Queen Charlotte Track

We took to the hills once again last week. The Queen Charlotte Track from start to finish covers 71 km, but our version did not quite take us to the end, nor did we start at the very beginning. All in we still walked 76 km, but instead of strolling along the gentle slopes of the start, or the coastal flats of the end we spent six days walking up and along and over a ridge and then back again. Though the most arduous portion of the tramp is on these 600 m. heights, the views are also definitely the best. Instead of paying for the water-taxi (like everyone else does) which would drop us at the road-inaccessible start and then carry our packs to each campground each evening, we parked at the second campsite, made that our start and finish, and we carried our packs ourselves. Each of our hikes has had a flavour, and this hike tasted heavy! My backpack has straps for carrying a tent, Chris' does not. So I carried the 5kg tent, and he carried all of the heaviest food. I feared my straps would rip off of the pack it was so heavy. To complete the look I had a rolled up bright-blue mat strapped to the top of my pack, so that the whole mess stretched up from my knees and towered over my hat.

Have I mentioned the birds in New Zealand? If not my blog-rights should be revoked. The soundtrack to our life is like a Discovery Chanel special on birds. They fill the morning air with their cheerful chatter. The variety of sounds combine in such a way that it sounds like we're in a forest of wind chimes. In the afternoon the sounds thin out a bit, and you can hear the distinct pure notes. I wish I knew the names of the birds. I wish I could whistle.

We had two days of blustery winds, horizontal rain and see-your-breath cold. Other than that the weather was gorgeous, and if we had done the trip only one way, we would not have seen the turquiose waters and the green hills in all of their beauty. The hills claw directly into the water like tree covered fingers, and beyond each hill is another hill and another and then a mountain, and then further in the distance are more mountains covered in snow.

We rewarded ourselves with a hot, hearty meal at the local RSA (Returned and Services' Assoc.--the NZ version of the VFW). Armed with a full shaker of salt we enjoyed some stunning roast veg, roast beef and unlimited salad bar. Chris was particularly pleased...but he'll probably give you his perspective in his blog. On his blog. At his blog. What sort of preposition sticks to "blog"?