Day 17 through Day 21, The Milford Track. 1st Day

We opened our eyes at around 7:15 am and rolled our of bed to peak out the windows at a little low puffy clouds but mostly brilliant blue sky! We had purchased some muesli cereal and fresh fruit for breakfast. Most of the motels we have stayed in have a small kitchenette built in with a hot plate, fridge and simple utensils so it makes sense to have the first meal of the day in the room. By the time we had done the final packing of the backpacks it was time to checkout of the room, park the car in the storage area and walk about 250 meters to the Department of Conservation (DOC) center where we were to meet the bus carrying the other trampers. We arrived to find to Jos and Ana waiting for the bus as well. They are dairy farmers originally from Holland who immigrated to NZ and were now living on the North Island and were eagerly anticipating the tramp as well. Right on schedule the bus pulled into the DOC center and we introduced ourselves while the leaders went in to pick up the permits for the backcountry huts we were to be staying in over the next 3 nights. We boarded the bus for the 30-minute trip from Te Anau to Te Anau Downs where we met the ferryboat that would take our group of 39 trampers who are considered independent walkers along with about 40 trampers in the guided walker group. The guided walkers do not have to carry any of food, sleeping bags our other gear only their clothing. The rest is supplied by the company that organizes the tramp for them and provided guides and fully staffed huts with full sized beds with linen and provided meals both in the huts and along the trail during the day. For this pleasure they pay about $1700 each for 3 nights and 4 days on the track. By comparison we paid approximately $575 each. I think the sense of accomplishment is higher with the independent trampers as you quickly feel part of a group working together and share in all the responsibilities from carrying the gear and food to assisting in the preparation of meals. The Ferry ride from Te Anau Downs to the dock at the mouth of the Clinton river takes about 1hour 15 minutes with a few side trips close to several islands for the skipper of the boat to describe historical facts and geological points of interest along the way. The clouds had lowered a little in the sky but the views were spectacular as we approached the end of the lake and saw the dock where we were to land. As the boat pulled into shore we carried all the backpacks ashore quickly assembled and started the 5-kilometer hike to our first overnight stay at Clinton Hut. The trail was wide enough for two people and smoothed gravel that entered immediately into native beech bush with ferns and moss growing in a thick tangled landscape. The bush was so thick you could not see any of the surrounding mountains until we entered a clearing and saw the guided walkers huts. It was now about 4 pm and we crossed the clearing and quickly came across the swing bridge crossing the Clinton River. It states that it will support 5 people at a time however the determining factor is how much they swing with more than one person crossing. If you make the mistake of walking in rhythm you very quickly loose your balance as the bridge start oscillating and it is almost impossible to maintain your balance with an 18-kilogram backpack on. The surrounding vistas were hard to put into words. The water was so clear it almost looked transparent and as the clouds had cleared off the blue sky was the perfect backdrop for the mountains that surrounded us. We walked parallel to the river for another 30 minutes and reached our destination for the first night “Clinton Hut”. The huts consist of the separate private quarters for the hut DOC ranger and the kitchen facility then the 2 sleeping huts each holding 20 people in bunk bed style. We quickly selected our bed locations and delivered the food parcels we had carried to the first kitchen crew who immediately started cooking dinner and the first pot of boiling water for tea and coffee. There is always a pot of water boiling whenever we stop along the trail or in the huts so that you can always have a cuppa tea. The first night meal was pasta, mashed potatoes peas and fresh ham slices with pudding for desert. And of course great tasting tea with water pulled directly from the river. It started to rain shortly after our arrival and the rain became heavier as the evening wore on. Ranger Pete came into the hut at about 7:30 pm to tell us all the ways we could be killed or maimed on the trail or in the huts. He had a quiet sense of humour that came through clearly and explained that if it kept raining this hard overnight we might have to delay starting a bit in the morning as the trail was prone to flooding ahead of us in sections. Now to those of us in Ontario we think of a heavy rainstorm dropping 50 millimeters of water here they talk in terns of a ½ meter falling in 24 hours. The mountains around us hold back almost no water as there is little soil and the terrain is so steep that you instantly get the most beautiful waterfalls forming all around you cascading hundred of meters in height. After dinner and the ranger speech we all had to stand up and tell everyone who we were and a little about ourselves as an icebreaker. While not overly tired we retired early as the only power is supplied by solar cells on the roof and the lights turn off automatically at 10 pm.

Day 16,Queenstown to Te Anau

A few high thin clouds greeted us when we awoke and had breakfast in the motel room. We have started to buy cereal milk and bread as most rooms have a small fridge and simple cooking facilities. While the cooked breakfasts have been good we are getting a bit bored with always eating in restaurants. A simple breakfast suits us just fine most days now. I set up the laptop and caught up with most of the blob and uploaded more pictures from the camera. The Internet connections on the South Island have been spotty at the hotels and there was no wifi connection at Hurley’s. We packed up and headed into Queenstown and located an Internet café and I uploaded the latest data from the laptop. While there I spoke to a young Canadian guy and his girlfriend who was from Edmonton. They have been traveling for about a year in the South Pacific. They worked in OZ for about 9 months and plan on spending 3 to 4 months in NZ. They have about the same money they started with as they move from one job to the next to pay the bills and see the sights. I spent about 45 minutes in the Internet café and that cost about $10 and got a slow connection compared to home. Noticing it was 10:45 I quickly packed up the computer and rushed back to the car to meet Mary and walked over to the jet boat bus meeting spot. I must admit that the tourist operators in NZ do it right. They absolutely understand what service is and try to make your experience the best that it can be. The guides are well trained and are clearly selected to be funny and engaging. About 18 of us boarded a bus and the driver chatted us up and showed us a 12 minute DVD that explained all the safety issues for the jet boat and gave a sales pitch for the gift shop, photographs of yourselves in the boat, interactive cd’s and DVD’s and ½ price second trip on the river if you desired to go again. We arrived at the Shotover River location and piled out of the bus and were given splash jackets and life preservers to put on. The jet boats roared around the docking area all be driven by 20 something males with testosterone levels in the stratosphere. Gleaming teeth and huge smiles while they explained the safety issues and telling us that they haven’t lost anyone today! Fifteen people loaded into the boat and the engine rumbled under us as our driver Mike once again explained that we must keep our arms and hands inside the boat as they occasionally ht the canyon walls and that we must remain seated at all times (I wanted to travel standing up balanced on the bow and yell I’m the king of the world!) and when he put his hand in the air and made a circle it was a signal for us to hold on to the grab bar as we were about to do a 360 degree turn! We blasted out of the docking area going upstream for about 100 meters did a 180 turn and blew by the dock area going about 80 kms. The river is about 6 inches in places and you can see the rocks. The jet boats can navigate in about 3 to 4 inches of water if necessary. We went downstream for about 7 kilometers and passed between canyon walls that we literally inches from the boat. I had a very cool seat on the outside and quickly understood the rule about keeping your arms inside the boat. We did about 4 or 5 360’s all at full speed of about 80 kms. The boats are highly maneuverable and can literally spin around with a skillful driver at very high speed. You get soaked of course as they set up the spin so that large amounts of spray cover the boat. The ride lasts about 25 minutes and is worth every penny of the $100 each cost. Back on terra firma and we handed back to life jackets and splash gear and passed through the gift shop and said a pleasant no to the $50 photograph special offer we were back on a bus to town that runs every 15 minutes from 8 am until dark 365 days a year (except Christmas). We stopped in at a supermarket to pick up some last minute items for the Milford Track, as we were not sure what would be available in Te Anau when we arrived. We loaded into the car and found the right road and drove out of town to stop at a little picnic sight for some cheese and wine while gazing at the lake with a backdrop of mountains. Back into the car for the 2 hours drive to Te Anau and found our lodge for the night. They have parking arrangements so that you can leave your car while walking the numerous multi-day tracks in the area. We went into town and had a flat white and decided to but some pasta and sauce to cook up ourselves tonight and the thought of ordering another meal was not that appealing. A bottle of Pinot Noir a plate of pasta and bread rolls was a perfect way to end the day and peek our anticipation for the beginning of the Milford Track hike tomorrow. That’s all for now we will be in contact in 4 days after the hike is completed.

Day 15,Haast to Queenstown

In what has become the usual comment, the day dawned with hardly a cloud in the sky once again and with packed up the bags and headed to the dining room for our full cooked breakfast. The breakfast was included in the cost of the room and it should be for the $175. We left the motel at 8 am and stopped to fill up the car with petrol. $1.43 a liter adds up very quickly with the average fill-up coming it at around $70. We headed up the Haast valley with its canyon walls so steep that we drove along in dark shadows for about 30 minutes until the sun was high enough in the sky to reach the valley floor. The road was twisty as is normal and we paralleled the Haast River until we reached the Gates of Haast that is a narrow gorge where the water rolls over rapids and literally boiled through the opening. We climbed steadily until we passed through the Haast pass at 1600 meters and then the road flattened out and we continued driving through mountains and valleys for about 2 hours passing by beautiful lakes until arriving in Queenstown around 11:30 am. What a shock! People everyone speaking most dialects and crowded narrow streets on the national holiday of Waitangi Day. We soon discovered that there were no celebrations planned and many restaurants are closed to give staff a holiday or place a surcharge on service that day. We found the I-site and booked two seats on the Shotover River Jet Boats for tomorrow at 11 am. This is one of the activities that was on my to do list. As it was now noon we walked down toward the lakefront through the Queenstown mall that is an open-air pedestrian way with dozens of shops, restaurants and bars that never seems to slow down. The weather was beautiful and the temperature hovered around 29 degrees. We found a small sandwich and coffee shop and sat outside in the shade to enjoy the world passing by. After lunch we found our hotel named Hurley’s of Queenstown and booked in and carried our bags in. Back into the car and we headed to the gondolas that rise up 450 meters from down town to an observation platform and restaurant that over looks Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The lake stretches for 84 kms and actual has an America’s Cup boat for hire on it. Queenstown’s main ambition is to provide endless thrills and separate you from your money! The view from the top is breathtaking both in the scenery as well as watching people throw themselves off a bungy platform for $150 or go paragliding to the base while flying out over the lake for $185. Oh yeah the gondola ride was $40. We marveled at the view for awhile and headed out the anther bungy jump on the Kawarua River where for another $150 you can fall about 103 meters to half submerge yourself in the river. It was great fun to watch but I was to big a chicken to do it. We continued up the river for a few kms and stopped in at a winery named Peregrine to sample some of the Sauvignon Blanc and the famous Pinot Noirs of the Central Otago district. We closed the winery at 5 pm and headed back to town to find a great local pizza place named Winnies. Great zaa and cold beer can’t go wrong in my book. We headed back to the motel and sat on the little deck to sip the two flat white takeaways we brought back with us. One day to go before we start out on the Milford Track and we are counting the hours.

Day 14, Hokitika to Haast

We decided to buy some cereal, bread and fresh fruit so that we could get an early start to the next day as most of the motels we have stayed in have small refrigerators. We were out of the motel by 8 am and stopped in to many of the jade and glass blowing shops to check out the wares. Hokitka has a beautiful town clock in the central square or more appropriately named the central roundabout. I took a few pictures met up with Mary. We headed out of town eastward toward the Southern Alps to find Hokitika Gorge. Along the way we stopped at Lake Kaniere and took in the idyllic views of some of the snow covered peaks. It reminds me of lakes in the foothills of the Rockies a little. There were very few people around as this is the first day back to school of the new summer term. We continued along the narrow road until we came upon a group of car enthusiasts driving their 1920 and 30’s cars. Somehow they seemed to fit into the surreal scene quite well. The pavement ran out and we continued on an ever-narrowing gravel road until we arrived at Dorothy’s Falls. It is set in a lovely little valley only a few meters from the road, but a world apart. With the constant mist and the sheltered area it has its own ecosystem of lush plants and all is so green. We continued on for another 5 kms on gravel and reached pavement again and continued another 17 kms to reached the entrance to Hokitika Gorge. We parked the car and walked down a steep path for about 10 minutes to reach a swing bridge over the gorge. It hangs about 10 meters above the water and gives stunning views. The water is a beautiful blue green colour that reminds us of the Caribbean. Back into the car for the 25 minute drive into Hokitika and we then turn southward for the Frans Josef Glacier and the Fox Glacier. The view along the highway is stunning to say the least at every turn you see great vistas and Mary makes a comment on the dichotomy of the view. You look up onto snow covered peaks while driving on twisting and turning roads set in dense bush of palms and ferns as far as the eye can see. Finally we get out of the switch back roads onto the coastal plain and farmland of the Westcoast region and arrive at Haast around 5:30 pm. We found our hotel easily as there are only 3 places to stay and two restaurants to choose from. I think the main reason for Haast to exist is a stop over location on the highway to break up the journey. Mary had a mediocre Chicken Parmigiana while I had a fantastic venison dinner. Back to our room and we both did a little reading and I caught up on the blog and then we retired early to get a good start on the day tomorrow as we are off to Queenstown.

Day 13, Picton to Hokitika

My eyes opened and found not a cloud in the sky! Back to the little café named Gusto and we had a quick breakfast and of course another flat white! We loaded up the car and set out toward Greymouth on the west coast of NZ. We passed through eh Wairua valley and countless wineries and into cattle country and then into sheep country. The valley narrowed and the hills became taller and finally the beginnings of the northern tip of the Southern Alps. The trip took about 3-13 hours and traveled through rough farm country and crossed endless small streams and countless one-lane bridges. The temperature was around 20 and it was nice to travel with the windows open and experience all the smells as we passed through the countryside. We arrived in Grey mouth at around 3:30 and went to an I-site to look for lodging. We decided on a motel in Hokitika about 40 minutes farther south and thanks to a very helpful attendant booked our motel in Haast and Queenstown for the next following two nights. We had an and hour to kill so decided to take a tour of the Montieth Brewery and spoke with the tour guide who was originally from Victoria BC and had settled in Grey mouth to take a two year course in Jade carving. Jade or NZ greenstone comes from the area and there are galleries in Greymouth and Hokitika that are world famous. The prices they charge attest to the fact. We finished the tour and samples 7 different beers or more correctly I sampled the beers and left for the 40 minutes drive to Hokitika. We checked into the motel and headed into town to have dinner at the Café de Paris. Once again we had another wonderful meal and finished it off with…….. flat whites.

Day 12, Picton

It rained hard overnight and we awoke to heavy low clouds but with rain in the morning. We found a little café where I had muesli and fresh fruit and Mary had a large muffin and we both had the obligatory flat white coffee. We tumbled into the car and headed out onto Queen Charlotte drive that winds (and I mean winds) its way toward Havelock. The road never stops switching back and forth and there are times that you think that you can see the back of your own car. We climb up and then we go down to sea level again and again. The views of the inlets and bays in the Queen Charlotte sound are breathtaking. You come around a corner and you just gasp at the beauty and then you are plunged into dense native bush only to emerge in a few minutes to another small bay with a sailboat anchored quietly swinging in the breeze. We stopped in Havelock for lunch at a little café that specializes in green shell mussels. This area is famous for them and they are to die for. I had a bucket of mussels steamed in white wine and herbs with fresh crusty bread. OUTSTANDING! Mom had the smoked Cajun chicken salad and would not even venture toward even tasting one of my treats. After lunch we headed west toward Blenheim in the Wairua valley that has dozens of wineries and restaurants. We stopped into the Cloudy Bay winery tasting room and managed to sample few of their vintages and were very impressed with the Sauvignon Blanc that was served. Glynnis the lady behind the bar was a typical Kiwi in attitude and managed to keep us entertained with her questions and blunt questions about all things Canadian including taxes and medicare. We asked if she could recommend a local winery restaurant and she was quick to say that right next to Cloudy Bay was one named Gibbs that was outstanding. We said that worked for us and she picked up the phone and made reservations for us immediately. We went back to the hotel and Mary did a load of washing as the dirty clothes were piling up quickly. We changed into better clothes and headed out to Gibbs’s around 7:30 and found it at the end of a long private road that ran through their vineyard. Let me just say that the meal was the best that we have had since our arrival and we considered it an early valentine treat. Mt entree was one of the best I have ever had. Prociuotto ham with ripe figs drizzled with honey and shaved Parmesan cheese. To Die For! Mom broke with tradition and ordered the rack of lamb and was not disappointed. We washed all of this great food down with a tasty pinot noir and finished the meal off with you guessed it a flat white. Back to the hotel and early to bed as we are off the Hokitika tomorrow.

Europcar Rental Saga

Last fall I decided to cash in my accumulated RBC reward points to pay for the car we would use for the month in NZ. This would save us about $1700 so I made the arrangements with little trouble. The one hitch was that you couldn’t transport the rental car on the ferry from the North Island to the South Island. This saves a significant amount of money and keeps cars in place. Part of the requirement is to give the exact ferry crossing to the booking agent months in advance for when you will drop off and pick up the new car. When we arrived at the Auckland International terminal we had to catch a transfer bus to the domestic terminal as Europcar only has a kiosk at domestic. This was my first indication why we got a good deal. We waited 10 minutes for the bus with two backpacks, a small suitcase (no big suitcase, remember it is lost somewhere) and two small carry on packs and made the short trip. The people at the kiosk were friendly but it took 25 minutes to get the paperwork sorted out and then they had to find the car, which took another 15 minutes. It was a Mitsubishi Lancer, which is a small car by our standards just a little bigger than a Nissan Sentra approximately. It has small engine probably around 1.8 liters so it should be frugal on gas (read as no power). Mary and I climbed in and read a big sticker on the instrument cluster KEEP LEFT. Ok it has been almost 24 hours since we left Vancouver and the reaction time is a little slow and now I am getting a little concerned as it has been a long time since I drove a right hand drive. The first task was to navigate out of the covered car park that is very tight on space. We made it ok and entered into the real world at about 7:15 am with commuters and trucks everywhere around us. The knuckles were white and the conversation curt and tense. We finally made it into Auckland and parked the car and discovered that it only had ½ a tank of gas. Hum I guess that it must not be that efficient. Then it dawned on me that they had not filled the tank. Well gas is $1.37 a liter here and I’m not pleased. Next day on the way south we stopped back at the airport and advised them of the gas facts and they sort of said, oh too bad, gave a lame apology and looked back at me. I explained in a calm manner (really I did) that they should fill up the tank and we would be on our way. We had to follow them off the airport ground to a Shell station to top up the tank and headed south to Rotorua on the Motorway for 20 kms before it runs out of lanes. Fast forward to Wellington to catch the ferry. Arrived early to drop off the car and discovered Europe Car kiosk unmanned and no sign posted on when they will return. Hertz, Budget, Apex etc are all sympathetic and smiled at me. Finally the inbound ferry arrived and I hotfooted over to the arrivals section and stood before the closed kiosk waiting. The reason I did not just drop the keys was that while Mary and I were touring the Parliament buildings we returned to the car to find a $200 ticket on the windshield for an improperly displayed vehicle registration card. When you rent a car in NZ they take an imprint of your credit card and you sign that you are responsible for all fines and that they will charge your card for them. Finally someone showed up with me at the head of the line at least and I asked that they make a photocopy of the ticket for my records. They didn’t quite get it that the ticket was their problem and not mine. I fully expect to be fighting this potential charge back over the next few months and wanted the ticket available. We left the car and she said that no paperwork was necessary as we were picking up the new car in a few hours in Picton on the South Island. Fast forward 3-1/2 hours. It is dark, light drizzle, Mary is waiting for the 6 pieces of luggage (we have the 2 large back packs now) and I go off to find Europcar I see Hertz, Avis Budget and then I see EC. Unmanned and closed for the night! There is a small sign on the window with an after hours phone number. No cell phone, no phones in the area that accept coins, no telecom card in my pocket. Finally dig out a credit card and call the number to speak to a very helpful young fellow in Christchurch who said we were expected at 1 in the afternoon not tonight. GRRR. What will he do for us? Nothing. Go to the hotel he says and they will deliver the car to us. Six bags, unknown distance to hotel, raining, no taxis, GRRR. Randy is not happy and what is worse for everyone (read Randy) Mary is not happy. I speak to a few people like all the other rental car companies and there only suggestion is to walk. Which is what we do. Found a luggage trolley for $2 and started to town searching through our packs to find the road maps we have so that we can find High Street. Finally find the hotel as the rain really starts to come down. The following morning I call Europcar and they say they will be right over and within 10 minutes they arrive with a Toyota Corrolla, that will never hold the luggage! The driver starts to argue with me saying it is my fault for not changing the reservations properly and saying this is the only car available. In a mild manner, I pleaded my case and while she is still hung up on why we did not show up on the 1 o’clock ferry yesterday and is deflecting all possibly responsibility she finally relents and calls the office to miraculously find a new Suburu Outback that is available. Would that be OK Mr. Seager, YES thank you very much. Off she goes to the terminal and returns in 15 minutes, sign here have a nice trip.

That’s it for now other than to say nice car.