New Experiences in New Zealand - Part 4

Sopping wet, we loaded our gear into the awaiting Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. We had arranged for a company (2 guys) to perform the transport of the vehicle from the Routeburn Shelter (our Start) to the Divide (our end) of the track. This option was way more cost effective and time efficient since we didnt have to ride the bus back 4hrs to the start to retrieve the car. We could also continue our journey to the next destination; Gunns Camp which was plotted about 7km down a dirt/gravel road.

The history of Gunn's Camp is fascinating. The Gunn family has resided in desolate Hollyford Valley for nearly a century. The collection of tools, images, maps and machinery in the on-site museum depict the struggles of the main through-fare that was built through the dense forest to provide road access from Te Anau to the South and Milford Sound to the West. Prior to the installation of the road and Homer Tunnel, Milford Sound was only accessible via a lengthy boat ride. The quirky cartoons and phrases posted around the camp showed that creativity and comedy are needed to survive in this remote area of the island.

Our cabin, number 6, was right along the Hollyford River and was a very simple, two bedroom cabin with entrance to the dining room. Within the dining room was a wood/coal burning stove which was quickly fired up to warm our cold/wet bones and dry out some of our gear. The rest of the afternoon was a wash and with literally nothing else in the area, we decided to recuperate from the hike and spend the night by the fire. Seeing as how we were all pretty smelly after three days of hiking, everyone took the time to grab a shower from the camp facilities which were heated by a central wood burning heater. They had a very unique and independent setup which also included generator power from 6-10pm. After that, lights out.

In the morning, we pack up gear and headed out of camp relatively early. The next destination was Milford Sound which was approximately one hour to the West. As soon as we neared the Sound via the Homer Tunnel, the traffic began to build up. We ended up having to park in an overflow lot and take the shuttle over to the docks. We had a short wait in the terminal before our RealJourneys trip started. The boat pulled up and passengers began to load up. The boat was maybe 30% full which was nice for moving around and not having an overcrowded and noisy ride. Rain continued intermittently throughout the cruise but according to the captain, the falls were far less impressive a few days prior when the rain had yet to come. The increase in rain fall provided our tour that day with a beautiful hazy ride around the Sound to see the hundreds of falls cascading off the cliffs.

After the cruise, we drove down to Te Anau which was a bit of a haul and left the group really hangry. The town center offered many options for food but we decided to get our mutton on with some personal pot pies from Miles Better Pies. They were delicious. Our accommodations had us staying at the Fiordlands Great Views Holiday Park. The well kept grounds hosted a varied garden of roses and other exotic plants. The reception however wasnt as nice. The woman tending desk was very short with us and felt it wasnt her job to tell people how the internet worked or about the extra charges for gate key and every other little thing on the lot. Oh, you want to use the laundry (cha-ching), how about the sauna room (cha-ching), the grill? (cha-ching), the kitchen (cha-ching) everything came with its cost here. The main miff was when we paid the 2NZ to use the propane grill. The chicken was half way done when a small grease fire came up. The woman from reception came out, she was obviously watching from afar, and told us she had to shut the grill down because of the small fire. We cooled the chicken for as long as the grill stayed warm but she turned off the gas and ferociously locked it down. Very uncalled for and unprofessional. Thank god we only had one night to spend here.

Our next leg of the journey took us east through Queenstown once more and on to Mt. Cook, the highest peak in NZ. Most of this day was spent driving with small breaks for photo ops and eating. By mid afternoon, the team had reached the youth hostel and unloaded the car once more. We checked into our 8 person bedroom and was able to claim the beds of our linking since we were one of the firsts in. Dinner was whipped up and just before we ate, a beautiful rainbow was cast over the mountains from all the rain that day.

In the evening, we opted to go to the local museum which pays homage to Sir Edmund Hillary. They also had a theater which played multiple movies throughout the day; we watched the one about the strange and unique birds of New Zealand and their ancestral links to Australia. Back at the hostel, we spent time getting caught up on web surfing since we now had UNLIMITED ACCESS!!! All prior places gave out paper cards which provided the user with a code to redeem a small-nominal amount of internet for the day. I wish we had more time to spend here since we really didn't get to do any of the hiking due to inclement weather once again. Maybe next time. We did however have a break in the weather to visit a Lavender field which was on the long road to Mt. Cook

The trip from Mt. Cook to our accommodations in Akaroa was another long drive split between the group; at the end of the day though, everyone voted yours truly as driver superior on the twisty and tight NZ roads. That afternoon and evening, we explored the small French town of Akaroa. As a sort-of engagement dinner, our fathers decided to treat us to some fancy cuisine at The Trading Rooms in town. The menu appealed to most and even though the service was polite and well intention, the speed of service was horrible. The wine took 45 minutes from bar to table and the food, another hour and a half. In total, it was way too long for a meal and left me sour about the experience.The next day, we did a fish and chips for four people and included sausage, chicken, shrimp, fish and all you can eat fries all served hot in 5 minutes.

While in Akaroa, plans were loose and everyone was on board to try and go kyacking but by the time we reached the vendor, everyone backed out due to wind and cost per hour. Instead, we walked to the lighthouse up the road which was relocated from its original construction on the coast. Then, we followed a walk through the local park and found some really old trees. The road took us back to town where dinner materials were procured at the local butcher and foursquare. That night was bittersweet because it marked the last night in NZ for the Glasers. Our bags were packed and we were all ready to hit the road back the Christchurch and then the airport.

On the morning of February 20th, the Fulton family was dropped off at their accommodations for the night (oddly enough, the same Old Country Backpackers from Part 1) and Glaser crew drove to the airport. Bags checked in for the first flight. Then on to the second much longer flight (12hr AUK to LAX) and finally a short skip to Phoenix to see my brother and Dylan for an evening. While in Phoenix, we met with my mother who was staying with brother. She flew with us the next morning back to Newark NJ where the weather was cold and sleeting. I already missed New Zealand and wish I could have stayed longer.

Any who, that's about the jist of it. We had a wonderful time with no major issues to speak of. The plans were flimsy at the start but by and by, we pulled the trip together and had a grand ol time doing it. It was very fun and will obviously be a trip to never forget! Thanks for reading and keep on following our journey as we embark on a cross country US trip starting very soon!

New experiences in New Zealand -Post 1

Kia Ora (A Maori greeting informally translated to "hi")

Start: We finally made it to New Zealand. It only took two days and three planes but we got there. The following is just a capture of some of the fun we had while down under.

It started with a 6hr plane ride from Newark to LA. My father had asked me to try and find activities to do while on our ten hour layover. Unfortunately, I couldn't really find something too exciting that was local to LAX that would tickle our fancy. We ended up getting a ride from the airport to lunch with my dads boss in an Italian place near the beach. After that, we walked on the sand and down a jetty just to kill some time. We were dropped off later in the day and waited out the remaining 4hrs of the layover in the LAX terminal which is very modern and slick. As we were boarding our second flight of the day from LAX to Auckland, a group of dragons came parading down the hall with drums and cymbals clashing behind them. To my surprise, it was the Chinese New Year (monkey) and they were having a good old time dancing to the drum beats. Definitely a sign of the good times to come.

We boarded Air New Zealand to Auckland which was a 12hr flight. My father had splurged and got the sky couch feature which basically gets you a row of three seats that the leg rests can raise horizontally and thus provide a 'bed' for sleeping. We attempted to squeeze in on this firm couch in numerous positions but it just wasn't comfy. I managed to sleep a few hours namely from exhaustion. When I woke up, the whole plane was asleep for the most part and there my dad was, watching a movie or something. He recommended I watch a documentary that was available in the flight movies. It followed the success and dramas of the musical masterminds Draft Punk. It was only an hour long but was fantastic. I slept a few more times on and off during this flight and then just binge watched Rick and Morty S2 which was in the flight viewing menu. The flight landed fine but Auckland was extremely humid and pouring; not the kind of vacation weather we were hoping for.

Before getting the next flight, we had to go through Customs which included a thorough questionnaire about foods, bugs, plants and outdoor equipment. Of course we had tents and boots and the works for this trip which set off red flags. The tents were taken by TSA to be "cleaned" of any potential foreign contamination. Once they were done (~15 mins), I had to repack my tent and bag before my pending flight in an hour! Luckily I am a packing boss and was able to get it done very quickly. To get to the domestic terminal from the international terminal for the next flight, we had to walk about a half mile in the pouring rain with ~80lbs of baggage. It wasn't fun but neither would be missing that flight. The hiking backpacks were once again checked into baggage storage and the flight from Auckland to Christchurch was quick and painless. While I fetched the bags from the carousel, Dad worked with Hertz to get the rental set up. He ran off to use the restroom and comes out looking like he had seen a ghost. Apparently his phone, which is one of the only working phones we had, suicide dive bombed the toilet and was now a brick.

The car rental went smoothy and we got the biggest SUV to dwarf all the puny NZ cars to shame. 'MURICA! The built in GPS was a huge plus since we had no clue where to go. At first, dads driving was shocking and worrisome. Although the roads and driver seats were revered from normal, he was driving like a first timer. Yikes. We drove straight to the Old Country House hostel in Christchurch where we would spend the night. A much needed shower was provided to remove the stench of travel from our bodies. Later that day, we drove and walked around the heart of Christchurch to see what it was all about. We walked this two block radius where the stores were built out of retrofitted shipping containers containing coffee shops, vendors and even a bank. We also stocked up on groceries and fuel for the camp stove. There was a lot of awesome wall art through out the city, one of which we witnessed taken place via scissor lift to paint the massive wall space fluorescent pinks and purples.

It was also incredible to see the damage and rebuilding process of the earthquake which hit the region in 2011. Whole city blocks had been demolished and are under construction leaving road closures and one ways to muddle our path around town.  We called it an early night since jet lag was kicking in.

On Sunday, we drove from Christchurch to Kaikoura to meet with the Fulton Fam who had arrived the day prior to hike Mount Fyffe in Kiakoura. 

We drove north via State Highway (SH) 1 from Christchurch to Kaikoura, which was a decent drive filled with twisty roads, mountainous landscapes, and pastures of sheep and cows. We checked in at the iSite which can be found in most towns and cities and range from a info billboard to a small shop with maps and public restrooms. We located the meet up spot on the map and headed out of town to find the Mt Fyffe trail head. Following a dusty gravel road, we eventually got to the car park and awaited the Fulton's arrival. Two ladies who had just finished the trail asked if we were there to pick up two Americans named Liz and Mark. Why yes we were. How awesome! The ladies let us know that Fulton fam wasn't far behind and I ran up the steep trail to meet them. They were visibly worn out from the hike so I grabbed a pack and helped Liz down to the car. They had summited Fyffe in the early morning dew above the clouds which lingered over the coast.

From there, we returned to town but not before getting a cow roadblock. Bernard used his powers to stop the herd while I brought the car through. We checked into the Pier Hotel in Kaikoura which had a very rustic vibe. Apparently the hotel was built in the late 1800's on the old wharf and then was relocated in the 1920's to the new wharf in town. Why? Who knows but it must have been a feat in that time. The hotel sat atop an associated restaurant and check in wasn't anything more than a composition book at the bar. We unpacked a bit and got some fish and chips in town before heading to the Ohau waterfall. We also came across a large group of seals on the shore that were playing in the tide pools and sunning themselves. Liz took a "couple" pictures of the seals (~300).

Back at the hotel, we took some high pressure hot showers and by then, it was bordering 8:30. The restaurant downstairs was enough to feed the hungry. The service was something to be desired but everyone enjoyed their meal and that's what counts. We retired to our separate rooms for the night and enjoyed our sleepy time.

In the morning, we ate the continental breakfast (toast and jam) and some sausage we got at the supermarket. The shops in Kaikoura provided some souvenir options and once done perusing, we hit the road for the Ballroom Overhang hike and camp. Driving a desolate winding route 88 through the hills of the Amuri Range, the views surpassed expectations and the word of the day was once again "WOW". 

Hanmer Springs off SH7 was a good stopping point for lunch. The town is very similar to Aspen Colorado in appearances and is known for its skiing and hot springs. It was a beautiful sunny day so we did take out and ate in the park. Another few hours of driving was down the road so we didn't spend too long in the town.

Following SH7 westbound, we eventually reached the town of Reefton. We opted to drive north via route 69 which snaked along the beautiful deep blue Buller River. Our destination was getting close but the clock was not on our side. By the time we reached the Fox River car park in the Paparoa National Park, it was already boarding 6pm. Our backpacks were assessed and gear was set for the hike to come. An old woman in the car park asked where we were heading. Once we gave an answer, her face seemed to cringe as if she knew something we didn't. She warned about the nasty sand flies and the 10 river crossings. We brushed it off being the troopers we were and got on the track by about 7pm. Being in the southern hemisphere during summer, we estimated that we had about 2hours of light left which should have been plenty to get to the destination and start camp setup. We had no idea what we were in store for and the outcome of this hike was one that we will never forget. . . .