Trekking Through the Mountains

After a quick night in Queenstown, Abbey and I headed into the New Zealand Mountains for a three-day trek through the Mount Aspiring National Park. The trail to be tackled was the Routeburn. With backpacks full of really cute hiking clothes (lies), blankets, Clif Bars and instant pasta packages, we set out. We had to catch a shuttle to the trailhead and passed some Lord of the Rings scenery on the way.

Isengard

Day 1: Full of Energy

We are definitely not the fastest hikers out there- it took us 6 hours to get to our first hut- we chalk it up to “taking in the scenery” when in reality we are just kind of lazy. But honestly, going slow allowed us to see some really amazing places and we were super excited about it. We were able to stop and smell the roses, if you will. We stopped and put our feet in a river, sat on a log in the middle of a huge valley between the mountains, and saw why this hike is one of the most popular, and one of the most beautiful. I am not a very experienced hiker, and not a huge fan of steep climbs. So good thing the first 4 hours were flat or I probably wouldn’t have made it very far. After the first leg we started a constant climb up to the 1,000 meters above sea level hut where we were spending our first night. When we finally made it to the Routeburn Falls Hut we were able to relax, stretch and we found a nice little perch where we journaled and took in the view of the valley and mountains.

at the Trailhead

Let me tell you about our fellow trekkers, because they were some of the most interesting and friendliest people we met on our travels. Everyone is curious as to where you are from, how you find New Zealand, your travel plans and almost any other conversation topic you could think of. The group of hikers staying at the hut that night was such big a mixture of people- a group of rowdy Irishmen (who brought along a ton of alcohol- like they had to carry all of that up?), a group of elderly Australian women who were laughing constantly, a lot of people from New Zealand, and couples of all places and ages. Abbey and I were the only younger people on the hike, which was surprising to both of us. But no matter who you were, you were ready for a good time, and open to everyone there.

We were in bed that night by 9 pm. It was crazy. Every single person was in bed by 9 pm, by his or her own choice. Like, it was the strangest thing. But we went with it, because we were beat after walking 11 km that day.

Day 2: The Scariest Day

Everyone was out of bed by 7 am and on the trail by 8… So that’s why everyone went to be so early. Getting a head start on the day didn’t really make sense to us though, you are just going to get to the next hut earlier and have to sit around longer? But oh well, you do you, hikers. We were the very last people to leave the hut at 9 am. We went on our merry way but that mood didn’t last long. We instantly started to climb up steep rocks. I had been dreading this day because it was the hardest and longest. When you aren’t an experienced hiker, it can be a little daunting. But the scenery was worth it. We were finally hiking through the mountains. We came across streams, rivers, cool rock formations and the first sightings of the snow peaked mountains. We hiked up and down the mountains for a total of 6 and a half hours, maybe a little longer. We reached the top of the mountain and the view was breathtaking. As we started descending down to where our hut was, we entered the forest again. One of the things that surprised me what how tropical all the plants were but I could totally picture Lord of the Rings here, and why they picked New Zealand to film them.

Along the way we met a Canadian couple on their honeymoon, and a couple from Orange County, California and made a hiking train, with us bringing up the rear. They were so nice and it was fun hiking and getting to know other people. When we were almost out of water and didn’t have a filter (rookie mistake) the Canadian couple was nice enough to help us out. This kind of courtesy was super common the entire time we were on the trail.

We made it to Lake Mackenzie Hut, where there actually was a lake. We quickly took off our hiking boots (relief) and grabbed our books, sunglasses, sunscreen (by this point we were both fried), and cameras and headed out to the beach. The water was freezing, but felt so good on our aching feet. That night we ate with a really amazing grad school student from Wellington, NZ and her dad. They have been everywhere, and it was so interesting to talk to them about their adventures and experiences. Her father had even climbed to Mt. Everest basecamp. Our hut warden that night was the craziest fellow we came across. He told these ridiculous stories about extinct animals running around, how Split Rock (a small side hike you could venture to) was actually a rock that was split, and how the trees around here were made of wood. No kidding? I wouldn’t have guessed. He was a riot, and had us all laughing and enjoying ourselves.

Again, in bed by 9. This is just how it goes, apparently. Our second day was tough, but rewarding and obviously I survived!

Day 3: Relaxation

This day was definitely the easiest-we were mostly descending. We started winding through the forest, and got some more amazing views of the mountains. There was this amazing waterfall that we stopped by for a snack, and it was magical. Abbey and I sort of hit our wall and were getting a little ridiculous and whiny. The last hour seemed to take forever. We reached the end of the trail, and made peanut butter sandwiches for the like 6^th day in a row. We hopped on a shuttle for a few hours that took us back to Queenstown. Showers were the first things we even thought about when we reached our hostel. Also, my camera died so sorry for the lack of pictures here. 

Bridges:

Yes, I am making a separate section about the bridges along the trail. They were just so awesome, okay? I took a picture of every bridge we crossed, big or small. Not only do the bridges make it easier to cross certain terrain, but also they just make it more fun. After this hike, I have this weird newfound love for bridges and it just came out of nowhere. So enjoy these beautiful bridges, because I definitely did.

Routeburn is definitely one of the best things we did on this trip. It pushed me both mentally and physically, and was so rewarding. It really made me stop and think about just how fantastic, magnificent and diverse this world really is. I know, that sounds cheesy, but I am dead serious. New Zealand is a beautiful country and I am so grateful I was able to see so much of it.

There's This Place Called Wanaka

The next stop on our New Zealand journey was Lake Wanaka. Picture a smallish quaint town right on the water with a serene and relaxing feel and there you have it. Wanaka was the perfect place for us to finally catch up and get rid of our jet-lag.

View from our hostel

Kids at heart

Isn't this just adorable?

We spent 7 hours on a bus- met some nice German folk on the ride- and arrived mid afternoon. Our hostel, Wanaka Bakpaka, was absolutely the cutest place ever. Not exaggerating. We spent that evening making dinner, journaling, and drinking the wine we had bought earlier that day in the lounge over looking the lake. It was peaceful and just what we needed.

Master Chef Abbey- making instant pasta...

Fun Fact about Wanaka for all you LOTR fans out there- the cast actually stayed in Wanaka during down time in 1999. I just pictured Orlando Bloom chilling on the beach and I was content.

The next day we went to this really cool little theater called Paradiso Cinema. They have different movies playing every day, couches and other funky chairs instead of normal/boring movie theater chairs, and an intermission where you can buy the best homemade ice cream and cookies you will ever have. Abbey and I saw Philomena (which is just amazing by the way), and sprawled out the couches like we were in our own homes.

yeah, you can watch movies in an old Beetle. It's freaking cool.

Of course we had to take in the scenery and spend a few hours on the lake before we continued on, and it was so perfect. Not to hot, not to cold, lots of people swimming in the lake and sunbathing on the beach, with not a care in the world.

We hopped on a bus that afternoon, and were on our way again. We would have loved to spend more time in Wanaka, but at least we got to stop and see it.

Rebuilding Christchurch

The very first city Abbey and I visited here in New Zealand had a lot riding on it. It was our first real glimpse of the country, and after 40 hours of traveling, we had high expectations. Needless to say, Christchurch was amazing.

In 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake rattled the city centre, killing 185 people and damaging a majority of the city's prized landmarks. Since then, construction has been widespread, and noticeable on almost every street you walk on. It plays a huge part in everyday life, redirecting traffic- both car and foot, closing businesses, museums and parks. To this day, there are still whole streets blocked off, the businesses that inhabited these buildings long moved on.

One of the worst hit places was the Cathedral. The earthquake had damaged so much of the structure that there are plans to demolish the entire building and replace it. Through the damage, you can tell that it was a beautiful building. The city has created a square around the cathedral, with various pieces of art and flowers, trying to bring some life back to the site.

View point of Cathedral

Painted rocks with messages of hope from the people of Christchurch.

Because this cathedral is damaged and therefore unusable, Christchurch took the opportunity to create a new temporary one, but with a twist. Cardboard Cathedral is literally a building made out of cardboard. Of course there are other elements to it- the building has to be up to a certain code- but the majority of it is actually cardboard. When we were trying to find it, we couldn't tell if the building was it or not- neither one of us knew what to expect. It is a fully functioning place, with all the aspects you would expect from a cathedral. When we visited, there was a super cute boys choir practicing- and dang, they could sing.

Instead of just moving businesses and other places that were damaged in the earthquake to usable buildings, Christchurch took this opportunity to be creative- and make something never seen before. The city mall was badly damaged- so Christchurch created Re:START Mall, where the stores are all in shipping carts.

Art also plays a major role throughout the city. Some of the most interesting and intricate pieces of graffiti came out of the most damaged areas. Banksy even had his own exhibit at the Canterbury Museum. You would see some piece of art on almost every corner.

 

Canterbury Museum

Weave wall: all sorts of different materials weaved together  that you could add to. 

My favorite place in all of Christchurch was the Rose Garden. It was so beautiful with roses of all sizes and colors. People were reading and bathing in the sun and I could have spent hours and hours there. It was one of the few places we found that wasn't affected by the earthquake too.

It definitely takes a toll on you to see a city in a state like this, even 3 years after the earthquake. But the construction doesn't obscure the heart and soul of the city, trying to make the most of the situation-making a unique experience here as tourists, and a great first stop on our New Zealand journey.

En Route

Currently Abbey and I are sitting in the beautiful Brisbane International Airport in chairs that look like footballs (fitting as the Super Bowl is literally happening as we speak). We successfully survived our 14-hour flight from LAX with the majority of that time attempting and failing to sleep. But dang, those personal TVs the big planes have are just fantastic. We have a 10-hour layover here in Brisbane before we get on our last leg to Christchurch, New Zealand.

One thing that is just throwing me off tremendously is the time difference. Between Portland and Christchurch the time difference is 21 hours. So, I'm practically a day ahead of all of you back in the states. I guess that's one day of my life I'll never get back? This will definitely take some adjusting too.

Here's to a smooth rest of the trip and an amazing time in New Zealand.