Tramping Adventures

Last weekend, I ended up going on a last-minute tramping trip with Katie and her friends Steph and Laura. Tramping is Kiwi-speak for an overnight hiking trip. Maybe a hybrid between trekking and camping? Anyways, it was an amazing trip from start to finish.

Saturday morning we got up early and drove a couple hours outside of Wellington, to the Tararua mountain range. Since I wasn't prepared for winter hiking trips, I had borrowed a pack and woolen gloves, hat, and other gear from Thom. I had a layer of long johns and spandex running tights on top with running shorts over top and wool socks poking out of running shoes. Pretty sweet combo. Anyways, we started off the day with 4 hours hiking in the bush. The bush was full every shade of green plant life you can imagine - ferns, trees, grasses, and loads of other things I couldn't name. We stopped for lunch at a small shelter that had been pre-built in Wellington and then flown up by helicopter and assembled on the mountain. After the first 4 hours or so, we passed through Powell Hut, a big cabin where you can stay the night. We thought about staying there for the night, but it was early and we also hoped to make it to Jumbo peak and then on to Jumbo Hut for the night. Since we would walk to Jumbo peak along the ridge line and we heard there might be some ice along the way, we decided to give it a try but turn around as soon as we got uncomfortable with the ice. So, I put on two pairs of wool socks, then tightly wrapped a plastic bag around my feet before putting on my running shoes in an attempt to make them waterproof. Worked like a dream!

We headed out the back door of Powell hut and stepped into what felt like a completely different place. Powell hut was right along where the bush line ends and alpine terrain starts, so we stepped out into a treeless snowy mountain! Following the path was a little tricky, but luckily, a couple people had gone before us, so we could stick to their tracks and it never got too slippery. Also, it wasn't that windy which was fortunate. So, we hiked about 3.5-4 hours through the ice on a trail lined with frozen solid plants, which was good for something to hang on! A picture of our intrepid group of explorers.



After about 3 more hours of hiking, either it cleared up or we got above the cloud line (or some combo of the two) and we emerged to the top of Jumbo just as the sun was going down to the most amazing view: sun setting and clouds streaming down the face of the mountain so you could see the valley opening up and some mountain peaks popping up out of a blanket of clouds. So cool! We were all blown away and it made the afternoon hike through the ice well worth it. We were happy with the afternoon even before we saw the view, and even moreso after. I got a little snap happy.







We then made our way down the ridgeline to Jumbo Hut just as it was getting dark. Katie made a delicious dinner of couscous and lentils, and then we were passed out by 8:30. Best part? Brushing teeth on the freezing cold porch under the most stars I've ever seen in one sky.



In the morning, we were treated to another nice view, and I took some pictures of the hut to show what the inside is like.









Then we set off for another 4 hours hiking along a river and through the bush and over 1-person-only suspension bridges and then back to Wellington. So fun!

Rundown of Second Week

Week 2 was pretty great. Starting to get into the hang of things. Usually start off with a nice run at 7am, which can be quite unpleasant for a sleeper like me, but by the time it's 7:20 and I'm running along the water and the sun is creeping up over the hills, it's all worth it! Here's a pictures from along my run:



Then I bike to work on my awesome little purple bike, reminding myself to stick to the lefthand side and all decked out with helmet and lights. I am sure you're getting the image, but I am look pretty cool at this point. The work day is good. I like what I'm doing, and the other younger guys at work are great fun - quite a mix of characters and it's fun getting to know them. Highlights are tea breaks and lunch time. Then after work, I bike back to good company at home, delicious vege dinner, and any number of fun things (friends stopping by, fort-building, trying to get our cat Lula to tolerate me).

This week I was also introduced to "southerly" winds. These are icy cold wind patterns blowing wind literally from Antarctica. Can get chilly, but luckily it was mostly rain-free this week.

Next up - a post on tramping adventures from this past weekend.

So many adventures!

Way behind in posting, but I'll try to recap the adventures of the last two weekends and the week in between!

Last last Friday we went out to see flatmate Jeremy's band Newtown Rock Steady rocking out at the coolest bar in town. Neat indoor area and cool outdoor area with blankets, hot water bottles and fires to keep warm! New favorite beer: Sassy Red.

Saturday I went on a run with my flatmate Thom up to a wind turbine on the hill. The climb was crazy, but well worth exploring the neighborhoods on the way and getting a view of all of Wellington and the bays. It was a beautiful clear day, so we could see really far, but not quite to the South island, which apparently you can sometimes see. The view:



After a little pick-me-up from a cafe called Espressoholic (who, me?) I went and explored the waterfront a little, walking past skaters and sailboats and markets and streetside musicians. Quite the vibe going on down there and definitely a nice place to be!







Sunday was a Wellington Open Days event - so lots of sights around the city on sale for a $1 donation. I kicked the day off with a nice muddy run up and down Mt. Victoria - part of the "Town Belt" which is basically a series of trails winding in and out of green spaces preserved all along the city.

Then I went to an event at Mojo Coffee Central, where I learned all about growing and roasting coffee beans - including the crazy things that wind up in a crop of beans such as pins, nails, bits of glass, and even bullets! Turns out that a lot of the people making their living off of growing and exporting coffee beans are women, so another good reason for a morning brew.

After that I took the Cable Car (highly popular for the 8 to 10 year olds of Wellington) up to the Botanic gardens and wandered around for a while. Then in keeping with the discovering my inner child I went to the zoo, which was good because it was small and full of all sorts of foreign wildlife. Big favorites were the baby kangaroos, blue penguins, and tamarine monkeys. Didn't see a kiwi bird so that's a reason to go back! More to come...