the dusky and wanaka
coming back from the catlins, we got some topographic maps, a locator beacon, and were ready for the hard, suitable-only-for-the-most-crazy-experienced-hikers tramp in NZ - THE DUSKY.It's a 8-10 days tramp, but not having enough days we decided to venture just a little in - 2 days in, turning around, and getting out the same way...
We took a water taxi to the trail head and started the tramp.
Starting the trail, a tour bus stopped for a few seconds and carried on. We could almost hear the driver saying - while pointing at us - Pay attention, not everyday you can see something like that! These 2 trampers are going on the most dangerous tramp - THE DUSKY! they just don't know what's awaiting them.
Well, we walked a few hours in the muddy, over-grown tramp, and got to the hut.i fell once and got muddy, but nothing too exciting. much less fun the M-Day in the Taranaki.
The hut was very nice and cozy.And being swarmed with sand flies on the outside, so we just stayed in.
the following day we climbed to a beautiful saddle, with very good views.it was quite spectacular, but somewhat disappointing as well. we heard so much about the dusky, that we were waiting for something really extraordinary. and it wasn't. it wasn't better than the traverse-sabine in nelson lakes N.P. for example.
well, that's life.
anyway, at least we did enjoy the views...
standing there, on the saddle, we saw someone climbing up from the other side. so we waited for him before heading down. talking to him we understood that we won't have any nice views from there to the hut - only muddy path through the forest. so we did it again - we decided to cut the dusky one day shorter.
we left our stuff at the saddle and climbed to a nearby peak - Mt. Memphis. the views were really nice, but not as thrilling as we expected. we realised we're not as hungry for the views as we used to be...
what a lousy way to begin our last month in NZ... Maayan even started thinking seriously about bringing her flight a few days forward...
it was weird. sitting in such a beautiful sopt and feeling bitter disappointment. maybe we did have enough...
but it was still magnificent!
anyway, we went down, got our backpacks and started on the knees-breaking climbing down back to the hut. we were very glad to get to the hut eventually.
the next day we headed out, took a water taxi back to manapouri, and met Yuval in the evening. we had a relaxing evening.
so, though we had fun and good time doing the dusky, we were disappointed. it seems that the dusky is more about the challenge than about the scenery. but we're not there for the challenge... in NZ terms, we don't care about the "demanding" part - we're in for the "rewarding"...
the next day Yuval went on a tour to the dusky sound, while we had a rest day.
Maayan's mom fixed her with a flight on the 17th...
in the afternoon, when he got back, we drove to queenstown, dined out, and carried on to Wanaka, where we spent the night.
the next day we just relaxed in the city, and even went to see "charlotte's web" in "cinema paradiso". it's a really nice cinema, with old sofas for sits (and there's even a car), and at break time you can have freshed baked cookies...it was really nice. it's a good children movie, and the atmosphere was perfect :)
but after the movie i'd had enough of cities. so we did some "backcountry camping" about 20 minutes out of wanaka, towards Mt. Aspiring.
we had an incredible night!
it was so much fun!
Yuval and Maayan had some beers, and we just sat there, listening to pink floyd, watching the sunset and the moonrise. it was full moon, and he was huge and very bright, and it was amazing. and the weather was so nice that i slept outside the tent...:)
we spent the next day in wanaka, including a few nice hours in the puzzling world - a labyrinth and an exhibition of optical illusions. it was really good fun.
later we drove to glenorchy, from which we were to start the routeburn the following day. what a beautiful place! a small town, on a lake, among these magnificent mountains.
and the lesson - all the kiwis, when they are kids have a brainwash about 3 things:- you see a possum - you kill it.- milford is the most beautiful place on earth.- only the most crazy people go on the dusky and they are "putting their life in their hands".
relevant album...
http://tomeraroundtheworld.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b32b47e30564
We took a water taxi to the trail head and started the tramp.
Starting the trail, a tour bus stopped for a few seconds and carried on. We could almost hear the driver saying - while pointing at us - Pay attention, not everyday you can see something like that! These 2 trampers are going on the most dangerous tramp - THE DUSKY! they just don't know what's awaiting them.
Well, we walked a few hours in the muddy, over-grown tramp, and got to the hut.i fell once and got muddy, but nothing too exciting. much less fun the M-Day in the Taranaki.
The hut was very nice and cozy.And being swarmed with sand flies on the outside, so we just stayed in.
the following day we climbed to a beautiful saddle, with very good views.it was quite spectacular, but somewhat disappointing as well. we heard so much about the dusky, that we were waiting for something really extraordinary. and it wasn't. it wasn't better than the traverse-sabine in nelson lakes N.P. for example.
well, that's life.
anyway, at least we did enjoy the views...
standing there, on the saddle, we saw someone climbing up from the other side. so we waited for him before heading down. talking to him we understood that we won't have any nice views from there to the hut - only muddy path through the forest. so we did it again - we decided to cut the dusky one day shorter.
we left our stuff at the saddle and climbed to a nearby peak - Mt. Memphis. the views were really nice, but not as thrilling as we expected. we realised we're not as hungry for the views as we used to be...
what a lousy way to begin our last month in NZ... Maayan even started thinking seriously about bringing her flight a few days forward...
it was weird. sitting in such a beautiful sopt and feeling bitter disappointment. maybe we did have enough...
but it was still magnificent!
anyway, we went down, got our backpacks and started on the knees-breaking climbing down back to the hut. we were very glad to get to the hut eventually.
the next day we headed out, took a water taxi back to manapouri, and met Yuval in the evening. we had a relaxing evening.
so, though we had fun and good time doing the dusky, we were disappointed. it seems that the dusky is more about the challenge than about the scenery. but we're not there for the challenge... in NZ terms, we don't care about the "demanding" part - we're in for the "rewarding"...
the next day Yuval went on a tour to the dusky sound, while we had a rest day.
Maayan's mom fixed her with a flight on the 17th...
in the afternoon, when he got back, we drove to queenstown, dined out, and carried on to Wanaka, where we spent the night.
the next day we just relaxed in the city, and even went to see "charlotte's web" in "cinema paradiso". it's a really nice cinema, with old sofas for sits (and there's even a car), and at break time you can have freshed baked cookies...it was really nice. it's a good children movie, and the atmosphere was perfect :)
but after the movie i'd had enough of cities. so we did some "backcountry camping" about 20 minutes out of wanaka, towards Mt. Aspiring.
we had an incredible night!
it was so much fun!
Yuval and Maayan had some beers, and we just sat there, listening to pink floyd, watching the sunset and the moonrise. it was full moon, and he was huge and very bright, and it was amazing. and the weather was so nice that i slept outside the tent...:)
we spent the next day in wanaka, including a few nice hours in the puzzling world - a labyrinth and an exhibition of optical illusions. it was really good fun.
later we drove to glenorchy, from which we were to start the routeburn the following day. what a beautiful place! a small town, on a lake, among these magnificent mountains.
and the lesson - all the kiwis, when they are kids have a brainwash about 3 things:- you see a possum - you kill it.- milford is the most beautiful place on earth.- only the most crazy people go on the dusky and they are "putting their life in their hands".
relevant album...
http://tomeraroundtheworld.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b32b47e30564
posted by הזידנרים at 5:43 PM
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