The view about 30 minutes from the peak.
Have you ever gotten the urge to just get up now and do something? Well, Saturday night, the international flatmates did. We wanted to go tramping (hiking) now. Unfortunately, it was about 9 pm. So, after some hurried research on the internet and in our travel books we found a tramp: Bethunes Gully to Mount Cargill track. We sort-of found a bus schedule to take us close. Then we went to sleep.
Well, after Olympic Power Walking and a little scrambling, we just manage to catch the bus...and then watch as it rides us through the streets we just sprinted through. With that, we were plenty warmed-up for the walk and determined to get away from the bus. The nice driver told us our stop and how to get to the track, and after a little confusion, we found it. So next time you want to go on a tramp, really know what you are doing to avoid being lost.
Well, after Olympic Power Walking and a little scrambling, we just manage to catch the bus...and then watch as it rides us through the streets we just sprinted through. With that, we were plenty warmed-up for the walk and determined to get away from the bus. The nice driver told us our stop and how to get to the track, and after a little confusion, we found it. So next time you want to go on a tramp, really know what you are doing to avoid being lost.
The entrance to Bethunes Gully.
Overall, the tramp was wonderful, and I cannot wait to go on another. But, it was rather difficult at points because I had not been hiking for about a year. So, I struggled with breath control going up. My naturally slower pace and multiple stops to take pictures gave me time to catch my breath...but it was still difficult. Do not forget a water bottle, even if it is 5 degrees Celcius and lower (to find an approximate Fahrenheit for ALL Celcius measurements, just double the number and add 30...so, it was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit). Hydration is key and it instantly gave me energy for the next steep uphill. Also, for me, the trek down was harder on the knees/hips, which I thought was worse than struggling for breath. We took about 2 hours to go up and about 1 hour to go down. We were exhausted and just wanted to finish...and that rush led to a greater amount of pain the next day. So, use caution and take your time.
The trail we took up Mt. Cargill. The minor pain (and sometimes giant stairs up the mountain, which I hate) was worth it. On the way up, we saw many people, some with small dogs, big dogs, or small children (all were more fit than me). The views were gorgeous. The trees would arch over the trail, ferns would form a canopy above you, mini waterfalls and rivers were constanly running near--and sometimes through--the path. The ferns were a bright green, trees and their roots were various shades of brown that blended in with the moist dirt, dirty gray rocks would peek out like a tiny mountains, and the water was pure and cool. The sun would occasionally peek through the trees and create speckled patterns on the trail, which would dance in the wind. And the birds...they sing. Almost all the birds I have heard in America either tweet, chirp, caw, cluck, cock-a-doodle, screech, squawk or whistle. Usually it is only one or two notes or a short flutter. But the birds here--they sing multiple notes, various pitches, sustained tunes, and songs that ring and linger in the air.
The view of the Peninsula from the peak.
At the top, the wind rushed over the peak, roaring past the trees and large radio tower. It also carried the scent of the forest we passed through, the salty water from the nearby peninsula, and chocolate (one of my flatmates brought chocolate and opened it at the top--the best way to say, "CONGRATS, you made it up!"). It was also much colder at the top and I was thankful I bought a polyprop shirt (thermal) the day before. I am also glad I have a shockproof camera, because I dropped it twice.
At the top, with all my warm gear! The moral of the story is: enjoy the tramp (up and down), reward yourself, stay warm and hydrated, be prepared, and--when in New Zealand--keep to the left. When there are two joggers headed towards you, move left. Not right. Otherwise, they stop and you look confused standing on the right trying to let them pass. Kiwis drive on the left side of the road...they also walk on the left. But, if you say "sorry," smile, and move on, everything is fine. Actually, it's beautiful because you are still on the side of a mountian, in the middle of the wilderness, climbing up to the top.
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