I guess the last time I wrote anything it was in Punakaiki. Gorgeous little village I might add! Anyways, after departing the little dwelling we headed up the road for a tramp called, "The Inland Pack Track." This particular tramp is known for it's many river crossings and in time of heavy rain it can be particularily challenging. The lady at the local DOC told us that it would be fine, as there hadn't been too much rain as of late. Apparently she's better at sitting behind a desk than she is at actually hiking the trails. The trail was muuuuuuuddy! Furthermore, the one large river crossing which was supposed to be a walk in the park (or walk in the eater rather) was more like a slow trudge through a waist deep river. In any case it was an adventure I guess.
Before the dreaded river crossing however, we had the fortune of stumbling upon the Fox River Caves. History has it that back in the early 1900s a farmer was looking for one of his lost cattle. He was scanning the other side of the river, and he suddenly glimpsed two large holes on the face of a giant rock slab. He discovered that they were indeep two massive caves. The government granted him the rights to take tours down into the caves, and you can still see where people have carved their names in the darkened walls. Some of the dates I could make out were as far back as 1909. In this day and age however, the cave is open to any of those brave enough to trapse through it. The lower cave is closed due to the danger of falling rocks, but the upper cave is still accessible. It extends and winds deep into the earth for several hundred metres before it becomes too narrow to continue. It was here again that my inner Golum came out and I found myself in search of the Precious. Wow. Could I be more of a dork.
After exploring the caves, we crossed the river (and many many more) before coming to what is known as the "Ballroom Overhang." It is a huge rock bivvy that provides enough shelter to sleep under! Very neat indeed. Some other guy that was camping there warned us of the nasty possums that come out to try and pinch food when the sun sets, and sure enough, it wasn't long before we could hear some nasty sniffing around the edges of the tent. I smacked the side of the tent, and could hear as the foul rodent let out a protesting snarl/squeak and scuttled away. Not so comforting. Did I ever sleep well that night. (Sarcasm.)
The next morning we slapped on some very wet and muddy hiking boots and proceeded back to civilization, before heading into some smaller towns to pick up supplies. We made our way away from the beautiful coast to St. Arnaud, situated in beautiful Nelson Lakes National Park. This was a quaint and EXPENSIVE little town, but was also the gateway to many fabulous tramps. The first day there we took on a grunt-worthy tramp up the St. Arnaud Track, which provided us with beautiful clear views of the village below.
Back on track! The next day was a looooong haul up to Angelus Hut, situated at around close to 1700 metres. It was a sureal spot, nestled upon a pinnacle between two lakes, sheltered by looming mountains. (I wish I could expand more on it, but I have much to cover today.)
The next day we hiked up to Sunset Saddle and gazed at the astounding views before trekking back down to the hut to grab our gear. We still had a long day awaiting, as another hut, Bushline Hut was our goal. The tramp followed what is known as Robert's Ridge to the next stop, and it was breathtaking. The entire day was spent following a narrow ridge high up in the mountains, where one could stare for hours at the daunting peaks and heights surrounding them.
Bushline hut was an adorable little dwelling, nestled just on the edge of the tree line. (I guess the name made that pretty obvious!) We met several people there, one of them being a young girl about my age named Tal. She was from Israel, and was travelling on her own. The next day, she set out in search of another hut, and as I watched her go, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of sadness.
I found myself sitting on the edge of a steep meadow that sloped down towards a lake, and I reflected a bit on my feelings. I guess I just find it strange and a tiny bit sad that you meet people, and for the night, you're friends. You and them are almost alone in the world, trapped inside a little hut high up in the barren mountains. You laugh and share stories, forming a bond of respect for the other person who shares your passion. But when the sun shows it's face, they're gone. They continue their journey and you continue yours. You cherish the tales they've shared and the good times you had together, but ultimately you will most likely never see their face again. Kind of an odd feeling. None-the-less, it's an experience I will never regret having, and hope to have continually throughout my travels.On a more happy note, we also met a man named John at the hut, who offered us a ride back into town. We gladly accepted, and he mentioned that he lives in the Bay of Plently on the North Island. He offered us a place to stay if we ever need work up in that area. Sweet! He also mentioned that one of his friends volunteers for a Kiwi Bird Sanctuary up there, and said that we could get a behind-the-workings tour if we so desired. Since we have yet to see the fabled Kiwi bird, it sounded pretty fantastic. We plan on taking him up on his offer. He also informed us of many amazing things to do and see once on the North Island. I guess those short-term friendships do pay off!
After departing the Nelson Lakes National Park, we headed up to the actual town of Nelson. I instantly fell in love with it, as it is a beautiful sunny place close to Abel Tasman National Park. I will expand more on the adventures of Abel Tasman soon, as I have already written a novel.
As always, much love to those back home. Hope you all had a happy Easter and that you are sated with chocolate and treats!
xoxoxo
PS - Here is a photo of the aftermath of sandflies for your entertainment.
