lazy queenstown day
followed by too many beers
and 80's covers
Friday, February 17, 2012
Tui Extreme, Day 5: not so extreme.
Had a well-deserved very lazy morning in Queenstown. After a wonderful breakfast (I {heart} Bob's Weigh! and New Zealand bread! and New Zealand!), instead of hiking the Ben Lomond trail the guides had recommended, I opted to walk up to the lookout.
I did catch the moon and Ben Lomond though
You can also take a gondola up to the viewpoint but despite all of the aforementioned tramping I felt the need for some exercise. (Guess the New Zealand culture was rubbing off?) Even that was quite an uphill walk, but it only took about an hour and the views of the Remarkables were outstanding.
as Kim would say, they're quite remarkable
and the ginger beer popsicle was fantastic
Afterward I wandered around the Queenstown cemetery for a while. Interesting that some of the tombstones included cause of death.
RIP william, but what a view you have for all of eternity...
Also interesting that the cemetery was right below the gondola lookout where in the span of about half a mile I'd witnessed helicopters, hang gliders, para-gliders, jetboaters, lugers, extreme mountain bikers... So, interesting, but not unexpected, I suppose.
RIP nicholas... and I agree
Afterward I did a little shopping in downtown Queenstown and hit the gardens.
guess what? duck butt!
one of about sixty thousand flower shots
Dinner was a chicken salad at Dux de Lux, where Kim and I were introduced to the magic of Epic pale ale.
(the next three were also magic)
Next up: Milford Sound!
I did catch the moon and Ben Lomond thoughYou can also take a gondola up to the viewpoint but despite all of the aforementioned tramping I felt the need for some exercise. (Guess the New Zealand culture was rubbing off?) Even that was quite an uphill walk, but it only took about an hour and the views of the Remarkables were outstanding.
as Kim would say, they're quite remarkable
and the ginger beer popsicle was fantasticAfterward I wandered around the Queenstown cemetery for a while. Interesting that some of the tombstones included cause of death.
RIP william, but what a view you have for all of eternity...Also interesting that the cemetery was right below the gondola lookout where in the span of about half a mile I'd witnessed helicopters, hang gliders, para-gliders, jetboaters, lugers, extreme mountain bikers... So, interesting, but not unexpected, I suppose.
RIP nicholas... and I agreeAfterward I did a little shopping in downtown Queenstown and hit the gardens.
guess what? duck butt!
one of about sixty thousand flower shotsDinner was a chicken salad at Dux de Lux, where Kim and I were introduced to the magic of Epic pale ale.
(the next three were also magic)Next up: Milford Sound!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tui Extreme, Day 4: Portland is going to evict me.
sixteen miles later
i am really quite certain
i don't want a bike
i am really quite certain
i don't want a bike
Tui Extreme, Day 4: extreme indeed.
Slept like a rock last night. A ROCK. Slept with a bunch of random strangers, I didn't care. Slept on what was essentially a plywood board, I didn't care. Someone was snoring next to me, I didn't care.
Let me back up. I should explain the huts. (And by "explain" I mean: state what I know is true and include a lot of things in parentheses where I have no idea what I'm talking about. Consult the DOC web site if you decide to venture off to a hut in New Zealand.)
Siberia Valley hut
"Huts" are wonderful structures in the middle of nowhere that have running water (usually, I think?), pit toilets, fireplaces to dry your boots (sometimes?), kitchens (often?), and sleeping quarters which are essentially platform bunk beds where you lay your sleeping bag out. You can also pitch tents if it's too crowded or if you prefer to sleep under the stars. (They cost about $15-30 US per night for a bunk depending on which walk you're tramping; sometimes you can show up and sometimes you have to reserve a spot in advance.) They're maintained by very nice volunteers and often have puzzles, playing cards or board games if you're in need of mountain entertainment. One group of four at the Siberia Valley hut that night was completing a puzzle and commented how they would never, ever do a puzzle in real life - but out there it was really fun.
So that's the deal with the huts (as far as I understand them).
Anyway! Breakfast this morning involved yogurt with really excellent muesli, and then a 2.5 hour walk down to the jetboat launch. This was the same walk that the other half of the group did yesterday and I hoped they all enjoyed it as much as I did.
heeeeeere, hobbits...
The jetboat to Makarora was a bit of a jolt for me after the last 24 hours of serene wilderness, but I definitely enjoyed the ride.
adventure boat with a view
We ate lunch on the bus (chicken chutney brie sandwiches - yum!) and then got dropped off at Lake Hawea for our 25km bike ride to Lake Wanaka.
The views were amazing, for sure...
hawea river, part I
hawea river, part II
... but let the record show that I do not like bikes.
this sign finally made sense
my favorite part of the bike ride
Later that night in Queenstown, we enjoyed a really fine yet low-key dinner at Brazz and got some much needed rest. Including Abel Tasman I think I'd done 30km of tramping over the last six days, and then adding in the 25km bike ride? Zzzzzzzz...
Let me back up. I should explain the huts. (And by "explain" I mean: state what I know is true and include a lot of things in parentheses where I have no idea what I'm talking about. Consult the DOC web site if you decide to venture off to a hut in New Zealand.)
Siberia Valley hut"Huts" are wonderful structures in the middle of nowhere that have running water (usually, I think?), pit toilets, fireplaces to dry your boots (sometimes?), kitchens (often?), and sleeping quarters which are essentially platform bunk beds where you lay your sleeping bag out. You can also pitch tents if it's too crowded or if you prefer to sleep under the stars. (They cost about $15-30 US per night for a bunk depending on which walk you're tramping; sometimes you can show up and sometimes you have to reserve a spot in advance.) They're maintained by very nice volunteers and often have puzzles, playing cards or board games if you're in need of mountain entertainment. One group of four at the Siberia Valley hut that night was completing a puzzle and commented how they would never, ever do a puzzle in real life - but out there it was really fun.
So that's the deal with the huts (as far as I understand them).
Anyway! Breakfast this morning involved yogurt with really excellent muesli, and then a 2.5 hour walk down to the jetboat launch. This was the same walk that the other half of the group did yesterday and I hoped they all enjoyed it as much as I did.
heeeeeere, hobbits...The jetboat to Makarora was a bit of a jolt for me after the last 24 hours of serene wilderness, but I definitely enjoyed the ride.
adventure boat with a viewThe views were amazing, for sure...
hawea river, part I
hawea river, part II... but let the record show that I do not like bikes.
this sign finally made sense
my favorite part of the bike rideLater that night in Queenstown, we enjoyed a really fine yet low-key dinner at Brazz and got some much needed rest. Including Abel Tasman I think I'd done 30km of tramping over the last six days, and then adding in the 25km bike ride? Zzzzzzzz...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tui Extreme, Day 3: thank you, Siberia Valley and Frank Costanza.
lake crucible hike
think i finally found my
'serenity now'
think i finally found my
'serenity now'
Tui Extreme, Day 3: I think I was in heaven.
Breakfast this morning was a buffet at the pub, then we headed to Makarora. Today's adventure involved a scenic flight along snowy Southern Alps where we landed on the Siberia Valley airstrip.
and by airstrip, I mean "airstrip"
We lunched with the sand flies at the DOC hut (chicken/pesto wraps might be my new fave!), and half of the group walked a few hours through lovely forest down to the jetboat landing while the rest of us hiked to Lake Crucible. Those of us hiking to the lake would be staying in the DOC hut that night and hiking down the next day, and most of us were excited to be sleeping in the wilderness... I certainly was.
waterfall a few hundred feet from the hut
The Lake Crucible hike was a six-hour return...
... through a lovely valley...
... up a very steep climb...
... across a few rivers...
... through another lovely valley...
... up a quick climb, to a gorgeous lake...
I already knew that this would be my favorite day of the trip. On the walk back to the hut, we split up and found our own ways back, so I took my time meandering through the gorgeous field and enjoying the silence.
meandering
enjoying the silence
Our guide made us a fantastic dinner of tofu curry (although dirt probably would've tasted really good after that killer hike), and we all pretty much sacked out. Apparently the guide stayed up talking with a local parks-and-rec-type person who was hoping to create a great walk in Auckland. They were both dismayed that of the 30 or so people staying at the hut that night, only about five were "kiwis" - even with all of the outdoor options and an absolutely gorgeous country, it sounds like New Zealanders are less inclined to travel or tramp within their own country.
Not sure that's any different than people who live in the US, though. I've been very fortunate to have seen a lot of this country but most people I know have not. In fact, many don't even venture outside their home town - something I cannot even fathom.
Which reminds me, I need to get to Southeastern Oregon pretty soon.
and by airstrip, I mean "airstrip"We lunched with the sand flies at the DOC hut (chicken/pesto wraps might be my new fave!), and half of the group walked a few hours through lovely forest down to the jetboat landing while the rest of us hiked to Lake Crucible. Those of us hiking to the lake would be staying in the DOC hut that night and hiking down the next day, and most of us were excited to be sleeping in the wilderness... I certainly was.
waterfall a few hundred feet from the hutThe Lake Crucible hike was a six-hour return...
... through a lovely valley...
... up a very steep climb...
... across a few rivers...
... through another lovely valley...
... up a quick climb, to a gorgeous lake...I already knew that this would be my favorite day of the trip. On the walk back to the hut, we split up and found our own ways back, so I took my time meandering through the gorgeous field and enjoying the silence.
meandering
enjoying the silenceOur guide made us a fantastic dinner of tofu curry (although dirt probably would've tasted really good after that killer hike), and we all pretty much sacked out. Apparently the guide stayed up talking with a local parks-and-rec-type person who was hoping to create a great walk in Auckland. They were both dismayed that of the 30 or so people staying at the hut that night, only about five were "kiwis" - even with all of the outdoor options and an absolutely gorgeous country, it sounds like New Zealanders are less inclined to travel or tramp within their own country.
Not sure that's any different than people who live in the US, though. I've been very fortunate to have seen a lot of this country but most people I know have not. In fact, many don't even venture outside their home town - something I cannot even fathom.
Which reminds me, I need to get to Southeastern Oregon pretty soon.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
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