tramping new zealand

When we were planning this expedition, I’d suggested we have a full day in Karamea to relax together and do a little exploration, but as it turned out, the flight schedule meant we ended up with two full days.

After the five days on the Heaphy, much in the drizzle, it was time to dry out the contents of my pack and load the new food aboard that I had posted to Karamea.

My plan was to get to Johnson Hut as one of the last Kahurangi huts to complete the full set. Then I would mosey over the Wangapeka Track via Kakapo Hut, and hitchhike back to Nelson.

Washing was done both of body and clothes, and laundry was strewn around our rooms, while we explored the hinterland.

We had matched enthusiasm for getting into the Ōparara Basin for a look at the arch and the Mirror Tarn track. We visited the Walking Tree that was having its 15 minutes of fame with Radio New Zealand listeners.

We also enjoyed some holiday dining, both dinner and breakfast, including the excellent omelettes at Vinnie’s Cafe.

That was a fitting conclusion to our excellent adventure.

This had been a rare tramp on a popular track with others at peak season. I’m happy enough to mooch along remote tracks on my lonesome, but this was a reminder of the joys of cheery companionship that I had experienced in my first years of getting into the outdoors.

Fortunately, we shared a curiosity about the environment and an appreciation of the wonders of the areas we passed through.

We agreed on the idea that it was unnecessary to speed A-to-B-style through the landscape, only to sit inside the hut for hours. Instead, we might as well take our time and soak up the wonders of the remarkable forest and mysterious tussock carpeted Downs.

We agreed to add Mt Perry to our itinerary, which is just off the track, but with an additional 400-metre climb. When I suggested turning back when the weather changed for the worse, there was no objection. no requirement to persevere for the sake of accomplishment, or ticking off some objective. We had experienced a stretch of track finding in the close confines of Dracophyllum forest and engaged in some loose boulder hopping.

My thoughts of staying at Gouland Downs Hut were immediately accepted without fuss, allowing the other two to experience walking on their own and at their own pace. They had seen the adult takahe pair when they came to visit the hut towards sunset.

We stood in the drizzle in mutual appreciation of seeing a lone blue duck/whio. No Powelliphanta snails were spotted creeping along to ambush their prey, although some empty shells were seen at the huts.

They really surprised me with a delicious dessert at Heaphy Hut, with me and my tent out in the drizzle once again.

But when the requirement to be more focused to rendezvous with the bus at the conclusion of the trail came, we put a foot on the accelerator.

Despite my usual solo efforts, I do enjoy company. Just need to have compatible objectives, like for these few days.