Sleeping outside in a tent is something that makes us very happy under ordinary circumstances. Add to that the fact that it is December and that we are waking up in New Zealand on Day 3 of a multi-day backpack, and we are feeling pretty dang lucky right now. (more…)
I wake up to a swollen eye and wonder if one of New Zealand’s pesky sand flies chomped on me during the night. Hopefully, it will go away before too long, but I feel a little dread as I have had such bad reactions to bug bites lately. Ughh…
We have a lazy 9 am departure and begin our day back at the beach of Shallow Bay. The skies look a little dark and moody as we set off, and we wonder if we have some rain in store ahead. From the beach, we follow the lakeshore for a bit before ducking back into the mossy beech forest carpeted in lush green ferns for the 16.2-kilometer relatively flat tramp to the Iris Burn campsite. (more…)
According to Lonely Planet, the Kepler Track was originally developed as an alternative hike to help ease the demand for reservations on the South Island’s highly popular Milford and Routeburn Tracks. The label alternative may lead you to believe that this hike is somehow inferior to its more famous siblings, but don’t let that fool you. The Kepler Track is a beauty of a tramp in its own right. (more…)
Waking up on Day 3 of the Routeburn Track, one of the world’s classic treks, in beautiful New Zealand feels just like waking up on Christmas morning for these two hiking enthusiasts. And what do you know? It is Christmas morning! (more…)
So it turns out that sleeping in a room with two dozen or so other people doesn’t necessarily produce the best night of sleep. Go figure! Matt says that a man a few beds down from us started screaming in his sleep in the middle of the night. His wife settled him down. Somehow, I manage to sleep through that, but, as soon as the first hiker in the room starts to stir, I am wide awake. I play possum for a while hoping to will myself back to sleep, but there’s no hope. (more…)
Our first taste of New Zealand’s Great Walks is the Routeburn Track, a 3-day 32.1-kilometer trek that is often touted as one of the country’s finest. In a country known for spectacular hiking, that’s quite an endorsement. It also happens to be considered one of the world’s “Classic Hikes,” so you know we are all over this one! (more…)
It’s practically unheard of to visit the South Island of New Zealand and not go on a cruise in Fjordland’s magnificent Milford Sound. With sheer cliffs rising dramatically out of the deep blue waters, frolicking seals and dolphins and more breathtaking waterfalls than you can keep track of, Milford Sound is a must-see destination on practically every visitor’s list. (more…)
After more than a year of planning we finally set off for New Zealand on December 16, a Friday. This is actually a day earlier than planned, but, with a nasty winter storm forecasted for Saturday in Chicago, United has encouraged us to fly to San Francisco a day early to avoid it. We jump on the opportunity and pack up in a rush, but we don’t mind. There’s no way we are going to miss out on our dream trip to Middle Earth for anything. No way. New Zealand or bust!!! (more…)
Take A Hike Photography 