Archive for December, 2002
So, today I am trying to get to the west coast to Punakaiki and the Paparoura National Park. Yesterday was my last day on the Wangapeka Track and it was a long day of hiking. I got up early and left the hut to start hiking at 7:30am. The 3 Swiss were still sleeping. I had 16 km of hiking to do to get out of the woods and I was pretty low on food and didn’t have a ride organized to get the 30 km down to the main road so I figured best to get out as early as possible and hope for a ride from someone. I had 1.5 pieces of bread with peanut butter for breakfast and ate my last candy bar and cookie during the hiking so by the time I got out at 1:30pm I had 1/2 piece of bread which I ate straightaway, a little bit of peanut butter left, some potato flakes, and cough drops. I ate 2 cough drops and decided to save the rest in case I couldn’t get a ride and had the spend the night.
There were 4 cars in the parking lot at the trailhead when I finished the track (which was a very scenic end to a beautiful tramp by the way – the last bit took me through a lush river valley and the sun was shining all day!). From the register I could see that only one car had signed in and they were fishing and due out the same day but of course I had no idea what time. I was tired and hungry and didn’t feel like attempting a 30 km (20 mile) road walk just yet so I decided to sit in the shade and rest for an hour and if no one came I’d start walking down at 3pm.
I was just starting to lick the last contents of the peanut butter jar when one of the four cars came down the road. It was a couple in a rental campervan and they pulled over to sign out of the park. I asked the guy if he wouldn’t mind giving me a lift down to the main road and he said they were planning to stop and fish again on the way but he’d take me as far as thet went. He didn’t seem too keen on helping me actually but I ignored his weirdness and took the ride. Turns out they’re from Oregon and are on a 3-week holiday. Not very friendly folks but they gave me a 5 km start on the 30 km road walk and I guess that’s better than nothing.
They let me out to do their fishing and I started walking. And walking. One hour later still walking. No cars! I was singing to the sheep in the pastures along the way -’yeah she’s tired, and hungry, and doesn’t feel like walking…’
Finally a car came by AND it stopped! An older NZ couple who offered to give me a lift. What luck! I would have been camping on that road or begging the weird couple from Oregon for a ride I’m sure. I did have to hear a lecture about how dangerous hitching is from the woman but whatever. She was like’has anyone TOLD you about hitching??? You do KNOW about hitch-hiking don’t YOU??’ And then she went into her shpeal. Hey guess what I’m 31 years old but thanks lady.
They let me off where they were going right and me left and I stuck out my thumb again and the very first car stopped – a young NZ couple coming back from a Nelson Lakes tramp and they offered to give me a ride all the way back to Moteuka so I said cool! But first we stopped at the guy’s work to get something and his mates were all having a beer so we all went into the office to have a beer before hitting the road again. They were really cool and took me into town, so I finally arrived in Moteuka around 6pm.
Set up my tent in the backpackers and went straight to the supermarket and bought way too much food! I’m quite sure I ate too much because later that night I layed down to go to sleep and I felt so full and sick that I actually got up and vomitted almost immediately!
Anyway that was last night. This morning I was up early to run some errands before heading out of town. First I went to the tourist office to pick up my bag from storage and headed straight back to the hostel with my shampoo and conditioner to wash my hair for the first time in 10 days!! I would have done it sooner but there were no travel sizes in Karamea and I couldn’t justify buying a full bottle of shampoo AND conditioner for just one wash. Well it felt great to finally wash the hair today. Then I had a coffee, did some internet, packed up, and headed out.
So my destination today was Punakaiki, which I mentioned at the beginning of this entry that I actually stared to write while sitting on the side of the road waiting for a ride earlier. Now I’m here!
First I got a lift out of town from a local guy who said the hitching was better down the road a bit. He was right. I waited there about 15 minutes or so and a car pulled over – it was a NZ couple and their son and they said they were headed down the coast and would give me a ride all the way to Punakaiki!! That’s over 250 km! Man I was lucky! Really nice people too and I thoroughly enjoyed the 4-hour ride through the mountains and down to the sea while talking with them. I couldn’t believe I got here in one ride!
I was so happy when I arrived. They let me off at a campsite and I went all the way to the back where there was no one and set up my tent in a little alcove of bushes. Perfect spot! Then I walked 1 km up the road to the park office to check conditions and sign in for the 2-day Inland Pack Track which I plan to start tomorrow. Then I walked across the street and did the short walk out to Pancake Rocks which are these really unusual limestone formations in the sea – very beautiful and interesting to see. Not a lot of people there either so it was good. And I was thinking to myself, wow, this has really been the PERFECT day of travelling! I got so much done this morning and even when I was sitting on the road waiting for a ride I was feeling really happy because the sun was out and I had clean hair and life was good. Then I scored such a great ride, got exactly where I wanted to go, and still enjoyed an afternoon of being at the sea. I was on a travel high.
Feeling good, I got an apricot ice cream and ate that as I walked back to the campsite. Walking into the campsite I noticed a whole lot more tents than when I had left 2 hours earlier. Well I guess thing were just going too good. Next to my provate little alcove was a station wagon playing bad music (first Byran Adams, then Croatian Christmas music), and a family (5 adults and 1 child) putting up 2 huge monster tents. Go away! Car campers can be so evil. Oh well. It’s still been a great day. I’m down at the beach now and I’m listening to my own tunes trying to heal the damage down to my ears.
Blue sky and sun makes a hiker happy
Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki
December 20th, 2002
So there is sun in New Zealand after all! I was beginning to think maybe the sun just didn’t shine in this corner of the world. But today I woke up to the blue sky and scattered clouds and for the first time in days the sun came out!
Got my gear together and left Taipo Hut this morning. Even though I was thrilled over the no-rain hiking conditions, I was still feeling really tired from yesterday and was having a tough time getting out of first gear. It took 4 hours to get to the first hut; on the way I met 3 guys heading in (all from Germany), but those were the only people I saw all day. Got to Helicopter Flat Hut at about 1pm and I decided to give in to the fatigue and lay down and have a nap. Once in my warm sleeping bag I felt much better and snoozed until about 3pm. When I woke up and looked outside and the sun and blue skies were still out I thought yeah, you’ve gotta keep going and take advantage of this good weather. The other deciding factor is that I was running low on food and couldn’t really afford to spend the night there. So I continued on another 4 hours to Stone Hut.
It was a pleasant walk on a relatively dry trail which was such a welcome after all the rain. Arrived here about 7:30pm to find 3 Swiss people here and their stuff scattered everywhere all over the hut. Must admit I’m disappointed since I was hoping to have the hut all to myself. Oh well. I’ll be asleep soon anyway so it really doesn’t matter. Must get an early start tomorrow so I have a decent chance of getting a ride out to the main road. I’m tired. Going to bed now.
Feeling the sun for the first time in days
One of the many swing bridges on the track
Water, Moss, and Rock
December 18th, 2002
7:30pm in the hut and I’m the only person here in this 18-person hut! I’ve got a coal fire going in the stove and it’s nice and warm, and the views out the window are amazing. 10.5 km today to get here which doesn’t seem very far but it still took 6 hours mostly because of the BIG 1087 climb (over 3000 feet) which took me up to the Little Wanganui Saddle from the river bed, and it was up and up for awhile and quite steep too. Weather was ok in the morning – just cloudy, but then the rain came (as usual) and it rained the rest of the afternoon, although now it’s stopped and I’ve got clouds and blue sky.
The saddle was cool, with a lake at the top even, but the wind and rain and very muddy and wet trail kept me from hanging around too long. Down the other side I went to the first hut, a good 5 hours into the day. Called Stag Flat Shelter, this hut sleeps only 4 so it’s small, and inside the hut was a sign saying’Warning: This hut is built in an earthquake zone. In the event of an earthquake, beware of falling boulders.’ Hmmm. Didn’t stay there very long.
Just another 40 minutes or so down from there and I was at the Taipo Shelter, my destination for the night. Once in the hut I changed into dry clothes, started a fire, and made a cup of tea. Eventually Andy from Scotland showed up but he decided to press on to the next hut so he made his dinner here and then left about 7pm.
Now I’m here all alone and I feel tired from the walk today but I’m so happy to be here and especially to have the hut to myself for the night. Andy and I were up late last night talking so tonight I’m going to make up for the lack of sleep and get to bed early. Now let’s just hope for some good weather tomorrow.
Leap, and the net will appear. (written on the cover of Andy’s journal).
Looking down to where I started
Where it rains there is moss
View from Taipo Hut
December 17th, 2002
What a strange day it’s been. I’m here in the hut just 9 km in to the Wangapeka Track with the sun setting over the trees in the forest and the sounds of birds all around. Only one other person here in the hut with me – Andy from Scotland who’s been cycling/tramping in New Zealand for four months now. It’s nice to have some company but not crowds of people.
So, this morning I was up early in Karamea, had breakfast, and set out on the road to hitch-hike to the start of the track about 30 km south of town. Not much traffic in the raging metropolis of Karamea at 8:30am Monday morning. Like, no traffic AT ALL. Hmmm. Walked out past the one gas station and one grocery store and stood on the side of the road and waited. Not a car in sight. After a few minutes a car turned and came down the road but kept going. New car did the same. Hmmm. Then, about 10 minutes later a third car came and stopped! Turns out it was the Swedish couple who worked in the restaurant at the hostel and who served me food the previous day. I was like you work in the restaurant! They said oh, yeah we do! So I got in and they said no problem to take me to the town where the access road to the trail is.
Came to find out they’ve been travelling in New Zealand for 2 months already and just started working at the caf’ to save money and were on their way to Christchurch on their days off to do Christmas shopping. Really nice and friendly couple.
When we got to the town we found the sign that said 10 km to the start of the Wangapeka Track and I said this is cool can you drop me off here but they offered to take me the whole way! Sweet!! So we turned down the access road and continued 10 km (that I otherwise would have been walking!) to the start of the tramp. We drove up to the sign which was barely visible with all the high grass around it and I started to think well has anybody ever been out here? I knew this track was much less used than the other more popular Great Walks, but it looked like no one had been here for years! The Swedish girl even said ‘well you’re welcome to come to Christchurch with us,’ and I was SO tempted to just say yes! But I thought, no I came to NZ for the hiking and I’m going to give it a go. So I reluctantly said goodbye and watched them drive away, then turned to face the start of the tramp alone.
The grass was really high and over-grown at the start and I had a hard time even finding a trail. Finally found it and followed it down to the first river crossing. The water was FREEZING and the current was quite strong and I wound up being in water up to the tops of my legs with a full backpack on in the middle of the river. I’d been warned by people that the fords could be bad on this tramp and I thought well I hope it doesn’t get any worse than that really. Less than 5 minutes later the trail came around and I forded the same river again! So I was back on the same side I started on and I was NOT happy about that. Bad enough to do a dangerous ford alone but to do it twice for no reason, just to end up on the same side I started? I was not getting a good feeling about this tramp and was already wishing I had taken the ride to Christchurch. Then I lost the trail again in the overgrown field and I said this is it, I’m outta here. I mean, I’m hiking on my own which brings it’s own level of risk from the start, now I’m on an un-used, poorly-marked trail that has taken me over this river for no reason. I have enough hiking experience to know that if I have a bad feeling it’s best to get out so I decided to turn around and head back, staying on the same side so as not to cross the river 2 more times AGAIN.
I followed the river around and found the original trail which led me back to the access road where I started to walk back out, cursing myself that I didn’t take the ride to Christchurch. Just then a jeep came around the road from behind and I thought cool a ride out to the main road and I stuck out my thumb. The guy pulled over, an older scraggly-looking guy with tattoos and dirty clothes, and asked me where I was going. I said out to the main road. He said this is the main road! I’m thinking whatever man just get me out of here. He then asked if I was coming out of the track and I explained what had happened and that I didn’t have a good feeling about it and I was wanting to get out and be done with it. So he started to explain that the beginning of the track is confusing because of land disputes between him and the Department of Conservation (DOC) and that after the first bit the trail becomes clearly marked and it’s no problem. He offered to take me back to the trailhead and show me where to start and I thought I dunno so he said look let’s have a coffee and you can decide. Well you may be surprised that I said ok and got in the jeep to have a coffee with this scary looking stranger, but I do rely heavily on my instinct and I had no bad feelings about him whatsoever. And it was raining so I was in no hurry to hit the trail again really. I just thought why not.
We drove 2 minutes back to his shack and it really was a shack literally, built on stilts with all kinds of junk all around. Ok, I was staring to wonder I admit. Well what a surprise I did have. I walked up the steps and into the shack and it was chock-full inside with the most beautiful stain-glass, copper, iron, carved wood, and chiselled stone pieces of art I have ever seen! The windows were full of huge stain glass pieces and from the ceiling hung all kinds of copper suns and moons and more stain glass. The art was piled high on the floors and stacked against the walls. I couldn’t even believe that this grumpy, dirty, strange man lived in such a haven of his art! I was in awe.
He made me coffee (mind you there was no electricity or running water in the shack) and we sat down and I asked him about all the stuff. ‘It’s not STUFF it’s ART’, he growled in his Irish accent! Turns out his name is Paddy Caldwell; he’s been living on this property for 10 years, is a self-taught painter and stain-glass artist AND musician (play 6 instruments) and has no interest in selling the stuff or making money; he just enjoys doing it. I would up spending 2 hours in the shack admiring all the ‘stuff’ and talking to him about his life. He brought out boxes and boxes of jewellery he’s made with polished shells, bone, carved wood, copper, and polished stones, all laid out on velvet material and each piece more beautiful than the next. You must open a gallery I kept telling him! He later told me that in the year 2000 he sent 2 paintings in for the New Zealand Artist of the Millennium award and he won first prize! Would you ever imagine an Artist of the Millennium living in a shack in the middle of nowhere? It was an amazing experience to meet this man and fall into such an unexpected adventure. In the end we had our coffee and I decided to give the trail another go and Paddy walked me out to the start as promised. He wished me good luck and I said thanks for everything and he said stop by again if you’re through here and that was that. That whole experience made my day and really showed me how rewarding it can be to take a chance and go with the flow.
Three hours of hiking and I was at the hut and by then it was after 3 o’clock and I was happy to call it a day. The rest of the trail did turn out to be fine except for all the pollen and grass which has made me an itchy sneezing swollen mess. That definitely sucks. I may have to break down and get some allergy drugs after this tramp because I can’t take much more of this for sure. Afternoon and evening’s been spent with Andy and it’s been good company so as I said in the start it’s been a very strange day but a memorable one indeed. And I’m glad to be on the Wangapeka Track.
The Belltown Manunui Hut
December 16th, 2002
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