t bounce well and a fall will hurt and take a lot of time to heal. Am I doing the right thing risking this again?
On the way we met SOBO Isaac used him as another excuse for a stop. An big,older Army man, he was going at a good pace, doing long days, with a huge pack. He was known to pick up and pack out any rubbish left at huts and well liked by everyone who had come across him on their Te Araroa journey.
Isaac keeps a list of all the TA walkers he meets
At the hut Erin who was a SOBO having rest day. She has worked star gazing guide and ski instructor rest day.
Later Jacqui and Debbie from Waikato arrive. Jackie was pleased to meet me as she had been following me right from the start of my first TA and knew she would finally meet up with me on this section. I am always proud to have had some influence on others decisions to walk Te Araroa.
It rained lightly from a 4am so woke to wet tents and hastily packed up. Last time I did this section we took the highly dangerous upper tracks so this time I was walking up the river come hell or high water. The rain had only been light and was the first for weeks so we decided we would be okay.
Left at 7.15am up the river. I had on my new rainskirt fashioned from a black rubbish bag.
All good for about 1.5 hours. We were in and out of the river following in the footsteps of those who had made obvious trails to lead us in and out of the river. The rain was light and the water warm so we were a happy couple of old ducks.
Eventually we came to a gorge too deep and swift fir us to pass through as neither if us were ready to end our lives at this stage. So we made the call to try and climb up the ciff and get passed the gorge. So we went straight up until we got as far as our comfort level allowed. (Actually probably a bit higher). We found a relatively safe place to stop and decided we needed to go down and get into the river. Going down was even more scarey than going up!
There was a lot of thick Matagouri that we had to scramble through.
But by good luck rather than good management we found a way into the river and it was above the risky gorge part.
We walked along the edge of the river clinging to bushes along the bank for about a kilometre, pleased to be making progress against the flow of the river.
We met 2 girls on the other side of the river who were going the other way (SOBO). We tried to talk to them above the noise of the raging river but couldnt hear too much with our old ears. However we deduced that they were alive so it couldn’t be too bad. So off we went. Eventually w9e had to climb up another sheer cliff to find the track to Rose’s Saddle. A bit mean we thought .
So up we went in river out of river, then up hill saw pole. Looked too steep but went on anyway then saw the sign sitting there in middle of prickly bushes. Good on the right track
Drying out my raincoat as I puffed up the hill.Looking back down to the river
2.5 km straight up hill. Easy to follow track but steep and needed lots of stops. I was doing better than Kay which made me realise that I had gained some fitness from my 15 days on trail. I also always feel better when I am not the slowest one.
Kay completed a full SOBO the same year I did mine but she was a few weeks ahead of me. However she had missed this section because of bad weather hence her coming to join me. I was enjoying her company and I was particularly glad to have her along on the river section.
Signal at top then down for 2.5km. Seeing hut all the way. Arrived 3pm tired but happy.
Dried clothes etc watched 5 people take about an hour come down big hill we will climb tomorrow.
We play the game. Who is this? Walking fast, big packs, no walking poles, so not TA walkers. As they git lower we decided they had to be young, maybe hunters, no they look strong and I reckon they are army boys.
Yes 5 young army kids with huge packs at least 25kg plonked themselves down on the front steps. They were on holiday and decided to do Te Araora from Tekapo to Queenstown. Not owning any lightweight tramping gear they were using their extremely heavy army gear. I think they were very impressed with Kay and I.
I packed up my little home and wandered down to fund a coffee while I waited fir Kay to arrive. Again a sad wee town with only one coffee bar open and I overheard a conversation between 2 business owners who were closed 2 to 3 days a week because of lack of staff and lack of customers.
Kay arrived and I very quickly liked her and was sure we would enjoy our next few days together. A retired lady from Waikato, Kay had done a SOBO Te Araroa the same year I did, but missed this section because of injury. So via the TA Facebook page we organized to do this together. The shared experience of Te Araroa and children and grandies gave us plenty of fodder for conversation over the next 5 days. I think our lips moved faster than our legs most of the time!!
The 12 km walk up a 4Wd track was punctuated by 25 river crossings. Being a hot day we were only too pleased to get our feet wet. There was an alternative track that went up and over Big Hill but we knew we had enough big hills to come so took the easier option.
About 2km from the end one of the Dads who had camped next to me came by and gave our packs a ride to the road end as they were getting a bit tired bumping around on our backs in the scorching sun.
Pretty Lupins
We reached the relics of an old gold mining town and stopped in the shade with a father and son who were doing part of Te Araroa together. We quizzed them about the track ahead and gained some good Intel.
Father and son resting with us after our day in the sun
We made camp and had an early dinner and retired to our beds as there was some light rain and many damn sandflies. Funny last time I camped here I had a very similar experience.
I started the day by having coffee with some friends of mine from New Plymouth who were on holiday in Queenstown with their 2 lovely children. We hadn’t caught up in person for 3 years so we had lots to talk about. Nine year old, Amelia, was quite interested in why I wanted to walk so far and they were not really impressed by my food choices.
I carried on walking alongside the great Kake Wakitipu until I reached Frankton which is a massive shopping area. I had some lunch then decided that the mostly road walk to Arrowtown was not necessary as it was 26 degrees with no wind. Passing through a golf course showed how dry it is here.
I noticed how few planes and helicopters there were compared to when I was here pre Covid-19. Although there are quite a few kiwis out on holiday they will never make the numbers that came from overseas.
Through a golf course and passed the airport.
So I hopped on a bus and $4 and 20 minutes later I had saved myself a 4 hour walk and reduced my chances of getting skin cancer.
$26 gives me a tent site next to 2 Dads camping with their 14 and 16 month old toddlers, giving their wives a break. These modern Dads are amazing.
I did a bit of shopping for the next section and was planning on eating up the last bits and pieces in my food bag for the last supply fir my dinner. A lovely family must have felt sorry for me and shared a nice fresh salad and chicken with me. Kiwis are good people.
Tomorrow Kay arrives to walk the best section with me as she missed it last year . I am looking forward to giving some company during the day. This section goes from Arrowtown, another tourist destination out to Macetown whuch us an abandoned Gold town. Then over the Motatapu Track for 4 days ending in Wanaka.
4.5 hours nice easy walk through valley carved out by glaciers many years ago then, as sun became very hot I was into the shade of Beech forests again.
Today I listened to a couple of podcasts as it was to be an easy day. One was about shortcuts and the other about an English guy who rode a bicycle from UK to Australia taking 3 years. These passed the time for me but I am not really so keen on having the distraction. Part of what I like about these damn long walks is that my mind slows down and I don’t have to think much. My body gets a workout while my brain gets a rest.
This area is a Recreational Hunting Area (RHA) with fellow deer, red deer and Camois. Hunters go into a ballot to get access to a particular block for up to 5 days at a time during the season.
Similar for fly fishing 1 Feb to 31 March . And Nov to May.
The end of my day brought me close to the well onown Routeburn, Rees/Dart Track, and Greenstone/ Caples Tracks. This means the tracks are better maintained and much easier walking.
I met a few SBOB walkers who had all expected to be meeting me on the track. I met 2 separate women whi had followed my original TA and were inspired to have a go themselves. One said she liked how I shared some good examples of what NOT to do.
I arrived at the very big, flas Greenstone Hut at noon, sat in sun to eat lunch then had a wee snooze as I was uncertain whether I would carry on.
Eventually a couple of young Canadian girls arrived having walked in for lunch and a swim in their pretty little shorts and tops with no heavy, smelly packs. They looked very clean and fresh!
They offered me a ride to Queenstown which I was grateful for. This meant I didn’t need to find a place to camp at then end of the road and bother with booking a shuttle for the 1.5 hour, 82km of gravel road.
Nice easy surface for a change
So I left in a hurry leaving them to fins a swimming hole. The sign said 3-5 hours to the carpark and I did it in just 3 hours. It was an easy track underfoot, mostly downhill and I really pushed myself to go as fast as I could so that I didn’t hold them up.
Bridge over a small creek as closer to a tourist area A massive slip area to cross
I paced it well as they arrived about 10 minutes after me. We had a good conversation on the way to town and they dropped me outside the Adventure hostel at about 7.30pm.
Thanks driver.
I showered up and headed out for a much needed dinner. The first place I came to had a sign saying $20 hamburger, chips and a beer which sounded good to me. It was a hot evening so I headed outside and joined a table with a young couple and a man about my age.
That was to be today’s mistake. The man went on to tell me how bad my meal choice was. He lived in some kind of monastery and didn’t eat after 1pm each day and fully fasted 2 days a week.
I observed his 2nd pint of beer being ordered and him smoking a cigarette from a packet that had a horrible picture of a deformed fetus on it. So I replied, “Oh, so I see you just drink beer and smoke cigarettes all afternoon!” That shut him up for a bit and gave the young couple a laugh.
Then he asked me how old I was (very rude) and where I lived, commenting that Palmerston North was full of scumbags. I didn’t really feel like making a scene so left without finishing my meal. Some people!!!
I am giving rest day tiday Sunday and need to wait to hear from Kay, who us coming to walk the next section with me. She us out doing some other walks in the area so it is quite hard trying to coordinate things. I am ahead of schedule so happy to rest up here in Queenstown. This is one of our biggest tourist destinations and it has been hit hard by Covid-19. There are a lot of Kiwus here and very few from overseas. Surprisingly the local newsletter had lots of job vacancies inthe hospitality industry. Not my scene as I don’t think I could manage to be too hospitable to difficult people.
Jobs to do, washing clothes and shoes and plan next section.
There was fog around the hills as I left at about 8.30am. After 1.5 hours I stopped for first lunch at Boundary Hut and met a couple of school teachers from Auckland. As I ate my yummy crackers with hummus and cucumber they talked about the need to get right away from Auckland and Covid-19 stuff. They have a renovated horse float that they can sleep in and can carry their trail bikes.
Early morning sky
I adjusted the laces on my right shoe and removed my ankle support to see if that would reduce the pain i had been getting over the top of my right foot. It did the trick.
Tonight’s home will be Taipo HutDo I walk on the grassy area or the stoney ruts??? The big decisions for the dayStunning lake and rutted track
I continued on the Mavora Walkway which eventually joins up with the well known Greenstone-Caples walk.
Aiko and I played a bit of leap frog earlier in the day. I was quite pleased to hear that she had taken a wring turn at ine stage so I was not the only one to do so. She took off deciding to go a bit further than me today.
I took my time, enjoying being the only person out there accompanied occasionally by some cattle who weren’t interested in me at all.
It was a very hot day again with a bit of a tail wind and no shade at all. Everytime I crossed a creek I washed my face and soaked my feet in the cooling water.
Cold fresh water.Very scratchy bushes Ouchies
After nearly 7 hours I crossed a swing bridge and was at Taipo Hut. It is a very nice 4 bunk hut with no sandflies and a beautiful swimming hole nearby.
I did have a swim and washed my clothes, had some more crackers then had a wee snooze.
At about 5.30 a SOBO man arrived and he was quickly snoozing too. When he woke up he had a shave which us something I had never before seen on Te Araroa or any other tramp for that matter.
We got chatting and I soon realized that I had found the rich, single, fit man that I have been looking for. It was just a shame that he was going the other way!!
At first I thought he was 50 then as he told me about all the amazing adventurous travels he had done I decided more like 60 then by the end I decided he was probably 70. He told me he had worked hard in his own engineering business in Auckland and sold up and retired at 55 with more money than he could ever spend. Not having had a family he has been free to do whatever he wants to and living in a retirement village means he can come and go as he pleases.
So he has spent his years doing lots of stuff all around the world. He has cycled through many countries including a full circumnavigation of USA. He had also been a quite a few big climbing expeditions in the Himalayas and other places. He was on his 3rd Te Araroa and had all Zpacks gear like me. This man is one of the few people I have met with a lighter load than me.
Next morning he headed off southbound and I went North. I briefly considered turning around and following him but I was quite sure I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with him!!
