After breakfast we set off to climb to the summit. A small mountain behind the town of Akaroa. The weather was cloudy but very mild.
What a climb. It started off on a road out of town, but within minutes it became almost vertical. We were soon out in rolling hills and the steep climb continued. After a couple of hours of vertical, we came to a crest and decided to walk down the other side before coming back to do the summit.
The bay side went through forest but it went down again. After a wee spot of lunch, we walked back up to the crest and then tackled the hike up to the summit. The track was through thick brush and broom. At times we were on all fours, clambering over rocks. Our legs were being scratched by the bushes. When we reached the top the wind was howling. We had to sit down in the gusts which blew you over. We were surrounded by bright yellow broom which smells of peaches.
It took us as long to get down as it did to get up. Once off the summit route we headed back to town. The steep tracks made our knees ache. WE met a couple of horses on the way down. The horses here are huge and sleek in NZ.
Akaroa is a very quaint place with good quality houses with the most amazing gardens. Lots and lots of roses and some of the biggest honeysuckle you have ever seen. Beautiful place with very friendly people.
We made it back to the Motel, showered, put a wash on and John had a snooze. We popped to the local internet café to upload the blog and to book our Helicopter Glacier flight and hike fort this Thursday, on the Fox Glacier. The weather is supposed to be good on Thursday.
Todays hike was probably the steepest hike we had done so far in NZ.
We relaxed in the evening. We wanted to use up some of our food, so Fiona mad a rice, pea, Sweet Corn and Chicken thing. Very nice!!
Monday, 24 November 2008
New Zealand – 23rd Nov 2008 - Day 31
Cloud and rain greeted us this morning. It had been raining over night as forecast and John had forgotten to get his T-Shirt off the line, so it was soaking wet.
We had a quick breakfast, paid up and began our Journey to Christchurch.
As time went on the sun came out and as we neared Christchurch the petrol station thermometers read 28 degrees. We took route 75 to a place called Akaroa which looked close to Christchurch and had been mentioned as a place to visit by a few people. It took over an hour to get there which made our driving time over five hours.
Akaroa is certainly a pretty small coastal town, sitting in a small bay. We phoned our Motel in Christchurch who were quite happy for us to cancel our reservation. We booked another Motel in Akaroa for at least one night and then popped to the local info centre. They have a lot of good hiking in the area and the next few days here look good, weather wise.
We did some shopping, checked that our room would be available for another night (which it is) and returned to our room. We have a great view over the bay, so we opened the windows to get some air in. Big mistake, they have flies the size of helicopters here and within ten minutes we had twenty helicopters flying around the place.
Fiona made a great spag bol and we relaxed the rest of the evening.
New Zealand – 22nd Nov 2008 - Day 30
The weather was not so good this morning, cloudy, windy but dry. After breakfast we checked out of the Lodge and started the hour long trek back to the Queen Charlotte Track. Once back on the track, the steepness began and continued until after the next bay, Mistletoe. Not too long after here, the track became easier and we began to cruise back to the start. We met a lot more people today including some Germans, Aussies, English and a few from the Netherlands.
On the way back, we stopped at Davis bay, where a whole family of ducks took to us. They sat with us for about 20 minutes. We also got bitten by the dreaded sand flies!
We finished the walk at 14:10 having started at 09:00. Not bad. We were too early for our water taxi back to Picton, so we sat in a small hut with a few other hikes and chatted. Much to our surprise, a water taxi arrived a whole hour early so we were able to jump on and get back to Picton early.
Once back, we checked into the Motel, purchased salad stuff for dinner and then soaked in the huge whirlpool hot tub. Wow, it really helped to soak away our walking aches.
The weather was expected to turn nasty late afternoon, so we washed a few clothes, had a very healthy chicken salad and then watched some TV. If anyone reading this want to do some serious hiking in NZ, you must do the Queen Charlotte. It is challenging but well worth it.
On the way back, we stopped at Davis bay, where a whole family of ducks took to us. They sat with us for about 20 minutes. We also got bitten by the dreaded sand flies!
We finished the walk at 14:10 having started at 09:00. Not bad. We were too early for our water taxi back to Picton, so we sat in a small hut with a few other hikes and chatted. Much to our surprise, a water taxi arrived a whole hour early so we were able to jump on and get back to Picton early.
Once back, we checked into the Motel, purchased salad stuff for dinner and then soaked in the huge whirlpool hot tub. Wow, it really helped to soak away our walking aches.
The weather was expected to turn nasty late afternoon, so we washed a few clothes, had a very healthy chicken salad and then watched some TV. If anyone reading this want to do some serious hiking in NZ, you must do the Queen Charlotte. It is challenging but well worth it.
New Zealand – 21st Nov 2008 - Day 29
The alarm buzzed at 6.30, so we could wake up, have breakfast and get down to the Water Taxi for 7.30am to catch the 8.00am boat to Punga. We arrived on time, checked in and waited for our boat. We had been told we would get to Punga for 8.45. However, the skipper said we would not get their until 9.30. We had hoped to start earlier as the hike today is expected to take at least 8 hours. The water taxi was just about to set off when John felt water under his bottom. A bottle of water in one of our back packs has leaked all over the pack and onto the seat. We had to empty the pack and then try and dry it out in the wind as we flew to Punga.
The boat did not arrive at the Punga Lodge until 9.45. We set off pronto, hoping we could make up some time. The weather was perfect with blue skies and a strong breeze. We found the directions from Punga Lodge to the Queen Charlotte Track almost non existent and we had to back track a bit in order to find the start, putting us back even further.
Once on the track he hit it hard. Wow, this is challenging walking. For the first three hours it was almost all up steep hills. The views were stunning but the climbs were so exhausting. After four hours we were beginning to tire. Still the views and weather kept us in good spirits and we kept meeting other walkers who agreed it was a hard hike.
Hours five and six were painful. We left a place called Portage heading for Lochmara bay and the track was almost vertical for two hours. At the end of this section we could hardly talk to each other and were dripping with sweat. We had not expected this to be so hard and we had now run out of water. We eventually came across the sign to our Lodge. We had another hour of hiking to get to the Lodge, but at least it was down hill. It seemed to take for ever to reach the lodge. We booked in and went straight to the bar to rehydrate. The walk had taken 7.5 hours which was apparently a very good time, according to the Lodge staff.
The sun was still out, so we flopped into the sun beds and had a cold drink. We also met a lady w had met when we had kayaked here a few days previously.
We had a shower and flopped into bed, falling fast asleep until 7.20. We had booked into the restaurant for 7.30. Our meal was very good ,we both had steak. As we ate a large group of people arrived by sea boat for a social evening at the lodge. They had some TV chap presenting a motivational talk. We were just too tired, so we hit the sack at 8.30. What a wonderful day of breathtaking views and hard hiking.
The boat did not arrive at the Punga Lodge until 9.45. We set off pronto, hoping we could make up some time. The weather was perfect with blue skies and a strong breeze. We found the directions from Punga Lodge to the Queen Charlotte Track almost non existent and we had to back track a bit in order to find the start, putting us back even further.
Once on the track he hit it hard. Wow, this is challenging walking. For the first three hours it was almost all up steep hills. The views were stunning but the climbs were so exhausting. After four hours we were beginning to tire. Still the views and weather kept us in good spirits and we kept meeting other walkers who agreed it was a hard hike.
Hours five and six were painful. We left a place called Portage heading for Lochmara bay and the track was almost vertical for two hours. At the end of this section we could hardly talk to each other and were dripping with sweat. We had not expected this to be so hard and we had now run out of water. We eventually came across the sign to our Lodge. We had another hour of hiking to get to the Lodge, but at least it was down hill. It seemed to take for ever to reach the lodge. We booked in and went straight to the bar to rehydrate. The walk had taken 7.5 hours which was apparently a very good time, according to the Lodge staff.
The sun was still out, so we flopped into the sun beds and had a cold drink. We also met a lady w had met when we had kayaked here a few days previously.
We had a shower and flopped into bed, falling fast asleep until 7.20. We had booked into the restaurant for 7.30. Our meal was very good ,we both had steak. As we ate a large group of people arrived by sea boat for a social evening at the lodge. They had some TV chap presenting a motivational talk. We were just too tired, so we hit the sack at 8.30. What a wonderful day of breathtaking views and hard hiking.
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