Back to NZ

 The flight into Queenstown was spectacular. With clear skies and a bit of a delay until we were cleared to land the plane took us for a circuit around Mt Earnslaw. Up the Rees Valley, over Dart Glacier with views across to Mt Aspiring (Tititea) and Mt Cook (Aoraki) in the distance, then back down the Dart before heading down Lake Wakatipu, turning over the top of Cardrona and landing at Frankton. It doesn't get much better than this!

Hollyford Valley: Lake McKerrow on left, Lake Alabaster and Pyke River

on the right

Mt Earnslaw

Mt Aspiring (Tititea)

Mt Cook (Aoraki) in the distance

Lake Wanaka looking down the Motatapu Valley

Cardrona Skifield

Back in Wanaka I needed to charge the car battery and get a new WOF before heading out of town for more adventures. With the massive roof box full of toys I needed to purchase a towbar bike rack so I could bring my bike as well. Chores done, off I went to explore a few spots I'd passed by along the way.

A year ago I'd tried to cycle the Alps to Ocean Trail, intending to make it a loop beginning in Omarama, turning off at Kurow and cycling up the Hakataramea Valley and over the pass to Dog Box Corner then back into Tekapo. The cycle along Lakes Benmore and Aviemore was quite spectacular, but a few kms short of Kurow on my first day I'd dropped the bike on a corner and broken the derailleur hanger. I now carry a spare!

There's a small lake beside the road on the eastern side of Lake Aviemore, with a walking track beside it. I'd noticed it on my bike trip, so this time I took the packraft for a leisurely paddle up the small lake and stream. This is one of the main reasons I purchased a boat, to explore little waterways. It's not always about running whitewater.

I continued south to the east coast, staying at a DOC campsite for a couple of nights and visiting some of the small coastal villages off the main highway. These backwaters are picturesque, with lovely beaches, but not too far from one of my favourite coastal towns, Oamaru.

After returning to Wanaka for a few days I headed north. First stop a short bike ride in Lindis Pass to bag a hut before camping at Quailburn, one of my favourite campsites for its peacefulness beside a small stream, and lack of crowds.

The next day I took the bike for another short outing to bag yet another hut, then continued on to Peel Forest. The weather gods had aligned and it was looking like a perfect day for the ascent of Little Mt Peel.

I'd come here before to climb the mountain, but exhaustion had got the better of me. This time there were no such hiccups and I was at the trailhead at 9am for what would be a tough day. I'd decided to walk up the steep, muddy south ridge route, and return along the longer, mostly boardwalked, Deer Spur track.

Myself and two other hardy couples were the only ones foolish enough to take this approach. The walk to Emily Falls was through lovely forest, and then the real climb began. Steep and muddy, but the spectacular views made up for the tough going. Towards the top there were a couple of minor rock scrambles, not for those who don't like exposed routes, and then finally the shelter came into view.

After lunch it was a short scramble to the summit, and then the return journey along Deer Spur. All the other walkers, including a couple of school groups, had chosen this route for their ascent and were returning the same way. A young English traveller with her mother in tow were considering returning via the South Ridge, but after observing how unsteady her mother was on the short summit scramble, we managed to convince them not to tackle it and return the same way they had come. Later when I passed them on the descent I noticed the young lass was wearing jandals!!

My legs were feeling toasted by the time I got back to the car, and the next day I had a serious dose of DOMS. I'd gone to stay a couple of days with my friend Alex in Methven, so I took a day off and went for a soak in the local hot pools. The next day I went for a 4 hour return walk up a river valley to visit a completely dilapidated hut that is still a legitimate bag on the hutbagging website. It was a lovely valley to walk up, with some pretty gorges along the way.

Next it was off to Arthurs Pass to do a five day trip with the tramping club.

That's next!

A trip down memory lane

 With a couple of weeks to kill between my AAWT hike and returning to NZ I decided to catch up with a few old friends, some of whom I hadn't seen for a very long time. I also scheduled a trip to Queensland to visit my uncle, who had had a stroke late last year.

Matt kindly lent me his VW campervan, so I headed down to the South Coast to Lake Conjola, to catch up with my good mate Neen. She's been silly enough to come on ski trips with me in the past. Who can forget that time I broke my arm and she almost dislocated her shoulder!! I may have suggested she join me  another time in the near future...

After Conjola I headed south again, on a mission to catch up with my best friend from university. Dave and I had lost touch over 20 years ago, and neither he nor Claire were into social media. Just by chance I discovered that one of Claire's best friends from her nursing training happened to be a work colleague of mine in Geraldton. Small bloody world! So I found out where they lived, on an off grid property north of Durras, and just turned up!!

Dave walked outside to see who had driven up his driveway in the middle of the day and nonchalantly said good day! Claire came home later that afternoon, and I ended up staying two days! We had a lot of catching up to do, but we were just as comfortable with each other's company as we always were. I guess I need to make it not quite so long next time...

After Bawley Point I drove north again. I had a lunch appointment in Sydney, but that wasn't until the next day, so I planned to camp up somewhere along the way, and head into the big smoke the next morning. So I took my time, pottering along visiting some old and new haunts. Jervis Bay, Shellharbour, South Beach Wollongong...

I remembered another old mate Kathy, another skiing tragic like myself, so I called her up and later that evening turned up at her place at Coledale to camp in her driveway. Quite liking the van lifestyle.We may also have discussed making some plans for another ski trip to Japan...

The next morning I drove up to Sydney, parked the van at Sutherland, and took the train into the city. I was meeting Kath and Jenny at the very posh restaurant in the Botanic Gardens. It's been well over 25 years since I've seen them in person, but at least we've kept in touch through FB.

After a spectacular meal at the Luke Nguyen restaurant we went for a wander around to Mrs Macquarie's Chair and then past the Art Gallery of NSW with it's weird sculpture out front, before going our separate ways. I returned to the van at Sutherland, then drove home to Canberra.

Next was my trip to Hervey Bay. My uncle was devastated when mum, his sister, died almost 5 years ago and had been planning to come on a holiday to NZ, but COVID had scuppered that. Now that Mel had had a stroke, the likelihood of him ever making that trip was gone. So the least I could do was go visit.

Mum and Mel

Mel was back home, but mostly confined to a wheelchair, and his aphasia made communication difficult. But he was very emotional when he saw me, and we had a couple of lovely days hanging out, including going out for a drive around the area and getting up close to some very inquisitive local birds!

Mel and me

Mel and Johnny

I also managed to fit in a quick trip down to Noosa, to catch up with Sally and Sheridan, who are well and truly still entwined within the local croquet community! Their apartment backing onto the Noosa River is very nice indeed. 

Back in Canberra, there was a final pack before jumping on a bus for the drive up to Sydney and flight back to NZ.