New Zealand – 5th Dec 2008 - Day 43

Bucket loads of sunshine greeted us this morning. The views from our room were stunning. A good day for five of our fellow hikers who were treating themselves to the 30 minute helicopter flight back to Queenstown. We had decided to take the coach instead as the flight back was almost $500 each. We took a wee stroll along the water front to stretch our legs.

After breakfast, we returned all our hiking stuff before heading down to the docks for a boat tour of Milford Sound. We saw a couple of Dolphin’s, some seals and even more waterfalls. By the time we reached dry land, the clouds were moving back in.

We said goodbye to the helicopter team and boarded the coach for a five hour trip back to Queenstown. As we neared our destination, the clouds melted away. We sat at the back with Quentin, Katrina, Liz and Angie chatting, sleeping and having a few laughs. On the way back we came across miles and miles of Lupins. Wonderful!

The coach stopped at Queenstown airport for Angie and Liz to catch their flight back to Auckland. We said our goodbyes. They had been a good laugh. Liz visits the UK once a year on business, so we hope to see her in 2009. if we ever come back to Auckland we will definitely look them up.

Once back at the Ultimate Hikes offices in Queenstown, we said goodbye to everyone and walked down town for a coffee, before visiting a dress shop Fifi had eyed up before the hike. When we started this trip, Hamilton Island in Australia was not on the cards. Fifi has not packed a summer dress, so now she had to buy one.

We found the shop and after trying on about ten dresses, she found one she liked. Fewwwww!!

We took a taxi back to the Mercure Hotel, as all our hiking stuff weighed a ton. We relaxed in the bath, repacked some clothes, put a huge wash on and then walked back into town for a curry.

During our meal, Quentin and Katrina passed by, so popped in to recommend another restaurant in Queenstown, should we by staying another night.

After dinner we walked back up the hill to our hotel, retrieved our washed clothes from the dryers, packed and fell into bed.

On reflection we would not recommend the Milford Track, due to the area’s high rainfall. The guided option is too expensive. There are far more enjoyable places to walk in New Zealand, many of them for free. Certainly most have a choice of lodges you can stay in. The problem with the Milford Track is that just one company holds the contract to offer guided walks and huts. This company have a 50 year contract and they are making as much cash as they can. If there were more lodges and competition, the walk would be much cheaper. Unfortunately, the unguided accommodation on this track is pretty poor, with no heating or hot water! If you are still interested in this guided hike see: http://www.ultimatehikes.co.nz/ .

New Zealand – 4th Dec 2008 - Day 42

The rain was bucketing down when the alarm went off at 6.30. everything was damp and cold and the wind was blustery.

After getting our dry clothes on we headed for breakfast, sitting with the guys from Japan. Just after breakfast, the guides announced that the rain was so heavy and the rivers so high, they we could not begin our last days hike. Apparently, the rivers had begun to wash across parts of the track, making hiking dangerous. If the rain did not ease, we would have to be taken out by helicopter. Not long after, the thunder echoed around the valley. John had only seen rain like this in India during the monsoon. The torrential rain had now been falling for almost 24 hours.

Just over a hour later, the rain began to ease. Half an hour later, we began our last hike. The rain was still falling but not as heavily as before. Due to the dangerous conditions, we had to walk the first part of the track as a group, sticking lose to gether. Many sections of the track we small streams, our feet were soaking within minutes.

After a while, we were able to strike out on our own. We walked with American John for a while. We came across a group of independent walkers standing around a building, sheltering from the rain. We walked through them, reaching a suspended bridge over the river. As we crossed, American John mentioned that one of the independent walkers said they were being held back, due to the conditions.

We pressed on, assuming that our guide, Emily, was ahead of us. We came a cross a section of track knee deep in water. Not long after crossing it, Emily appeared behind us! The building we had passed was a hot drink stop for us. We had to wade back through the water again, back to the hut, where we had to await the green light from the Department Of Conservation, as another part of the track was waist deep in water and potentially dangerous.

After a hour, we were able to continue the hike but again in one big group. We reached the deep water which had subsided a tad. It was still quite deep but tame enough.

After a while, we were able to stride on. The rain began to ease and at times it stopped. The views of the waterfalls were wonderful. Fiona thought the mountains looked like they were bleeding water. If you like waterfalls, you will love this place in the rain. However, we would have like less rain and more sun.

We strode out, reaching the end of the hike, Sand Fly Point, for 3.30pm. During this last section, we came across a family of Weka. These medium sized, flightless birds are very tame. They came up to us, had a good look and then disappeared back into the trees. We were the first out of our group to finish. Angie and Liz came in second, followed by Quentin and Katrina.

After a cuppa and scone, Nick directed us to the ferry. Bang on 4pm, the ferry took us on a quick tour to Mitre Peak Lodge, our final lodge.

We hung our clothes and boots in the drying rooms and jumped into our hot bath. For the first time in four days, our room was warm and dry. After relaxing as met with others in the lounge for a celebration drink of bubbly. Everyone had made it, including Mervi and Gale. Mervi’s feet were playing her up, but she was all smiles. Gale was so pleased with herself, she bought a bottle of Champers.

After another hilarious dinner with Liz and Angie, we returned to the bar to receive our certificates. Angie and Liz had written an amusing poem about the trip. Much of it was about Nick, who Angie had taken a bit of a shine too, even though she was old enough to be his grandmother!!

After much hilarity, some of us went to the local bar for a celebration drink. By 10.30 we were back in bed enjoying the warm dry bedding, glad the rain soaked even was over. We had really enjoyed meeting everyone and the hike had been fun, but the walking is not that challenging and the rain had taken some of the fun away. The guides told us that, although this area gets almost constant rain, it was not normal for it to be so heavy. We certainly would not do it again. We also felt it was over priced and over hyped. Queen Charlotte an Abel Tasman were both more challenging and more enjoyable and free!!

New Zealand – 3rd Dec 2008 - Day 41

Our alarm screeched into action at 6.30am, so we had time to get our clothes out of the dry room, create our lunch pack, pack our back packs, eat breakfast and get hiking. The rain was still falling and the temperature had also fallen.

Today’s hike was set to be the hardest as we rose some 800 metres to get over the MacKinnon Pass, named after the Scottish chap who discovered the route back in 1888. We were looking forward to this section as the previous sections had been a little too easy.

We hit the track at 7.30am in heavy rain. One of our guides, Emily, walked with us for the first few hours until we hit the zigzag trails, taking us up to the pass. The climbs were not too steep, but the weather was awful. We were already soaked through by the time we reached to less protected area of the pass. We stopped and put on our hats, trousers etc. to protect us from the weather. As we neared the top of the pass the horizontal sleet was stinging our faces. We were wet and fed up at trying to hide our faces from the weather. After touching the Mackinnon Memorial stone, we headed for the hut.

We were so looking forward to getting our wet stuff off and warming up. We were to be disappointed. The hut was large but cold, with concrete floors and a minute gas heater. We took our wet boots off and rung out our socks. We tried to dry some of our clothes infront of the heater but it was too small. We had a couple of hot drinks, but the longer stayed in the hut, we colder we became. This hut is being replaced next year, it bloody needs to be. For a place like this, the hut is simply not good enough.

We put our wet clothes and boots back on and headed out into the high winds and heavy sleet. We couldn’t talk for about half an hour, until we had dropped low enough in the valley to het out of the wind.

We walked down hill for another to hours in heavy, driving rain, reaching our Quintin Lodge for 1.30pm, again, far too early.

We hung our clothes in the drying room. This time a boot drying room was available. We showered for ages, getting warm, again. Some cakes and hot drinks helped to get us warm as we sat in front of the fire waiting for others to arrive.

After a few hours, the rain began to ease, so we put dry walking gear back on and headed for Sutherland falls, just 40 minutes walk away. They are the 5th highest falls in the world and due to all the rain, they looked very impressive. We walked back with Angie and Liz. As we reached the lodge, the rain set back in again.

We sat around the fire, drinking wine and chatting. After dinner, one of our guides called Nick, gave a wee presentation on the next days hike. He is a great lad. Angie had a few jokes with him during his presentation which had us all laughing.

We went to bed praying for a good last day. After half an hour in bed, we were so cold, John indeed up finding some spare duvets in other rooms which kept us warm. During the night we kept being woken up by the heavy rain and wind. At times, we thought the roof was going to cave in with the volume of rain.

New Zealand – 2nd Dec 2008 - Day 40

Some blue sky greeted us this morning. GREAT!! After a hearty breakfast, we donned our back packs and set off. Along the first stretch of the Milford Track are many stopping points where you can study the environment. Although they were not that interesting.



We soon came across a small local bird called a South Island Robbin. They are so tame. We just stood around. The bird came right up to us, standing right by John’s foot. Very cute.

After a few hours, the clouds gathered and the rain began to fall. We pressed on and reached our next lodge for 2.30pm. Way too early. The hike was mainly flat, not at all challenging. Again, our room was fine, but damp. We hung our wet clothes in the drying room, but we were not allowed to put our boots in, which were a tad damp. This seemed crazy. Lodges on walking trails where you can’t dry your boots!!

We were eating cheese scones and enjoying the lounge fire for most of the afternoon whilst other hikers arrived. Mervi was finding things tough going due to problems with both her chilies tendons. She is determined to complete the hike, but it is not easy.

Another hiker, Gale, is also pushing herself. She is on a fitness regime and this is the first time she has attempted such a hike.



By 4.30, every one had arrived. So we all sat in the lounge, having a wee glass of wine and a chat. American John played the guitar. we decided to gete a photo of us by the helicopter. It seemed to worry the Lodge staff! Dinner was fine. We had a small presentation by one of our guides and we all retired to bed, hoping the rain would stop soon.

New Zealand – 1st Dec 2008 - Day 39

The weather was not looking so bad for the first day of our Milford Track hike. We stopped off at a wee café for a spot of breakfast and then met our fellow hikers at the Ultimate Hikes head office. If your interested in this hike, see: http://www.milfordtrack.net/ .

We said a few hello’s, boarded the coach and were on our way to Te Anau, a two and a half hours drive from Queenstown. On the way, the drive gave a running commentary on local flora, fauna and history.

Once at Te Anau, we fist had lunch then a team photo. We are team 31! The drive to ferry was quick and we were soon cruising over Lake Te Anau to our starting point, Glade Wharf. During the cruise we got talking to Quentin and his daughter Katrina. They come from Sydney. The weather outside grew chilly, so we popped inside and met Angie and Liz. Turns out the met at Uni, studying Law and then finished their masters in the UK at Cambridge Uni. They have remained goods friends and live near each other in Auckland.

Once on dry land, we put our back packs on walked for just twenry minutes before arriving at our first lodge, in a steady rain. Glade House. Our room was fine, if a bit chilly and damp. We showered and headed for the lounge where we met with a few other guests. By now, the rain was quite heavy, so we decided not to go on the hour long nature walk.

Once everyone was back, we had a few glasses of wine and chatted with our fellow hikers including a couple from near Darwin, Australia called Bruce and Rebecca. Bruce is a policeman and Rebecca a nurse. Wed also met John and Lynn from America, Mervi and Ali from Australia and Ian and Anne, also from Australia.

We sat with Angie, Liz, Ian and Anne for dinner, which was a lively affair. The Kiwi’s were very interested in Gordon Ramsy’s affair. John tried to see both sides of the situation and was soon being verbally battered by Angie and Liz in a good natured kind of way!

After dinner was had to all take our turn standing up in front of our group and introducing ourselves.

We went to bed, praying from fine weather.