GoldCard Gal

Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul!

GoldCard Gal

Pukemokemoke – a gem in the Waikato

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Pukemokemoke – what a gem in the Waikato.  How come I have never explored this delightful trail before?

I have lived in the Waikato (New Zealand) for 37 years and it is only this year that I got to explore the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve.  Pukemokemoke means “A hill standing alone” aptly named I would say.  Visiting and exploring this delightful reserve is thanks to my good friend Sharon.

One step at a time

Having recently had open-heart surgery it is now time to regain my fitness.  ‘One step at a time’ is my current mantra!  It has been one of those occasions where you do not realise how good you had it until you don’t.  Here I am referring to my previous fitness level.   I guess many of you have had to crawl back up and start again.  I would love to hear about your journey and what it took you mentally and physically to do so?

Hiking in bush is one of my happy spots.  It not only helps with my fitness but restores my mental wellbeing.  So when Sharon suggested we visit Pukemokemoke I was keen to explore.

Location

Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve is only 20 minutes drive north of Hamilton on the Tauhei Road.  It is a loop track with many different track options. When I did a Google search, it revealed over 300 native plants and trees, such as matai, totara, kauri, kanuka and kahikatea within this 40 ha reserve.  It has nine sites of interest, which are marked along the track; these include a log hauler site, the kauri grove and the lookout.

Tracks

As you can see below there are a variety of tracks to choose from.  We chose the Loop Track.  This track starts out as a gentle incline and well maintained dirt track with numerous tree roots to step over.  We were surrounded by regenerating bush and we could hear the birds singing – how good is that?

Pukemokemoke map of trails
Pukemokemoke site map. Thanks to Pukemokemoke Trust

Wooden steps

Then I saw the start of wooden steps – my mind sunk, oh no, they look never-ending!!  ‘One step at a time’ I reminded myself as I struggled to keep my breathing under some sort of control.  Trudging up those steps required an in-depth mental conversation with myself.  “Remember it’s early days and your heart needs to get used to its new and amended functionality.  Be kind to yourself.  You have nothing to prove.”  Pretty hard to accept as I saw Sharon disappearing in the distance.

Wooden steps on summit track – Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve

Kauri Grove

Thankfully, part way up to the summit there was a reprieve from the continuous steps – the Kauri Grove.   Unbeknown to me at the end of this short track was a delightful little wooden bench.  This gave me a chance to sip some water, gather myself and admire the view.

The reward for the day

The reward on reaching the summit is something quite special, especially on a clear day.  Where else can you get 360o views of the Waikato?  We saw the  Hakarimata Ranges, Mt Te Aroha, Wind Farm Te Uku, Mt Pirongia, and with really good eye sight Mt Karioi.  Unfortunately I could not capture the panoramic views, you will have to take my word for it, but it is spectacular.  Perhaps this may encourage you to hike up there and see the views for yourself?

After a brief stop we then started hiking down the Loop Track still surrounded by bush.  This did require careful foot placement.  With our heart rates back to normal the conversation increased and it wasn’t long before we were looking at a large clearing – ideal for a picnic.

Picnic spot Pukemokemoke
Large green space for picnic or playing games. From here you can also explore other track options

From here you can continue to explore the various tracks or take the low track back to the carpark.  On this occasion we took the low track back.

On returning to the carpark we were surprised by the number of other vehicles parked up.  They also enjoying this gem of nature.  Well worth the huffing and puffing!

As my fitness has improved I have enjoyed exploring the other track options.  They add time and distance to your hike which is always beneficial.

Additional scenes

Glimpse of farmland on track to summit
Nice touch – Christmas tree

Additional thoughts

It is great to feel the desire to be out exploring our beautiful country again.  Whether that is on foot or on my bike.  It has been a couple of years since I have felt that desire to explore and have an  adventure.  I am thankful that I finally got the medical care that I needed.  I am grateful for the excellent care I received from the staff and specialists at Waikato DHB.  On my recent visit to my (electrics) cardiologist I was informed I still have arterial fibrillation.  He has recommended a cardioversion (my terminology ‘a heart reboot’) to see if it is because of my recent surgery or something else which I may need to live with.  Whatever the outcome I will manage.  I’m realizing how hard it is to get back to a good level of fitness, but what options do I have?

Before I sign off, here’s a little quote:

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
― A.A. Milne

That is it until next time.  Take care out there, Goldcardgal.  🙂

Tour du Mont-Blanc completed

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Today it is pouring down with rain, with the occasional thunder & lightening strikes, so definitely no hiking today.  Having said that it is a relief as I am still recovering from yesterday’s brutal 10 km down  hill hike over rocks, clinging onto chains and having to be mindful of every step downhill!!

To start the day we had two amazing gondola rides.  We decided whenever possible we would take a gondola or chairlift – because where else do you get to experience these amazing feats of engineering.

Chamonix at bottom of valley 2,500 mts below. We had watched this gondola going back and forth between two stations without any support structures in between – this sent our imagination into over-drive!!  But the ride turned out to be not as bad as we had imagined.

When riding these cars I don’t look down, take slow deep breaths and try and think logically about the chance of them falling or whatever else the mind can come up with.  Tracy got a little vertigo and had side effects all day hiking down hill.

Switzerland

When I last posted we were moving into Switzerland.  Tracy had a long walk (18 kms) over from Italy by herself.  She said when she crossed into Switzerland and looked back down the long valley, she could see where she had crossed from France into Italy.  While she was hiking I was being driven around to La Fouly.  It was a long 6.5 hr. car ride, as I was having another day off.  This proved to be exactly what I should have been doing. I tried to make the most of this unplanned journey admiring the scenery and country-side passing many road cyclists riding some of the big climbs with support vehicles coming up the rear.

Swiss landscape & buildings

Seeing and experiencing the different landscapes has been a highlight for us.  This day’s hike was from La Fouly to Champex-Lac.  It was also the day the ultra TMB event was passing through. By the time they passed us many had already been running for 14 odd hrs, of course there were those runners who had already gone through earlier.  They are another field of athlete with their physically and mentally capabilities.  We gave them verbal encouragement which many acknowledged.

The little Swiss villages seemed very old – bit like medieval wooden buildings but with beautiful flower-filled boxes and narrow winding roads.  Everything spotlessly clean.  This was our easiest day on the trail, and I enjoyed a short hike of 10 Km to see how the body coped.  Tracy hiked the full route in the blazing hot sun – being continuously passed by ultra runners!  I walked then caught a bus to our accommodation.

Typical Swiss chalet, beautifully looked after.

Hiking through much of the Swiss country-side you could constantly hear the cow bells ringing as the cattle ate the grass or made any slight movement.

Accommodation highlight – Champex-Lac

Hotel Splendide, Champex-Lac has been the best accommodation we have had.  Tracy described it as ‘old alpine luxury’ and it was.  The food was delicious, and we were waited on.  I felt posh!!

I had the best night’s sleep so far on this trip, woke refreshed and ready tackle the new day.  It was the best day on the trail for me, no real breathing issues, nausea and diarrhea gone AND I felt like eating while hiking.

The trail through the rest of Switzerland was enjoyable, plenty of ups and downs and still busy with many hikers.

Paragliding over Chamonix

When we first arrived in Chamonix we saw many paragliders floating high up above us and Tracy decided it was something she wanted to do when we returned to Chamonix.  I was reluctant until I spoke to a woman (from Hobart) in Trient (Switzerland) that changed my mind.

We fulfilled that adventure.   And what an experience it was, floating for approximately 20 minutes, 1,000 m above Chamonix valley, looking directly across to Aiguille du Midi, Mont-Blanc, and its glaciers.  It was stunning and while I wasn’t totally relaxed I enjoyed the experience.  My instructor Gerry was very cool and calm.  He has visited NZ and loved paragliding out at Raglan – small world eh?  In case you are interested here is a link to their website Paragilding in Chamonix.

We have been extremely lucky with the weather especially so as the last couple of days have been cold and wet.

My apologies this post is a little disjointed!  I’m still quite tired and just want to get something out before I start travelling in Germany.

Geneva

We have left France and currently in Geneva for one night before Tracy travels to Hamburg and I travel to Offenburg.  We meet up again in Munich 13th September and fly home on 15 September.

Reflections

I feel as though I need time to reflect on our adventure and get my thoughts in order before I post my reflections.

In the mean time go the ABs on Saturday night!!  Till next time, take care – GoldCard Gal 🙂

Scenes from the last few days

Fresh water fountain – Switzerland
We ended our adventure in Les Houches where we started. We both feeling very tired!!
We saw lots of consistently cut and perfectly stacked firewood! Switzerland
Beautiful forest – nice and cool in the hot weather
One of four milking cows in a paddock we passed in Trient, Switzerland
Last day coming down very rocky slope. I am in the distance!
Beautiful morning in Switzerland – Tracy
Insect house! Beth this will be my next project!!
Large insect house in Chamonix

Hello from Courmayeur, Italy

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We arrived here in Courmayeur, on 26 August for four nights. It is a stylist mountain town in amongst the Mt Blanc massif.  It is truly magnificent.  The shopping centre is beautifully laid out with narrow cobbled streets with many small boutique type shops, including numerous outdoor clothing shops.  Plenty of selection for the ‘label’ fans.

Tracy and I are both enjoying our rest day today.  Sleeping in and taking it slowly. We booked a trip up on the  Skyway gondola– it was exciting.  A must do if you are ever here.  The views were breathtaking and the design of the whole system a magnificent feat of engineering.  As we travelled up and down, the gondola slowly rotated 360 degrees.

Back to the start

We started our adventure in Les Houches with a cable car ride.  It was exciting with the car jammed packed full of  hikers.  We didn’t start hiking until 10 am and got to our destination about 5.30 pm that evening.  We both were shattered –  it was a hot day with the long up-hills and seeming never-ending downhills.

Start of trail

Surprises

Rather than give a day by day description of our hiking, I thought it more interesting to write about our experiences and/or surprises.

The daily temperatures – ranging between 23 – 28 degrees.  Jolly hard going with the sun beating down on us, with little or no wind. AND we are tired!  Plus our lily white bodies are not used to the intense sun or heat!!  We are slowly getting a little tan!

We have been surprised at the number of people hiking the trail – there are 100’s.  Some on guided tours, some like us unguided and many back-packing it.   All doing different routes and staying at different accommodation – quite interesting.  Freedom camping is not permitted in Italy – a possible 500€ fine if caught.

Trail running seems very popular over here and there are many of them on the trail.  They are lean, fit and sun-tanned.  They are lite and nimble on their feet and seem to glide past – a little deflating for a ‘tortoise” like me!  Many of these runners are often accompanied by their dog.  Which has also surprised us is the number of dogs everywhere, on the gondolas,, in the shops and buses, big, small and in-between sizes.

When I saw this man and his horse again yesterday I realised he could be carrying peoples luggage between  Refugio’s.  We had seem him the previous day on another trail.  That poor horse had a huge load on yesterday!  An interesting job.

The tracks have been well defined and firm under foot. Very little loose gravel and the rock is non-slippery.

Trail signage in France

Another highlight was crossing Col de la Croix (2480m).  As we scrambled our way up to the Col we could hear the sounds of a concertina – no idea of where the music was coming from until we saw this young women sitting on top of a large rock playing.  It was quite surreal and unexpected to hear music in that environment.  Not far from where she was sitting was a large France Alpine Club building, perhaps she was staying there?

Using local transport

Some days start with a bus trip to the start of the trail.  While initially we thought this would be annoying it has worked out as a bonus, because we get to see and experience more of the local area.  The same goes for the end of a trail day, again catching local transport to our accommodation.  All this transport is free.  One day we even caught a chairlift and gondola down.  The Courmayeur area has chairlifts and gondolas everywhere – it’s a very popular ski destination in winter.  We have got to see how patient the locals are at driving and giving way on the many very narrow hair-pin winding roads.  The bus or oncoming traffic often having to reverse to let traffic through.  Have even seen a few speed bumps!!

Accommodation and food

Our accommodation has been excellent, generally twin beds with an ensuite shower and toilet.  It is soo good to have a hot shower and evening meal provided after a long day on the trail.  Even though here in Courmayeur at the Crampton Hotel we have to eat out every night as they only provide breakfast.  These breakfasts are the like small banquets!   Shame my appetite has not been what it usually is!!

We have enjoyed a varied selection of French cuisine – all beautifully prepared and appreciated by all.  Our meal times together have been one of the highlights so far.  Each night a different group of people with much laughter, joking and banter.

The night we stayed in Les Chapieux we meet a competitor in the up-incoming ultra Tour De Mont Blanc.  He was very interesting and has done many ultras before.  They have 46 hrs  and so many minutes to complete the 170 km trail.  They start Friday night in Chamonix.  Cannot imagine running through the night over some of the tracks we have hiked.  His husband is a Columbian and was such fun to be around.  Tracy asked him “What will you be doing while your husband is running?” his response was “Eating cheese and drinking wine.”  Said with a big smile.  They both were delightful and we certainly enjoyed their company.

Tomorrow we move into Switzerland.  It’s another big day with a long climb.  Tracy will be doing that on her own as I’m currently experiencing extreme breathlessness (like never before and in contact with my Dr) along with constant nausea and a chest cough – not much fun but still loving our adventure and experiences.  Trying to get to see a Dr, when and where will be interesting.

That is it at present.  Thank you for your feedback.  I always enjoy reading your comments.

Have a wonderful adventure The Morgans!

Go Team NZ –  I hear they have had a mishap with their boat – oops!!  🙁  Go the All Blacks!  Till next time.

Scenes on the TMB trail

Fresh water drinking trough for hikers
Luggage waiting to be moved to next destination
The stone work is beautiful!
The little girl was struggling going down-hill and her dad was gently coaxing/guiding her. The donkey was loaded up with stuff.
The only damp morning, heading out on day two.
A very old Roman bridge we crossed.
Look at that wood – ready for winter!
Love the large slate type roof tiles, and colourful petunias..
Tracy feeling very proud at the top of a big climb. She is going so well and such a great support. Very proud of her!
Guest house in Les Contamines – we had the best food here.
Often there are many different trails – need to keep an eye on our route.
Always people about.

Four days in Paris

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Today is our last day in Paris.  It is time to reflect on the past couple of days.  To tell the truth we are tired and in need of a slow day!  We have walked and walked, bused, travelled along a beautiful canal with locks, and ferried up and down the Seine visiting many of the main attractions of Paris.

I am composing this blog post in a little cafe called Nomade Cafe.  Here they have great coffee with first-rate customer service and Wi-Fi. The cafe is full of young people working on their laptops – digital nomads.  The female barista speaks excellent English and when talking with her she said she had lived in Melbourne.  This cafe could be anywhere in New Zealand or Australia.

Accommodation

Tracy booked our Air BnB months ago and it has been the best.  Dominique is the host and normally it is his home.  Size wise, it is very small with a Japanese theme and abundant Japanese memorabilia.  We are on the first floor, access gained by entering through two large wooden coded doors and climbing a very old wooden spiral staircase. There are approximately five small restaurants immediately below us along with a green grocer and patisserie.  What more could one ask for.

We have loved staying in this neighborhood.  All the tiny businesses are impressive, especially the butchers, fruit and vegetable, and cheese shops.  They open later in the morning and when we were walking home last around 6.30 pm these little businesses were very busy with Parisians collecting some of their supplies on the way home.

The fresh fruit and vegetables we have brought have been so tasty.  One needed to slowly consume the  peaches and strawberries – the flavours so intense.  The peach flavours reminded me of my childhood.

We are meeting Dominique this evening for a final wine before we leave our accommodation tomorrow for Chamonix, travelling by train.  No doubt another interesting experience awaits us.

A lane opposite our accommodation

Uber experience

Many of you are probably very familiar with Ubers, but not us.  We have never had a need to use them before.  Thankfully I had downloaded the app and set it up – for ‘just in case’ scenarios. After one of our boat adventures it was pouring down with rain and no way where we going to walk back home – we had no rain coats.  It was time to try Uber.  It worked perfectly.  We were picked up within minutes.  We had a Angolan driver who spoke very little English and delivered us safely back home.  No complaints and we are hooked on them.

French people & culture

We have found the French people to be very kind, polite and tolerant of us foreigners with little French language.  Delilah (my grand-daughter) had told Tracy about the translation app on her iPhone and this has been a well used.  Now that I have got my European sim card, Google does a pretty good translation also.

We have noticed a heavy presence of gendarmes, often seeing three officers walking together, along with armed military personnel in other places.  Dominique thought it was because of the Olympic and Para-Olympics.

We have found the history here is unbelievable – 100’s and 100’s of years old.  Makes New Zealand’s history seem like a new country!  We have been blown away by the streets and streets of apartment buildings and the various  architectural styles.

Transport – bicycles

Every type of person seems to ride a bike here and FAST along the designated cycle lanes.  They often weave in and out of traffic and with no helmets.  You have to be very careful before crossing any road.  We’ve seen every type of bike –  from very old 10 speed racing type bikes with thin tires, to gravel bikes, e-bikes, lime bikes.  From what we have observed there is no shown aggression by either motorists or cyclists.  The drivers just seem to swerve or merge patiently – no tooting of horns or verbal profanities!!  We kiwi and Aussie drivers could learn a lot.

While there are endless pedestrian crossings with lights, I haven’t noticed one orange road cone or one speed bump!!

We have really enjoyed our stay in Paris.  Loved our little neighborhood we stayed in – people so friendly and away from the tourists.  I must mention Tracy’s assistance in everything from bookings to navigation- it’s been a amazing – I haven’t had to worry about anything.

It’s now Friday evening, we have arrived here in Chamonix, scenery magnificent, and crowds of people.  Reminds me of Queenstown in the busy season!!  Looking forward to getting out on the trail.  Weather looking very fine and pretty warm!  Till next time, take care out there – Goldcard Gal 🙂

Scenes of Paris

I have tried to limit the number of pictures – didn’t want you to get bored!!!

Old wooden spiral staircase to our level 1 appartment

Monument aux Parisiens morts pendant la Première Guerre

Oldest cemetery in Paris and most visited cemetery in the world (so it is said!).  The final resting place for Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison (The Doors), the only people we knew.  It was a fascinating place to visit.

Interesting head stone
Crematorium – beautiful stone building
Oscar Wilde – the only burial plot that has a clear perspex surround – covered with kisses!!

The tastiest peaches and strawberries ever!

Very large figs

 

 

Celebrating Matariki

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How can I make this first time Matariki public holiday memorable? 

So, I asked myself “what makes memories?”  After some pondering “experiences, either good or bad” came to mind.

After looking at and considering a variety of possibilities, spending a night in the bush, in a hut meet all my needs and desires.

After some discussion with one of my cycling friends and now tramping buddy Maureen, she came up with a suggestion of tramping to  Te Whare Okioki hut.  My first thought was – where is that?  Thank goodness for Mr Google.  At a glance, it had many advantages:

  • the hut looked relativity new
  • it was close by distance wise, in the Kaimai Ranges
  • it had a fire, and
  • we were guaranteed of a bed (meaning we needed to book a bunk).

On checking the hut bookings, it was fully booked for both Friday and Saturday nights, so that left us with Thursday night, and even then, 9 of the 12 bunk beds were already booked.  I wondered who has booked those 9 beds!!  So it was settled Te Whare Okioki hut here we come.

It felt good to be packing my pack again and planning what food to take.  I’m currently experimenting dehydrating my own food! It is a valuable learning experience.

Thursday morning dawned with a clear blue sky and heavy frost – another words it was jolly chilly, but that did not dampen our enthusiasm.

It is always pleasing at any time of the year to drive through our stunning countryside with tidy green pastures on the undulating landscape.

The track to Te Whare Okioki hut begins at the end of Te Huhi Road (see below) which is also the entrance to a farm.  Three vehicles were already packed there.  It felt a safe place to leave our car.

Our over-night adventure

Te Tuhi Track

Maureen at start of Te Huhi track

It is an estimated 3 hr 30 min walk to the hut.  We started with a short 45-minute uphill walk over farmland to the bush line following the familiar DOC signs, the little orange triangles – some easily seen others lying on the ground.  We guessed it may have been because the animals had rubbed themselves against the pole and dislodged the markers!

Then came the steady uphill climb, slog or whatever you may like to call it.  But it felt great to be back in the bush again with only your thoughts on your mind and thinking where to place your feet next. It is a wonderful sense of mental freedom – hard to beat.  Very little bird song or life was heard.

Unexpected interactions

One of the many pleasures of walking in the bush are the little ‘interactions’ you have with other people along the way.  We first meet three young women who had stayed in Te Whare Okioki hut and were returning to their car.  And a short time later we meet three deer hunters who had been staying in Mangamuka Hut.  They had no luck hunting but enjoyed their time away together.

At the junction of the North-South and Te Huhi tracks we off-loaded our packs and enjoyed our well-deserved lunch.  We were lucky to find a sunny spot where the sun penetrated the large trees and we could get a little warmth on our bodies (see image below). I appreciate how good food always tastes after a good work-out in this natural environment.

From this track junction is it only an hour’s walk to the hut.  The track was well marked and mostly sound and firm underfoot.

Te Whare Okioki Hut

Whether it’s a short walk or long walk seeing the hut is always a wonderful feeling.  And this hut didn’t disappoint – how could it, the sun was shining into the covered veranda and made it look very inviting.  As soon as we opened the door to the interior the temperature dropped considerably.  Thankfully it was not long before we had the fire roaring in the big wood burner.  Due only to the fact, I had brought plenty of dry kindling, strips of old bike tire tubes (they make great fire starters) and matches.  Maureen had brought dry newspaper. There was plenty of firewood at the hut which consisted of off-cuts and felt quite damp (wood I wouldn’t use on my wood burner).

The hut had solar lights and two USB re-chargers – quite a luxury.  Along with concrete walls and floor and stainless steel tables.  No fear of this hut burning down.

Te Whare Okioki Hut built in 2019

After unpacking, enjoying a hot cup of soup, selecting our bunks, and making sure the fire was going well, we headed off for a short out-and-back walk along the North-South track.  After all we did have a few hours of daylight left and thought we should make the most of the day.  It was comforting to know when we returned to the hut it would be much warmer.

When we returned, we were greeted by a group of women, roughly the same age as us.  There was nine of them and they were from the Te Puke tramping group.  So, you can imagine we had a most enjoyable afternoon/evening chatting, sharing stories and adventures, and celebrating three birthdays.  One of the women (who was turning 70) had carried in a gluten free chocolate cake along with three candles. Birthday greetings were enthusiastically sung, candles blown out and cake shared – it was a nice finish to a very enjoyable and rewarding day and evening.   By this time the hut was very warm and time for bed.

A delightful evening spent with these amazing women from Te Puke Women’s Tramping Group

The return route

Eleven women boiling pots for hot drinks, making, and eating breakfast is a sight to be seen.  Some would say it looked chaotic!  I enjoyed seeing what everyone ate as I’m always looking to discover different food ideas.  As yet my standard breakfast of home-made muesli with added milk powder and dehydrated kiwi fruit hasn’t been surpassed.  For those of you who do overnight or multiday tramps what is your favourite breakfast?

By 8.15 am the benches were wiped, hut and veranda swept and everyone loaded up and more or less ready ‘ship out’.

Pot and tool selection at Mangamuka Hut

Mangamuka Hut

Maureen and I were keen to check out the Mangamuka Hut on our return to the car park.  This involved an extra loop, but well worth the energy and time.  It’s a beautiful little old hunter’s hut with four bunk beds, a couple of small stainless-steel benches and an old-fashioned open fireplace.  Unfortunately, no firewood there other than old wet tree branches.  We enjoyed morning tea in this old-world hut.  In the summer I reckon it would be a delightful place to stay or even chill-out for a few days if so desired.

The home stretch

As we were walking down the steep incline, I mentioned to Maureen “It’s strange we haven’t meet anyone or group coming up (as it was now about 1 pm) and surely people wouldn’t leave it this late to walk into the hut.  Perhaps they were coming in from another direction” I said.

Surprise, surprise

Oh, were we in for a surprise?  As we excited the bush and entered the farmland (on our final 30 minute leg), we came across a woman with four children.  We had a usual conversation and about where they were going to, and they wanted to know what the track was like etc etc.  The woman then said “there are more people coming, we are waiting for them.  We’ve booked the hut out tonight.”  Maureen and I looked at each other and thought you’d better get a move on, you have a steep climb, it’s cold standing around waiting, and it gets dark in the bush long before darkness actually happens.  Anyway, we said “good-luck” and left them.  Both of us acknowledging glad we aren’t having to coerce those kids up the climb!!.

About five minutes later we meet the next group, a parent and two very slowly walking children. It was obvious by their body language and the pace they were walking, they’d had enough, asking “where is the hut?”  At this stage they’d probably only walked 1 km.  But that was not all, there were more people in the distance – repacking packs in a strong south-westerly wind.  To cut a long story short one parent had decided to return to the car with a six-year-old boy, and the other two parents would carry on and meet up with the rest of their group.  We tried to stress the importance of ‘getting a move on, as they would have at least a 4 hour walk ahead’.  We hoped they had head torches because they’d be lucky to get to the hut before night fall and then have to get the fire going, feedi kids etc etc – oh we were glad it wasn’t us.

Maureen and I discussed their naivety for some time.  Why leave so late in the day to start? Why choose a steep climb for beginners?  The list went on. We were thankful we didn’t hear any search and rescue mission being carried out, and could only assume they made it safely.

We both loved our 36 hrs away and would certainly do this tramp again and highly recommend it.  Memorable – definitely yes.

I would love to hear how you celebrated Matariki?  Or, what adventures are you having during these winter months?  Till next time GoldCard Gal 🙂

Additional scenes

GoldCard Gal at start of track
Lunch stop. Maureen enjoying the sun!
Mangamuka Hut (thanks to Maureen)
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