All We Need Is Love

February 11/11 . DAY #120 . 4 KM .

It feels as though our time in Hanmer Springs was over in a blink of an eye. It was one of the few times where I just wasn't ready for our rest day to be over and I almost wished my knees ached more severely from overuse than what they did, just to have an excuse to stay longer in the cute mountain town. Hanmer Springs had this really chilled out feel to the place - touristy enough to have a bit of a buzz, but not enough to be totally tacky. Needless to say - I really liked it there.

But now we are back on the trail again - not much further from Boyle Village as it took us nearly all day just to hitch our way back to the trail. It feels as though Hanmer Springs never happened.

Now we have set up camp only a couple KM from Boyle Village along the river. It's nice to know that we're setting out again to make some distance, but it almost feels as though the South Island is flying past us too fast. It's amazing to think that Arthur's Pass will be our next stop - we're going to be in Bluff in no time!!


Leaving our sandfly-ridden camp spot the following morning, David, Alex and I made our way onwards to Arthur's Pass. Gone were the intimidating mountain climbs that left me wondering if I would live to see another day. Instead, this section of the trail wove deep within valleys where the most climbing we'd have to do was 100m over the course of 1KM. On either side of our trail mountains towered majestically overhead. The 3 of us followed our trail through the grasses of the valley, crossing small streams and rivers as we eventually made our way to No. 3 Hut on February 13/11.

Early morning sunrise

As it happened, it was David's birthday and so we celebrated in surprising him with none other than some Back Country Cuisine deserts of apple pie and apricot crumble. Hard to go with anything else considering we were a couple days into the bush. That and the idea of coming up with a surprise for someone you spend nearly 24 hours a day with can be incredibly complicated. And so freeze-dried deserts it was.

Waking up the next day (Valentine's Day), Alex and I were incredibly reluctant to pack up and move on. After a few moments of whispering to each other in the dark we decided to stay at the cute No. 3 Hut. Because it was going to be a sunny day. Because we liked the hut. Because we were tired of packing up every day. Because Alex's foot was injured from the previous day and needed rest. And most of all - just because we could.

One minor detail - David. When the 3 of us initially met in Wellington we agreed to do the Richmond Ranges together as it was claimed to be both the most remote and difficult section of the south island. To think of facing that portion of Te Araroa Trail as an individual was not ideal. So when David contacted us to ask to join our team of 2, Alex and I agreed. Once the Richmond Ranges was over, we re-evaluated how everything was going and made the decision to take it day-by-day. No promises. No attachments. No committments.

And so on the big V-Day Alex and I said goodbye to David. He packed his things and left the homely surrounds of No. 3 Hut. The moment the door shut behind him I let out a sigh of relief - I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath. Though it was brilliant to get to know another Te Araroa Tramper - a local Kiwi at that - it was nice to know it was back to just Alex and I. David had been a lovely addition to mine and Alex's life on the trail and it was good to part ways.

David had been a man of many words. One of many thoughts to share. Our time with him was spent learning of all the information David had filed away in every crevice of his well-stocked mind. I felt as though I learned so much from him that it was more than just as crash course in New Zealand life. It was a master's degree.

No. 3 Hut

Our first term in the master's degree happened to focus mostly on Wellington. Our daily schedule consisted of such classes like Wellington 101, Windy Weather 216, Tourism Hot Spots 223 and Happening History 253. As Alex and I had unknowingly signed up for the fast tracked program, classes ran from dawn to dusk with hardly even a break to go to the toilet. Each morning I would roll out of bed to be faced with our professor of one who would be eager to ensure that I would be armed with adequate information so I could have a hope of passing the Cook Strait exam. Without a high grade I would not be prepared to take on the south island and classes that came with that.

And so I did my best to pay attention at all my classes, but it was difficult to keep up with the fast-talking professor whose endless stream of information left my head pounding by the time my head crashed on my pillow each night. Fortunately, by the time our exam time came, I was informed that Alex and I could help each other out for the answers. It was a collaborative effort and we ended up passing with flying colours. It was then, and only then, that we were able to take a bit of a break (3 hours) and enjoy our ride on the Interislander Ferry to Picton in the south island.

From there our schedule was back to full-time classes and I found it difficult to keep up. Looking back on that first term it boggles my mind on how I was able to keep up. I had not been in school for a while so my information-retaining ability was a little rusty. Concepts, facts and information was thrown so fast my way that I had trouble taking in the new scenery of the south island. Instead I was seeing it from someone else's knowledgeable eyes - our professor, David.

On route to Locke Stream Hut

In Picton, Alex and I sorted out our schedule only to find we would be fully booked through the duration of our journey. We woke up to start learning by 6:00am with Army Practices 156. My eyes were still blurry by the time we moved into Family Connections 123 at 8:30am. From there it was a heavy schedule of learning to lunch with Army Practices 256 and 356. After gobbling down a One Square Meal and a handful of scroggin (trail mix), it was back to learning with Birds and the Bees 223. There was no time for a break between that and Mountain Names 105 as we compiled our study notes while attempting to forge across thigh-deep rivers.

David fervently chucked fast facts over his shoulder as he led our trio along the trail during Useless Information 316 (1:30pm-3:30pm). Had I realized the intensity of our course load, I would have worried more about having a pen and paper at hand then how to get past a fallen tree blocking our path. By the time we reached our destination for the day, I was ready for a nap - but school wasn't dismissed yet and Alex and I still had much to learn.

3:30-4:30pm was spent learning of the types of moss, why there are so many wasps along the trail and what "true right" and "true left" means with regards to rivers in New Zealand Nature 100. Over the course of an early dinner our studies continued in Weather 412 where Alex and I attempted to figure out the difference between northerly and southerly winds, the dangers of flooded rivers, rain patterns and how to do a proper risk assessment. And that wasn't even near the end of our day. The two curve ball courses that I was neither prepared for or had any hope of doing well was our history course called Oliver's Last Decade 144 and course on travel called London in Detail 432. By the time dusk arrived, my brain felt fried and I took the first opportunity I could to break free of the steady stream of lectures in order to crawl into my sleeping bag and try to get enough rest before I knew I had to wake up the next morning and do it all again.

By the time Valentine's Day came and I watched David put on his trekking hat for the last time, I was thrilled that Alex and I had survived our Master's in New Zealand Life. We had done it. Graduated. We were free - no more school. No more classes. No more lectures. No more late night studying or writing things on my arm to remember. We were free from it all and it felt good.

Our last day at No. 3 Hut was spent celebrating our graduation in pure, blissful silence. There was nothing to do. Nowhere to go and nothing new to learn. It was beautiful.

Unfortunately, our postgrad lives took a turn for the worse when we woke up to find Alex's foot had not improved. It had gotten worse. All we knew was that it could be an injury of a ligament, tendon, muscle, bone or other tissue. So pretty much anything. Apparently it hurt. We needed a Plan B and by the time we made it to Locke Stream Hut - we had one.


February 15/11 . DAY #124 . 15 KM .

Today we found a little piece of heaven on earth and it feels so brilliant that I want this day to last forever. We've made it to Locke Stream Hut and decided to stay the night rather than forge ahead another possible 3 hours to Kiwi Hut. And I'm glad for that as this hut was more than I expected.

View from Locke Stream Hut

Maybe it's the fact that David is no longer trekking with us and today marked the first day trekking with just Alex and myself (much girl-chat was had). Maybe it's the gorgeous weather today with the bright blue sky and warm sun. Maybe it's that the trail today was absolutely stunning with such a vast array of vegetation that I remained in excited anticipation of what's around the next corner. Maybe it's because there's hardly a sandfly to be seen here and Alex and I spent the afternoon freely outside. Maybe it's that we're so close to Arthur's Pass. Maybe it's everything and nothing all at the same time.

I quite frankly do not care what it is that makes today and this hut in particular feel so magical - it just is. The only thing I can hope for is for Alex's foot to heal okay. That's our major reason for stopping here for the night. My fingers are crossed for it to fix itself and get strong again. Bluff is all too close to be held up now.


And so we rerouted to the State Highway in order to save a day and get to Arthur's Pass a little easier. All we had to do was cross a major river in order to get there. No big deal right? The brief thought flew through my head at the end of our day on February 16 that while everyone else is busy finishing up their day at the office, Alex and I finish our day by linking arms, stepping into the fast-flowing freezing waters and carefully take steps to get across the river without slipping up. One wrong move and we'd add to the number of people who die every year by drowning in New Zealand's rivers. Fortunately that day was not our day and we were able to make camp on the other side with the hope of getting to Arthur's Pass the next day.

The adventure continues...