Saturday 19th March - Took it easy this morning as was only a planned four hour walk through to the carpark. It poured down with rain in the night and still a wee bit showery in the morning so stayed in the hut till after lunch and moved on.
Popped into Careys Hut after an hour and a bit of walking to say hi again to the others who were planned to there for the night. When I started making moves to head off the weather closed in again so was an excellent excuse to stay on too. Only an hour and a bit of walking today in the end and was nice to take an easy day at the Careys Hut which is in a gorgeous spot by the lake.
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Friday 18th March - Gradually got packed up and had breakfast in Greenstone hut once all the crowd had moved on. Started back on the track which takes you through the Mavora Walkway heading to the Mavora Lakes. After leaving the forest it was back into boggy tussock land and a bit hard going in some patches.
Got to the first hut - for a break mid afternoon and decided to carry on for the next hut as weather was expected to change in the next day. Got to Boundary Hut to find Sandy and Marlese there too, plus their friend Sarah who had walked in from the other end of the track. Great to catch up again. Later in the evening a young German guy came in just as it was getting dark. He was very excited to be staying in his first NZ hut ever and tramping. Great to see the enthusiasm. Thursday 17th March - Happy St Patrick's Day! Early start this morning to get the plane back to Queenstown via Auckland.
After landing I picked up my gear from the airport locker and met the guy who was taking me through to the start of the next trail section. Was a beautiful drive around the lake to Greenstone. Stopped for a photo. Wonderful part of the world here. Great weather and a lovely walk up to the Greenstone hut this afternoon. Got to a very full hut overflowing with people. A big group of friends there for the night after walking the Routeburn track and also a school group who were camping outside plus other walkers. I went to pitch my tent behind the hut and found two other walkers who I had previously met in the Richond range there too - Sandy and Marlese. Nice surprise and catch up before crawling into my tent for the night. Tuesday 15th March - Travel day to Whakatane and time out with family.
Monday 14th March - Well it is not often that the words 'a lovely stroll' and 'TeAraroa trail' are in the same sentance, but today was honestly that. I had booked two nights at the Frankton Camping ground, so left my pack behind for the day and finished off the 8km of this section around the lake and through to the Queenstown shops.
Was a lovely walk around the lake and as Queenstown gradually came into view I couldn't believe how much it had expanded since my last visit nearly 20 years ago. Managed to find some clothes to wear to the funeral and enjoyed a good lunch and dinner in town before catching the bus back to Frankton. Went over to the supermarket and got groceries ready for when I get back on the trail too. The next section starts across the water at the Greenstone trail head. Walkers need to make transport arrangements to get over there so I've organised a shuttle that will pick me up on Thursday from the airport once I get back from the funeral and take me straight to the start of the next section. Will also leave the bulk of my gear and groceries in one of the airport lockers ready for when I get back. Feeling sorted. Sunday 13th March - Last night I heard a car pull up beside my tent and a voice that sounded familiar. It sounded so much like a Te Araroa walker, John Williamson that I had met in the North Island and who had stayed at our place over Christmas, but thought it couldn't be him as I heard that he finished the trail in Bluff last week. Popped out of the tent to check it out and it was actually John plus another Te Araroa walker who had also finished the trail. They were doing some tourist driving and stops to check out the West Coast and other places they enjoyed, but didn't spend time in like Arrowtown. He was just as surprised to see me and such a coincidence. Was great to chat a bit last night, then had breakfast with them both this morning to have a proper catch up. They headed off after breakfast and I spent time booking flights for the week ahead, then headed off to walk the Wakatipu Track. Such a lovely walk! Basically you follow the Queenstown Cycle track through Arrowtown, the Millbrook Golf Resort, the Shotover river footbridge and into Frankton past the Airport. There is an unsightly section that takes you through Queenstown's waste and industrial area, but I guess every town has its dirty secrets! Booked into the Frankton Campground for two nights as will finish the walk to Queenstown tomorrow without my pack, then also will be easy walking distance to the airport on Tuesday. Feels weird being back in civilisation and seeing a Mitre 10 when approaching Frankton. Sunday 13th March - Last night I heard a car pull up beside my tent and a voice that sounded familiar. It sounded so much like a Te Araroa walker, John Williamson that I had met in the North Island and who had stayed at our place over Christmas, but thought it couldn't be him as I heard that he finished the trail in Bluff last week. Popped out of the tent to check it out and it was actually John plus another Te Araroa walker who had also finished the trail. They were doing some tourist driving and stops to check out the West Coast and other places they enjoyed, but didn't spend time in like Arrowtown. He was just as surprised to see me and such a coincidence. Was great to chat a bit last night, then had breakfast with them both this morning to have a proper catch up.
They headed off after breakfast and I spent time booking flights for the week ahead, then headed off to walk the Wakatipu Track. Such a lovely walk! Basically you follow the Queenstown Cycle track through Arrowtown, the Millbrook Golf Resort, the Shotover river footbridge and into Frankton past the Airport. There is an unsightly section that takes you through Queenstown's waste and industrial area, but I guess every town has its dirty secrets! Booked into the Frankton Campground for two nights as will finish the walk to Queenstown tomorrow without my pack, then also will be easy walking distance to the airport on Tuesday. Saturday 12th March - Getting a whiff of my clothes this morning I decided it was definately time for a rest and laundry day so sorted out another camping night in Arrowtown.
The upbeat morning then changed as got news through that my Aunty Colleen, Mum's sister had died. Was hard hitting as September just feels like yesterday when we buried Mum. The rest of the day was a bit of a scramble where I worked out how to get myself up north for the funeral later in the week and then what the return date to Te Araroa would be. Going into town and eating lunch plus a few afternoon wines helped get the plan in place. If there is one thing I have discovered from walking Te Araroa it is that there is always a way you can climb obstacles - either physical or emotional, and this knowledge gives great strength when feeling weak. Grateful that I am also very close to Queenstown, so transport options are endless. Friday 11th March - Cold start to the day today. Definately an Autumn feel to the days now. Headed off and said farewells to the hut crew.
Having left Roses Hut and heading up and over Roses Saddle I was thinking a lot about my niece Rose Brennan today. Hi Rose!! One day you might come walking with Aunty. Once over Roses Saddle it was down to the river and then walking downstream mainly in the water for the afternoon to Macetown. Before getting to the river there was a turquoise coloured digger that I thought my nephew James Brennan would've loved... photo attached for you James if you can spy it. Had lunch along the way with another Kiwi guy who was doing a few days tramping on the way through to Queenstown. The river walking was lovely and the riverstones so different to everything north of here - multicoloured and vibrant. Had a break near Macetown then continued up the river and up the next saddle over Big Hill and down to Arrowtown. The view walking down was just gorgeous and it really helped with motivation to get to Arrowtown. Such a pretty evening walk getting closer to the town. Got to the campground which is perfectly located to town. Managed to still get a steak dinner after 9-30pm once I had set up the tent and showered - wow I must be back in civilisation again. Thursday 10th March - Happy Birthday Joseph!!
The storm alarm went off on my watch in the night which was annoying but a good indicator something was on its way. Once morning arrived everyone had breakfast and packed up ready to go with one guy heading off before the rest of us. Within the half hour rain, thunder and lightening stormed in, so it was nice to sit back down again in the warm hut and have another round of breakfast. By 12-30 the day completely changed again and it was blue skies and a bit of wind. So pack up round two and this time off on the track which had been noted as the hardest section of this particular track. There are two steep climbs and descents to get to Roses Hut. Yes it is more challenging than the earlier part of the Motatapu trail, and was tricky with the wind up on the top too, but I did find the climb up to Stodys Hut on the Breast Hill harder, as at least this track had something to hold onto when climbing and also a good gripping foot track. The views back over to Lake Wanaka were lovely and it was hard to believe that the weather had been so terrible in the first part of the day. At the hut a couple of other new walkers were already there, including a guy who had already finished walking Te Araroa through to Bluff but decided to go back to this track to wait for friends coming through as a surprise. Lovely to hear all his stories and what it is like to finish at Bluff. |