Land of Rain and Rainbows

New Zealand has nine Great Walks, and they’re not leisurely nature walks… they are hikes, and I mean hikes.  This weekend, I completed the Kepler Track, of these nine Great Walks!  This track is a 60-kilometer loop that climbs and descends Mount Luxmore, with views of Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri, and the South Fiord.  From the gorgeous green forest to the wind-whipping mountain ridges, it was a weekend to remember.

Friday morning (at 5:30am), 5 of us piled in a “Rent-a-Dent” (don’t worry- it’s a reliable car rental company!).  We made our way across the country to the Eastern Fiordlands where we embarked on our tramp (New Zealand term for backpacking or hiking).

Map of the track

We started at Rainbow Reach Carpark.  Our goal: hike 23.3 km to reach Luxmore Hut before sunset.  Challenge accepted. With a quick lunch at the Control Gates (a dam), and short water breaks every half-hour or so, we tramped right through the forest and up the base of the mountain.  Reaching the tree line was a feeling unlike anything I have felt.  It was breath taking and incredibly rewarding to see the world from above.  We spent the night at Luxmore Hut, since the track is out of season (it is winter here!) there was no power or running water.  So we made our dinner on camping stoves and used water provided by an overflow tap that was just outside of the hut.  We spent the night relaxing and went to bed by 8pm- the earliest I’ve been in bed in a LONG time! But it felt so good!

View from where we ate lunch

Above the tree line!

The hut is in sight!!

Sunset from the hut.  The fiordlands are gorgeous!

Saturday morning, we meant to leave the hut by 7:30, but thanks to no power and a lack of working alarms, we woke up with the 7:30 sunrise and were on our way to continue up the mountain by 9am.  It was a beautiful morning, filled with anticipation of what the day would bring.  First order of business: 14.6 kilometers to Iris Burn Hut.  Soon after beginning our day’s hike, we saw an incredible rainbow that seemed to be close enough that if we walked another few meters, we’d be able to touch it.  We also soon found snow on our path and began to realize the meaning of “the track climbs”.  Up and up we went, and it rained on and off.  Before we knew it, we seemed to be holding on for dear life, praying that we would not be blown off the mountain by the 40-km/hour winds.  We found ourselves on the ridge of a mountain, wishing we could stop and take in the gorgeous views, but unable to because of the wind.  The best advice I heard all day: “If you feel like you are going to be blown off the mountain, sit down”.  We all made it across the ridge safely, stopping to rest at the emergency shelters along the way.

The ridge we walked across!

One of the many rainbows we saw- each one was magnificent!

After traversing the Forest Burn Saddle atop Mount Luxmore, we made our descent down the mountain where we ate lunch at Iris Burn hut.  At this point, we decided that it was best for us to keep going… to walk another 16.2 kilometers to the next hut, Moturau Hut.  Looking back, it seems like a crazy decision, but I promise we had good reasoning.  It turned out to be quite a peaceful walk in the rain and soon the dark, but our tired legs kept us praying for the sight of the warm hut.  By 8pm, we made it to the hut.  I think the sight of that hut glowing with light from candles and torches (flashlights) was the best feeling all day.  Wow, what a day, but we made it!

Sunday morning, we slept until we felt like getting up.  That’s a lie, we didn’t want to get out of bed at all… but we got up once it seemed an appropriate time to get out of bed and get moving.  We packed up one last time and headed out in the rain. Yes, the rain; one of the main reasons for trekking to Moturau Hut the night before.  It was raining, but since our hike was mostly under the forest canopy, it was quite pleasant.  This morning’s walk was a leisurely 6-kilometers.  Easy-peasy! We finished in about an hour and 15 minutes and with a bit of disbelief, we finished the 60-kilometer Great Walk in 49.25 hours.  Yup, that’s about 24-48 hours less than the time the track is typically walked. 

The team! Me, Siri, Danyelle, Eric, and Jane!

What a weekend!  We treated ourselves to hot chocolate and running water at Subway and we set off to get back to ole’ Dunners.  This tramp is something I hope to always remember about my semester in New Zealand!

-Kelsey

A Queenstown Weekend

After the exciting cruise on Milford Sound, we hopped back in the car.

Next destination:
QUEENSTOWN, the adventure capital of the world and sister city to Aspen, CO!

Early the next morning (Friday), Alecia and I were supposed to go to Wanaka (~1 hour away), on the other side of a mountain.  When we arrived, we found out that our reason for being there was cancelled due to wind and incoming weather.  So, we got in touch with our inner child and went to Puzzling World, a museum of puzzles and optical illusions.  So fun!  On our way back to Queenstown, driving a different way, we found ourselves driving through New Zealand’s wine country.  Driving through the beautiful vineyards, we couldn’t help but stop at the winery that just happened to have the prettiest vineyard!  A bit later, we also stopped at cheesery where we tasted cheese and bought our dinner: cheese and a loaf of fresh-baked bread.  It was so yum!

Autumn Beach in Queenstown

Puzzling World, Wanaka

Vineyards in Central Otago

Saturday, Jane and I went for a run around Queenstown, we found the prettiest path (after our first path turned out to be straight uphill, we bailed and went to the less mountainous part of the city).  I would run this path everyday if I could!  It also reminded me of being Up North, Wisconsin with the canopy of trees and its proximity to the lake.  It definitely brought an incredible feeling of serenity.

The rest of Saturday, Jane and I spent shopping at the outdoor market, eating Fergburger, and hiking up Queenstown Hill with two of Jane’s flatmates that were also in Queenstown for the weekend.  I think by the end of the day, we could not stop raving about how perfect our day was.  After our hike, we stopped at the Cookie Time cookie bar for cookie happy hour.  2-4-1 warm cookies at the end of a gorgeous hike?  Who could pass that up?   We figured we should eat some dinner too… then we got ice cream at Patagonia, also too good to pass up.

Considering I probably ate my weight in food that day, it was a yummy day.

A rainbow over Queenstown!
(The land shown is the peninsula where I went for a run!)

Downtown Queenstown. 

Fergburger. YUM

On top of Queenstown Hill at sunset

Queenstown at dusk

Sunday, we all woke up earlier than our bodies wanted to.  We drove back to Wanaka, back through the mountain.  Our nerves were tingling in anticipation.  Considering the forecast predicted rain and wind, we were unsure if our trip back across the mountain was going to be worth it.  Upon arrival, we found out that all was good to go.  We were going skydiving.

Yes.   Alecia, Jane, and I geared up, jumped into the plane, and realised the meaning of “Strap yourself to a beautiful stranger,” the motto of Skydive Lake Wanaka.  I was first.  When the time came, after letting the plane climb the 12,000 feet into the sky, above the beautiful lakes, rivers, and mountains of Wanaka, my tandem master, Kim positioned us at the edge of the door… and then,

We dove.

Flipping and falling, spinning in circles in our freefall.  The coolest 30-seconds of my life. 

The parachute opened.  That’s when my brain caught up with me and there I was, floating in the sky, staring at the most beautiful scene of my life. 

A few minutes later, I was back on the ground, awaiting the landing of my friends.  Again the biggest grins of all time were plastered on our faces, filled with adrenaline and excitement (and maybe some relief).  It was amazing.  There just are no other words for falling from the sky (with a parachute of course).

Alecia- about to land!

Alecia, Jane, and I- after our dives!
We <3 New Zealand!!! 

Unfortunately, our excitement had to end, and we grabbed some ice cream for lunch and headed back to the other side of the country. 

Final Destination: DUNEDIN.
With stops in NARNIA and HAMPDEN

We weren’t ready for the adventure to be over, so we stopped to see the Elephant Rocks (aka Narnia!).  What a neat landscape for a lunch break and a casual climb!  We also stopped at the Moeraki Boulders in Hampden.  It was too bad that the tide was coming in, so most of the boulders were underwater.  But what we did see was super cool!

Elephant Rocks Panorama

Moeraki Boulders nearing high tide

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to spend such an amazing weekend in New Zealand!

How I Spent My Anzac Day

When I said I was going to keep a blog while I was away, I received a bit of doubt from people, thinking I would not keep up with it.  Well, I admit, they know me too well.  I’ve been caught up in living here (and doing assignments for class…), that I have gotten quite behind on my blogging!  BUT here is an update on what I’ve been spending my time doing!
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Since I last wrote, I had just gotten back from my Mid-semester break in Wellington and Australia!  I then spent two weekends in Dunedin, hanging out, taking midterms, and enjoying the autumn weather (rain and colorful leaves!)

The 25^th of April was ANZAC day, a public holiday in New Zealand.  That meant… NO SCHOOL!  Yay!  So, of course, a few friends and I piled into a car and adventured across the beautiful South Island to the west coast.
Destination? The infamous MILFORD SOUND!

Anzac Day Dawn Service in Dunedin

Anzac day morning, I was up before the sun to attend a dawn service commemorating the lost soldiers from wars New Zealanders and Australians have fought in.  It was really neat to stand (in the rain) in the city centre, with the sun rising, listening to speeches and experiencing some of New Zealand’s culture.  Upon walking back to my flat, I witness a beautiful sunrise from my street.

Sunrise from Queen Street

By 8am we were in the car, on our way across the country!

First stop: Te Anau for lunch on a beautiful beach (with a tree swing of course!)

The crew eating lunch at Lake Te Anau 

Finally, after driving for hours through the most beautiful scenery...

Just one view from the side of the road 

...we arrived at Milford Sound! And just in time for our cruise around the Sound!  Oh, it was glorious!  In the Fiordlands, the mountains literally plummet straight into the water and keep going down for a few thousand metres!  It had been raining (and still was raining), so along with the already numerous waterfalls, there were hundreds of “temporary” waterfalls flowing off the cliffs into the water.  It looked like there should have been a giant bowl on the top of the cliffs that was overflowing as if someone forgot to turn the water off and the sink was overflowing.  Water was just everywhere and it was amazing!

Water falling off a cliff into the Sound

 After a bit of walking around the boat, snapping photos of every thing I could, laughing and posing for photos with friends, I went inside the boat to warm up with some complimentary tea and coffee.  (One thing I have come to love about this country: the tea and coffee).

Some of the falls and cliffs in Milford Sound

A bit later, the captain of the boat made an announcement: something along the lines of “it looks like there have been some dolphins spotted”.  After a few moments of realising what that actually meant, my friend Jane and I ran to the bow of the boat.  Not seeing anything in front of us, we looked down, shielding ourselves from the wind and rain that was about to knock us over… and low and behold, a pod of dolphins swimming right under the bow of the boat, playing in the current created underneath the boat.  There may or may not have been squeals and laughter and smiles wider than imaginable.  We were looking at dolphins!  Real, live, wild dolphins!  Sooo cool!  The cruise company advertised the possibility of seeing dolphins, but I did not actually expect to be so lucky!  Oh praise God; it was beautiful!

Dolphins swimming!

After such a wonderful cruise around Milford Sound, we walked back to the car. Stopping to take some last photos of the perfect scene.  Milford Sound: a must-see and officially one of my favorite places I've been.  Just look at the layers of mountains, water, clouds.  I couldn't have imagined a more perfect afternoon!

 

Next up: Queenstown!

Going to the Footie

Friday, 12 April, we went to the Highlander's rugby game!  The Highlanders are Dunedin's Super Rugby team (as opposed to rugby league team).  Score: Highlanders 19, Brumbies 30.  Even with a loss, it was fun to go to the footie with friends and cheer on our team with other students!