New Zealand 2017, Part 1

Springtime in the Southern Hemisphere

WEDNESDAY, 12/13/17, NELSON, NEW ZEALAND

Walking.  Hiking.  Trekking.  Tripping.  Tramping.  Call it what you will.  We've gotten a good night's sleep after the long flight and are ready to go.  We meet our guides, Jan and Elysia, and the rest of the group and then we'll set off for our adventure.  Nelson is a comfortable, walkable, small city, with inviting coffee shops everywhere.  Carol said that she could settle here and be happy.

We ate dinner last night on the outdoor patio of an Indian restaurant.  After dinner, we chatted with the staff person who was lowering the flags in front of the hotel, first the American flag, then the New Zealand and finally a flag we didn't recognize.  It had a cross and a bishop's miter.  I was curious and asked about it.  It is the flag of Nelson, the man said.  Long ago, the Queen of England bestowed her official recognition on Nelson and it received various privileges, signified by the flag.

The gentleman, about our age, moved here decades ago from Amsterdam and has never looked back.  He has found his paradise in Nelson.  His kids are grown, he told us, and now he works for just enough money for food, shelter and travel, the latter his passion.

Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson

They speak English here, but they phrase things their own way.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK

St. Arnaud is a small village of about 300 people in what feels like the middle of nowhere, otherwise known as Nelson Lakes National Park, a place of stunning beauty.  The town is nestled on the shore of Lake Rotoiti (Maori for Little Lake).

After we arrived yesterday and settled into our rooms at the Alpine Lodge, Jan and Elysia led the group on a short warm-up hike through the woods.  Both Jan and Elysia are well-versed in local flora and fauna, and we stopped often to learn something of the local ecosystem.  They warned us of the wasps of the region and told us to be alert as we walked in the woods.

The view from our room at the Alpine Lodge in St. Arnaud

Today was our first full day of hiking.  The day featured what might be the most demanding hike of the trip, a seven-mile trek that included a climb up Mount Robert.  The climb entailed a 1,700 foot  elevation gain.  Neither Carol, I nor our new friend, Sarah, were quite up to the challenge and opted instead to hike a path along the shoreline of Lake Rotoiti.  It was a lovely walk in the woods, just what we needed.

The Trail Head for the Day's Hike

Frequently during our hike we were serenaded by some of the loveliest bird songs I've ever heard, loud and beautiful.  It was difficult to spot the birds, but not difficult to enjoy their melodies.  Our friend, Sue Keator, is an avid bird watcher, and found a book on birds of New Zealand, which we brought along on the trip.  I can't say we've been real good at spotting birds and identifying birds, but thanks to Sue we're much more attentive and always listening.  We know the weka, a flightless bird that wanders into our path, seemingly unconcerned by our presence.  The kiwi is nocturnal and rare and thus not easy to find, but we keep hoping.  

Lake Rotoiti

We hiked to the West Bay Campground, where we came across a women's college rowing team that was busily loading their sculls onto trailers after a week of practicing for a competition this weekend in Nelson.  Sarah told us as we settled ourselves at a picnic table that she had rowed competitively all through high school.  I chatted with one of the coaches, Trudy Keys, who told us about the team.  I noted that each boat was named after a woman.  She said the boats were named for women who had played a role in the history of the team.

A busy scene greeted us after a tranquil hike through the words.

Gillian Simpson is the current principal of the school

Trudy pointed out the scull named after her "because I've been around so long."

After we rested and snacked, we headed back toward St. Arnaud through the forest, trading the hustle and bustle of the rowing team's work for the the solitude of the forest.  We emerged later at the edge of town, where we encountered a reminder of our guides' warning of the previous day.

New Zealand has no poisonous spiders or snakes, but...

Next, we're off to Abel Tasman National Park.  In my next posting,  you'll read about glow worms, the night skies of the southern hemisphere, duck farts and beach cricket.