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Review of a knackering weekend. After a marvellous night's sleep in my first ever YHA including free wifi (even if i did fall asleep before I could use it properly...) I set out on my 60+km "tramp" - fundamentally a trek in New Zealand but more expensive and with fewer facilities. This was the Kepler Track (since the Milford Track is completely full most of the time due to hut capacities) and its the most easily accessible. I later learned that Bear Grylls has recently done the Routeburn Track. But I'm no copycat!
The photo is of the halfway point which was phenomenal and the best bit. I avoided dying earlier that day by not going to the summit of Mt Luxmore because of the 80km/hr winds rushing over the top [I did attempt it but after 1 metre I could tell that there would soon be an elongated Alex shaped splat stain down the jagged rocks. I would have regretted not trying.] Other highlights included the rather snazzy huts which weren't the shacks I was expecting, the beauty of seeing how far back I had just walked along the mountains, the portaloo with no door atop Forest Burn Saddle, Lake Manapouri (- the sand flies) and the magnificent rivers.
I spent Saturday night chatting with a kiwi-come-Australian and South African-come-Australian who were doing a few hikes together and practiced talking about teaching and learnt about their maths lessons. I feel even more confident and inspired to teeeeeeaaaaaccccchhhhh! I had a new idea for lessons too involving after each homework kids have to simply find some job/interest where that maths will be useful. They only need to write an extra couple of words (makes a change from digits) and the most interesting can have a sweet.
I experienced none of the forecast terrible rain. Means I didn't get to use my new rain jacket properly, I am actually disappointed at this. The second hut was warm and there were a load of entertaining ladies playing the card game 'Donkey' aka 'Spoons'. Plenty of sand flies so I could only enjoy the beach briefly.
My legs are about to give way from powering through on limited food (to make my bag lighter). I've got blisters. I got my poor aching legs an feet back to Te Anau by thinking of pizza and low and behold I found a pizzeria in town and had a "Below the Border", chilli beans and salsa on pizza with a dollop of soured cream. Fantastic. But i'm on the bus now back to Queenstown and it is just as stunning. The silhouette of the mountains at night with the moon and stars behind and the lake in front has me captivated. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. :)
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