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Eventyr i New Zealand
  • Gitte Jensen
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  • Gitte Jensen

Eventyr i New Zealand

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    1The sun finally arrivedWent on some kind of trail11

    Locke stream Hut - Arthurs pass village

    18–19 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    I dag gik det videre mod en gangbro ved siden af en trafikeret vej og en flod. Her kunne man slå sit telt op, inden det dagen efter ville gå videre op mod Goat Pass, og to dage senere ville man ankomme til Arthur’s Pass.

    Vi fik endelig set solen i dag, hvilket har været savnet! Efter endnu et utalligt antal flodkrydsninger er vi langsomt blevet eksperter og mere trygge ved det - vandet er dog desværre ikke blevet varmere.

    Vi kom flere gange igennem nogle meget stikkende buske, da det ikke var muligt at krydse floden, og man ikke længere kunne gå langs bredden. Det var meget ubehageligt!

    Det var dog fascinerende at se, hvordan træer lå langs bredden over hundrede meter fra selve floden, og hvilke enorme mængder regn der må have faldet, før de har kunnet havne der.

    Svea og jeg havde dog fået nok de seneste dage af væltede træer, flodkrydsninger og stier, der ikke længere eksisterede. Vi besluttede os derfor efter en lang dag på over ni timer for at hitche ind til Arthur’s Pass Village (som er en gennemkørselsby). Her fik vi spist, vasket vores tøj, taget et bad og ladet vores powerbanks op, inden vi fortsætter de kommende dage på næste strækning - som forhåbentlig bliver en smule sjovere.

    ————

    Today we continued towards a footbridge beside a busy road and a river. Here, it was possible to pitch a tent, before heading up towards Goat Pass the following day, and two days later arriving at Arthur’s Pass.

    We finally saw the sun today, which has been sorely missed! After yet another countless number of river crossings, we have slowly become experts and much more confident - unfortunately, the water has not become any warmer.

    Several times we had to push our way through very prickly bushes, as it was not possible to cross the river and it was no longer possible to walk along the riverbank. It was very uncomfortable!

    However, it was fascinating to see how trees were lying along the riverbank more than a hundred metres from the river itself, and to imagine the enormous amounts of rain that must have fallen for them to end up there.

    Svea and I had had enough over the past few days of fallen trees, river crossings, and trails that no longer existed. After a long day of more than nine hours, we therefore decided to hitchhike into Arthur’s Pass Village (which is essentially a transit town). There, we ate, washed our clothes, took a shower, and charged our power banks before continuing over the next few days on the next section - which we hope will be a bit more enjoyable.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Three wire bridgeEmergency hutThe trail is goneAnother cute emergency hut11Locke stream Hut

    Hurunui Hut No. 3 - Locke stream Hut

    17–18 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Det var den helt rigtige beslutning, at vi ikke gik videre i går. Da vi så “stien” frem til den første lille nødhytte, vi ellers ville have overnattet ved, blev vi glade for at have en mere ordentlig madras og en mere tæt hytte.

    Størstedelen af stien var skyllet væk, så der var ikke mange markeringer at se i dag. Så snart stien forsvandt, var den eneste mulighed at gå langs floden, hvilket til dels var træls, da det hele tiden skiftede, hvilken side man kunne gå på, og floden derfor skulle krydses utallige gange.

    Højdepunktet var de to små nødhytter, som vi så på vejen, samt den lille tre-wire-bro, man kunne krydse. Da floden var relativ lav, og der var et sted i nærheden, hvor man kunne krydse, valgte jeg i stedet at gøre dette, imens Svea gik over “broen”.

    ————

    It was absolutely the right decision not to continue yesterday. When we saw the “track” leading to the first small emergency hut where we would have stayed, we were very glad to have a proper mattress and a more solid hut instead.

    Most of the track had been washed away, so there weren’t many markers to follow today. As soon as the track disappeared, the only option was to walk along the river, which was quite frustrating, as the walkable side kept changing and the river therefore had to be crossed countless times.

    The highlights were the two small emergency huts we passed along the way, as well as a small three-wire bridge that could be crossed. Since the river was relatively low and there was a nearby spot where it was possible to cross, I chose to do that instead, while Svea crossed the “bridge”.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    The trail was washed awayHot springHot spring1Hurunui Hut No. 3

    Hurunui Hut - Hurunui Hut No. 3

    16–17 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Vi startede ud med at gå ind i skoven igen langs floden, hvor meget af den oprindelige vej var skyllet væk af de seneste ugers regn og blæsevejr. Vi kom derfor på en del omveje, som endnu en gang bestod af mange væltede træer og en masse mudder. De væltede træer var enten revet op af jorden eller lignede, at de var blevet sprængt af et lyn.

    På vejen, ved siden af et vandfald, var der en varm kilde, hvor vi stod i vandet i 10 minutter, da man hurtigt blev overfaldet af de mange sandfluer. Vandet var dog meget varmt, og det var fascinerende at opleve.

    Derefter gik vi endnu en gang langs floden i regnvejr og kom frem til den første hytte, hvor vi efter en times overvejelse besluttede os for at blive i stedet for at gå videre. Da det var begyndt at regne mere, og efter tre dage i skoven med mange væltede træer, mudder og regn, var vi generelt bare ikke begejstrede for at gå yderligere timer denne dag.

    Vi stoppede derfor og blev i hytten med de andre, spillede kort og fik gang i brændeovnen, selvom den havde et mindre hul i sin “udluftning”.

    ————

    We started out by heading back into the forest along the river, where much of the original track had been washed away by the past few weeks of rain and strong winds. As a result, we had to take several detours, which once again involved many fallen trees and a lot of mud. The fallen trees had either been ripped out of the ground or looked as if they had been blasted apart by lightning.

    Along the way, next to a waterfall, there was a hot spring where we stood in the water for about 10 minutes, as the many sandflies quickly started attacking us. The water was very hot, and it was fascinating to experience.

    After that, we once again walked along the river in the rain and reached the first hut, where, after an hour of consideration, we decided to stay instead of continuing on. The rain had intensified, and after three days in the forest with countless fallen trees, mud, and rain, we simply weren’t enthusiastic about hiking for several more hours that day.

    So we stopped and stayed in the hut with the others, played cards, and got the wood stove going, even though it had a small hole in its “ventilation”.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Starting the day without knowing how shit it will be1Where to go???21More rain after a rainy day

    Hope kiwi lodge - Hurunui Hut

    15–16 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    I dag var sådan en dag, hvor man bare bliver nemt frustreret. Vi startede ud med at gå på en mark med køer, hvor der var en masse vandløb. Det var dog mere som en stor sump med 80 % lort. Derefter gik vi ind i en skov, som var noget af det mest håbløse, jeg har prøvet længe.

    Der var ikke særlig mange markeringer af ruten, da mange træer var væltet eller blevet skyllet væk af regn. Hele stien var endnu ikke blevet ryddet af nogen med en motorsav, så det var ret anstrengende at bevæge sig igennem og til tider en ren gætteleg på, hvad der muligvis kunne være en sti. Samtidig regnede det, men heldigvis blæste det ikke – så nye væltede træer var ikke et problem!

    Tre kilometer før hytten skulle en hængebro krydses, og det var en af de mest usikre broer, jeg har krydset hidtil. Den havde i hvert fald brug for et eftersyn. Den svingede meget, og samtidig var der flere huller i den, hvilket gjorde det lidt mere spændende!

    Det var en af de hidtil dårligste dage, og de andre i hytten havde haft en lige så dårlig dag – så vi bandede en del over trailen og over, hvor unødvendigt det var at gå igennem skoven.

    ————

    Today was one of those days where you just get easily frustrated. We started out walking across a field with cows, full of small streams, but it felt more like a huge swamp made up of about 80% manure. After that, we entered a forest that was some of the most hopeless terrain I’ve experienced in a long time.

    There weren’t many trail markers, as many trees had fallen or been washed away by the rain. The trail hadn’t yet been cleared by anyone with a chainsaw, so moving through it was exhausting and, at times, a complete guessing game as to what might actually be the trail. At the same time, it was raining, but luckily there was no wind - so newly falling trees weren’t a problem!

    Three kilometers before the hut, we had to cross a suspension bridge, and it was one of the most unstable bridges I’ve crossed so far. It definitely needed an inspection. It swayed a lot, and there were also several holes in it, which made the crossing a bit more exciting!

    It was one of the worst days so far, and the others in the hut had had just as bad a day, so we did a fair amount of cursing about the trail and about how unnecessary it was to walk through that forest.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    1A backpack old carrotThe best view of the dayA nice new hut

    Hammer Springs - Hope Kiwi lodge

    14–15 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Vi blev hentet af vores shuttle om morgenen og kørte 40 min. til Windy Point (ja, det hedder stedet), hvorfra vi startede Arthur’s Pass, som består af en masse flodkrydsninger – så vi er meget afhængige af vejret. Derfor har vi også taget mad med til nogle ekstra dage, i tilfælde af at vi skal vente, til floden falder igen.

    Vi startede i regn, men efter en times tid stoppede det med at regne, og vi gik langs en flod, gennem skov og åbne græsarealer, og som altid blev nogle hængebroer krydset, inden vi ankom til hytten.

    Her mødte jeg blandt andet et skotsk par, som jeg ikke har set siden lidt syd for Hamilton.

    Svea og jeg havde opgraderet os med et spil minikort, og jeg lærte hende og en anden at spille 500 – altså den normale version, hvilket var ret hyggeligt, da det var begyndt at regne igen.

    ————

    We were picked up by our shuttle in the morning and drove for 40 minutes to Windy Point (yes, that’s actually the name of the place), where we started Arthur’s Pass, which involves a lot of river crossings - meaning we are very dependent on the weather. For that reason, we also brought food for a few extra days, in case we have to wait for the river levels to drop again.

    We started out in the rain, but after about an hour it stopped raining, and we walked along a river, through forest and open grassland, and, as always, crossed a few suspension bridges before arriving at the hut.

    Here, I met a Scottish couple, among others, whom I hadn’t seen since a bit south of Hamilton.

    Svea and I had upgraded ourselves with a deck of mini playing cards, and I taught her and another hiker how to play 500, the regular version, which turned out to be quite cozy, as it had started raining again.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    2111

    Boyle Hut - Hammer Springs

    11–14 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Sidste dag på Waiau Pass Track og dermed civilisation igen efter syv dage.

    Det regnede det meste af dagen, og vi var tilbage i vores gode mudrede skove – hvilket jeg ikke har savnet.

    Efter knap fire timer og et lille styrt i et vandløb ankom vi endelig til Boyle Outdoor Center, hvor man kunne købe nogle små forsyninger, herunder pizza og cola! Så tiltrængt! Det tog dog lidt tid, inden pizzaen var færdig, da strømmen havde været væk de seneste timer grundet vejret, og de derfor kørte på generator.

    Vi havde arrangeret et shuttle ind til byen Hanmer Springs, som er kendt for sine varme kilder og bade. Vi havde derfor planlagt at blive i Hanmer Springs de kommende tre dage, hvilket jeg virkelig så frem til.

    Det blev nogle afslappende dage med masser af mad!

    Nu går turen videre til Arthurs pass den kommende uge.

    ————

    Last day on the Waiau Pass Track, and with that, a return to civilisation after seven days.

    It rained for most of the day, and we were back in our familiar muddy forests - something I definitely hadn’t missed.

    After just under four hours and a small fall into a stream, we finally arrived at Boyle Outdoor Center, where it was possible to buy some basic supplies, including pizza and cola. So badly needed! It did take a while before the pizza was ready, though, as the power had been out for several hours due to the weather, so they were running on a generator.

    We had arranged a shuttle into the town of Hanmer Springs, which is known for its hot springs and baths. We had therefore planned to stay in Hanmer Springs for the next three days, something I was really looking forward to.

    They turned out to be some very relaxing days with lots of food!

    The coming week I’ll be on Arthurs pass.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Anne hut
    11Boyle HutBoyle hutBoyle Hut

    Anne hut - Boyle Hut

    10–11 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Efter en meget bedre nattesøvn og med viden om, at hytten var godt stormsikret, tog vi afsted mod Boyle Hut efter endnu en meget blæsende nat.

    Det regnede lidt i løbet af dagen og fortsatte med at blæse, hvilket især kunne mærkes, når diverse broer skulle krydses. Hele dagen gik langs floden. I græsset begyndte der at flyve store guldsmede rundt, hvilket var meget fascinerende at kigge på.

    Vi overvejede kort, om vi skulle fortsætte de næste fire timer til næste sted, men besluttede os for at blive ved Boyle Hut, hvor vi ankom relativt tidligt.

    Her spillede vi et kortspil kaldet 500, men det var ikke det kortspil, som jeg kender. Svea og jeg spillede sammen med en, hun var startet med på 90 Mile Beach, og hans søn, hvilket endte med at blive ret sjovt, da det tog noget tid, før vi helt havde forstået spillet. Det blev derfor ret sent (kl. 21), inden vi gik i seng.

    ————

    After a much better night’s sleep and knowing that the hut was well protected against storms, we set off toward Boyle Hut after yet another very windy night.

    It rained a little during the day and continued to be windy, which was especially noticeable when crossing the various bridges. The entire day followed the river. Large dragonflies began flying around in the grass, which was fascinating to watch.

    We briefly considered continuing for another four hours to the next stop, but decided to stay at Boyle Hut, where we arrived relatively early.

    Here, we played a card game called 500, but it wasn’t the version of 500 that I know. Svea and I played together with someone she had started with on 90 Mile Beach and his son. It turned out to be quite funny, as it took some time before we fully understood the rules. As a result, it got fairly late (9 p.m.) before we went to bed.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    11

    Wild Camp - Anne Hut

    9–10 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Natten blev en af de mest elendige, jeg har haft hidtil. I løbet af aftenen og natten blæste det voldsomt, og nogle af mine teltpløkker blev ved med at komme op af den stenede jord. Jeg brugte derfor det meste af natten på at barrikadere mit telt med sten og holdt det blandt andet på plads ved at binde det til mine sko og derefter rygsækken samt forskellige sten. Jeg sad dog alligevel inde i teltet og holdt fast i mine vandrestave, da jeg var bange for, at mit telt ville blæse i stykker.

    I bjergene er det typisk, at det ikke blæser hele tiden, men indimellem kan man høre, hvordan vinden suser forbi træerne, og et par sekunder senere rammer vinden meget hårdt. Derefter er der lidt stille igen, indtil næste vindbølge rammer. Newzealænderne kalder fænomenet for “wind bullets”.

    Efter få timers søvn ventede der en meget lang dag foran os, da det senere viste sig at være umuligt at slå teltet op i løbet af dagen på grund af fortsat vind og åbent landskab. Vi blev derfor nødt til at gå 36 km for at ankomme til en hytte, hvor vi heldigvis fandt ly og plads - hvilket dermed betød en god nats søvn.

    Svea og jeg fulgtes med de tre andre, som vi næsten hver dag har set siden Richmond. Dagen bød på utallige flodkrydsninger, og efter 20+ krydsninger gav jeg op med at tælle dem. Landskabet åbnede sig med flotte blomster langs floderne og bjergene i baggrunden, hvilket var fantastisk at vandre igennem.

    Efter at have indset, at vi måtte hele vejen til hytten, og at vi begge var utrolig trætte efter en dårlig nat, besluttede vi os otte kilometer før hytten, for at lave aftensmad og derefter gå videre. Det viste sig at være en god beslutning, da det gav både energi og motivation. Efter lidt over 12 timers vandring, plus nogle pauser, ankom vi endelig til hytten og gik direkte i seng.

    ————

    The night turned out to be one of the worst I have had so far. Throughout the evening and night, the wind was howling, and some of my tent pegs kept pulling out of the rocky ground. I therefore spent most of the night barricading my tent with stones and securing it by tying it to my shoes and then to my backpack, as well as to various rocks. Even so, I sat inside the tent holding onto my trekking poles, afraid that the tent would be torn apart by the wind.

    In the mountains, it’s typical that the wind doesn’t blow constantly. Instead, you can hear it rushing through the trees, and a few seconds later it hits extremely hard. Then it calms down again until the next gust arrives. New Zealanders call this phenomenon “wind bullets.”

    After only a few hours of sleep, a very long day lay ahead of us. It later turned out to be impossible to pitch a tent during the day due to the continued wind and open terrain, so we were forced to walk 36 km to reach a hut, where we fortunately found shelter and space, which meant a proper night’s sleep.

    Svea and I walked together with the three others we had been seeing almost every day since Richmond. The day included countless river crossings, and after more than 20 crossings, I gave up counting them. The landscape opened up with beautiful flowers along the rivers and mountains in the background, making it an incredible place to hike through.

    After realizing that we had to make it all the way to the hut and that we were both extremely tired after a bad night, we decided eight kilometers before the hut to stop and cook dinner and then continue walking. This turned out to be a great decision, as it gave us both energy and motivation. After just over 12 hours of hiking, plus a few breaks, we finally arrived at the hut and went straight to bed.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Morning view from my tent
    Blue LakeFirst climb of the day1Lake ConstanceVery clear waterFirst steep descent of the daySecond climbSecond climb of the dayOn the topDescent from Waiau passWhat the hell was that I went down from11We made it down on save ground

    Blue Lake - Wild Camp

    8–9 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I dag blev den hidtil flotteste dag på hele turen, ubeskriveligt landskab!

    Vi tog som de sidste afsted fra Blue Lake, så vi havde resten af dagen helt for os selv, hvilket var meget specielt. I dag skulle vi op ad turens næsthøjeste bjerg, Waiau Pass (1.861 hm). Inden da gik det dog først op mod Lake Constance, hvilket også gav en fantastisk udsigt. Vi gik et lille stykke oppefra med udsigt til søen, hvorefter det gik stejlt og langsomt nedad. Herefter havde vi et mere åbent og fladt stykke langs floden, hvilket var dejligt med en afveksling. Her holdt vi en kort pause med en lille nedkøling i vandet, inden det gik 500 hm. opad, hvilket føltes som lige op.

    Efter lidt over to timer var jeg endelig kommet til toppen, og Svea ventede på mig, da vi sammen ville gå nedad, som var beskrevet som til dels meget stejl. Hvilket igen var noget, vi havde prøvet før, men denne gang passede beskrivelsen overhovedet ikke til de første 100 meter nedad, da det ikke havde noget med vandring at gøre, men mere fri klatring!

    På toppen havde vi set en helikopter lande og flyve væk længere nede fra bjerget, og vi vidste derfor, at en af dem, der kort tid forinden var gået nedad, var blevet hentet med helikopter og fløjet ud. Det gjorde os derfor begge lidt ekstra nervøse for, hvad der ventede os. Senere fandt vi dog ud af, at det heldigvis ikke havde været så slemt, men “blot” et knæproblem.

    Vi bevægede os derfor meget langsomt ned ad bjerget, og det var en kæmpe lettelse, da vi begge var kommet ned til floden og kunne holde en pause, inden det gik videre mod vores lille campsted, hvor vi kunne slå teltene op.

    ————

    Today turned out to be the most beautiful day of the entire trip so far, an indescribable landscape!

    We were the last to leave Blue Lake, which meant we had the rest of the day completely to ourselves, making it a very special experience. Today we were heading up the second-highest mountain of the trip, Waiau Pass (1,861 m). Before that, however, the trail first climbed toward Lake Constance, which already offered stunning views. We walked a short section above the lake with views down to it, before descending steeply and slowly.

    After that, we had a more open and flatter section along the river, which was a welcome change. Here we took a short break and cooled off in the water before starting a 500-meter climb that felt almost vertical. After just over two hours, I finally reached the top, where Svea was waiting for me, as we planned to descend together. The descent was described as partly very steep something we had experienced many times before, but this time the description did not match the first 100 meters at all, as it had nothing to do with hiking and was more like free climbing!

    At the top, we had seen a helicopter land and then fly away from further down the mountain, so we knew that someone who had descended shortly before us had been picked up and flown out. This made us both a bit more nervous about what lay ahead. Later, however, we found out that it fortunately hadn’t been too serious, but “just” a knee problem.

    We therefore moved very slowly down the mountain, and it was a huge relief when we both reached the river and could take a break before continuing on to our small campsite, where we pitched our tents.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Blue LakeBlue LakeBlue Lake

    Wild river - Blue Lake

    7–8 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Da vi tog videre fra vores lille campsted ved floden og gik knap 2,5 timer videre i skoven, inden vi holdt en kort pause ved den næste hytte, var vi begge meget glade for beslutningen fra dagen forinden om at stoppe.

    Derefter fortsatte turen langs floden, langsomt opad, i smukke omgivelser mod Blue Lake, som er en af verdens reneste søer, og hvor man på en god dag kan se ned til 80 meters dybde. Udsigten til søen var dog væsentligt bedre oppefra den næste dag. Søen er hellig for Māori-folket, og derfor må man ikke røre vandet. Ved siden af Blue Lake-hytten slog vi vores telte op, og om aftenen var hytten fuld, og teltpladserne ligeså, så der var også en smule mere larm, end der plejede at være.

    ————

    When we moved on from our small riverside campsite and walked almost 2.5 hours further through the forest before taking a short break at the next hut, we were both very happy with the decision we had made the day before to stop early.

    After that, the route continued along the river, slowly climbing through beautiful surroundings toward Blue Lake, which is one of the cleanest lakes in the world, and on a good day you can see down to a depth of 80 meters. However, the view of the lake was much better from above the following day. The lake is sacred to the Māori people, and therefore touching the water is not allowed. Next to Blue Lake Hut, we pitched our tents, and in the evening the hut was full and so were the tent sites, meaning it was a bit noisier than usual.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    2

    John Tait hut - wild river

    6–7 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I dag gik det en del op ad og atter op ad, hvilket var en smule udfordrende grundet solen og den begrænsede skygge på vejen op til toppen af Traverse Saddle (1787 hm), men heldigvis var der en del vandløb, man kunne køle sig ned i.

    Udsigten på toppen blev nydt, inden det begyndte at blæse en del. Nedstigningen var beskrevet som til tider stejl, hvilket har stået så mange gange før, men denne gang var den virkelig træls! Da jeg kom ned til trægrænsen, bestod de næste to timer af en masse trærødder, væltede træer og stejle passager.

    Svea og jeg havde på forhånd aftalt, at vi ikke ville gå hele vejen til næste hytte, men slå vores telte op, når vi kom ned til floden, hvor vi fandt et sted, der netop passede. Her sad vi i solen og var begge ret trætte efter den meget lange og krævende nedstigning. Da solen gik ned bag bjerget, og vi kom i skygge, blev vi spist af sandfluer, som var ret så flittige med at stikke løs.

    ————

    Today involved a lot of uphill, again and again, which was a bit challenging due to the sun and the limited shade on the way up to the top of Traverse Saddle (1,787 m), but fortunately there were plenty of streams where we could cool off.

    We enjoyed the view at the top before it started to get quite windy. The descent was described as steep at times, which we have read many times before, but this time it truly lived up to the description - in the worst way! Once I reached the tree line, the next two hours consisted of countless tree roots, fallen trees, and very steep sections.

    Svea and I had agreed in advance that we wouldn’t walk all the way to the next hut, but instead pitch our tents once we reached the river, where we found a spot that was just right. We sat there in the sun, both quite exhausted after the very long and demanding descent. When the sun disappeared behind the mountain and we were left in the shade, we were quickly eaten alive by sandflies, which were extremely busy biting away.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    11

    St. Arnaud - John Tait hut

    5–6 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Vi mødtes en sidste gang med dem, vi havde været undervejs med i Richmond den seneste uge, da et canadisk par tog et andet sted hen uden for ruten. Vi havde derfor en farvelmorgenmad med pandekagetårn! Vi havde joket med de andre om, at vi ville tage en vandtaxi de første 9 km og derfra gå, da det ellers ville blive en lang dag.

    Da vi kom ned til søen, kunne Svea og jeg ikke stå for muligheden, da vi så, at de 9 km ville have været langs søbredden, men i skov. Vi bookede os derfor på den næste vandtaxi, hvilket var dagens gode beslutning, eftersom resten af dagen stod på meget sol.

    Da vi begyndte at vandre, kunne jeg godt mærke, at pandekagetårn og pizzarester til morgenmad ikke var min vante morgenmad. Det vendte sig derfor kort tid efter i maven, men til stor lettelse!

    Trods at vi skippede nogle kilometer om morgenen, blev det alligevel en lang dag i skov og langs flodbredden. Det var derfor en lettelse, da vi endelig ankom til John Tait-hytten.

    Første dag af de kommende syv dage på Waiau Pass-stien var nu overstået, og de kommende dage skulle vise sig at blive nogle af de hidtil smukkeste på turen.

    ————

    We met one last time with those we had been hiking with in Richmond over the past week, as a Canadian couple was heading somewhere else off the route. We therefore had a farewell breakfast with a pancake tower! We had joked with the others that we would take a water taxi for the first 9 km and then walk, as it would otherwise be a very long day.

    When we reached the lake, Svea and I couldn’t resist the opportunity when we realized that the 9 km would have been along the lakeshore, but through forest. We therefore booked seats on the next water taxi, which turned out to be the best decision of the day, as the rest of the day was very sunny.

    When we started hiking, I could tell that a pancake tower and leftover pizza for breakfast was not my usual morning meal. My stomach reacted shortly after, but fortunately it was more of a relief than a problem!

    Even though we skipped a few kilometers in the morning, it still turned into a long day through forest and along the riverbank. It was therefore a relief when we finally arrived at John Tait Hut.

    The first day of the upcoming seven days on the Waiau Pass Track was now over, and the coming days would turn out to be some of the most beautiful of the journey so far.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Wet shoesNice view1A lot of trash1

    Red hills hut - St. Arnaud

    3–5 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Om morgenen var det meget tåget, og man kunne ikke se særlig meget. De andre tog en længere vej ned til St. Arnaud, og jeg blev lidt længere i hytten og tog derefter en meget kortere vej ned til vejen, hvor jeg fik et lift af nogle søde sydafrikanere, som var flyttet til New Zealand. De gav mig både Sprite og chokolade, hvilket var tiltrængt som morgenmad.

    I St. Arnaud blev vi i to nætter og spiste utrolig godt de to dage. Her fik vi også købt nye forsyninger til den kommende strækning.
    Om aftenen mødtes vi med de andre og tog ud og spiste på byens eneste restaurant på vores lodge, som var rigtig godt!

    ————

    In the morning, it was very foggy, and visibility was poor. The others took a longer route down to St. Arnaud, while I stayed a bit longer at the hut and then took a much shorter route down to the road, where I got a ride from some kind South Africans who had moved to New Zealand. They gave me both Sprite and chocolate, which was very welcome as breakfast.

    We stayed in St. Arnaud for two nights and ate incredibly well on both days. We also restocked supplies for the upcoming section.
    In the evening, we met up with the others and went out to eat at the town’s only restaurant at our lodge, which was really good!    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Hunters Hut
    Toilet with a viewThe actual view the past two daysRiver crossingSump/mud last km to the hutTrail magic

    Hunters Hut - Red hills Hut

    2–3 gen, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Vi vågnede op til solskin og kunne endelig se omgivelserne, som vi havde været i de seneste to dage. Samtidig var floden faldet drastisk, så der var mulighed for at krydse den senere på dagen.

    Eftersom vi var ved at løbe tør for mad, blev vi nødt til at tage en lang dag og var undervejs i omkring 11 timer. Det gik cirka 1.100 højdemeter op og ned, og terrænet var meget varieret og bestod blandt andet af løse sten, stier, små flodkrydsninger samt en større flodkrydsning og til sidst selvfølgelig sump og mudder. Efter stormen var der mange væltede træer, og det hele var meget smattet at gå i.

    Da vi endelig ankom til hytten, ventede der ren trail magic efter en uge i Richmond-terrænet. En sød trail angel havde været forbi med cola og scones, hvilket var så tiltrængt. Den bedste overraskelse efter en hård uge!

    ————

    We woke up to sunshine and could finally see the surroundings we had been in over the past two days. At the same time, the river level had dropped significantly, making it possible to cross later in the day.

    As we were running low on food, we had no choice but to take on a long day and ended up being on the move for around 11 hours. There was about 1,100 metres of ascent and descent, and the terrain was very varied, including loose rocks, trails, small river crossings, one larger river crossing, and finally of course swamp and mud. After the storm, there were many fallen trees, and everything was extremely muddy to walk through.

    When we finally arrived at the hut, pure trail magic awaited us after a week in the Richmond terrain. A kind trail angel had stopped by with cola and scones, which was so badly needed. The best surprise after a tough week!    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Chocolate pudding1New year mealYummyThe river is still lowImpossible to cross the river after heavy rainHot chocholate alternative versionHut statisticsRelaxing in maybe a smelling hutHomemade 🎲

    Top Wairoa Hut - Hunters Hut

    31 dic–2 gen 2026, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Jeg havde fortsat migræne om morgenen og sov derfor længere, hvilket passede fint, da det styrtregnede. Svea og jeg gik derfor først afsted ved 9-tiden. Stien var egentlig god at gå på, men desværre regnede det ret så meget, og det var meget overskyet, så vi kunne ikke se mere end 15 meter foran os. Da vi gik langs toppen, var sigtbarheden endnu dårligere, og det blæste og regnede meget, så vi var godt gennemblødte og kolde.

    Heldigvis stoppede regnen kort, og vi nåede at blive lidt tørre og varme igen, inden vi skulle krydse en flod. Derefter gik det 15 minutter op ad, inden vi ankom til Hunters Hut, hvor de andre allerede havde varmet hytten op, så vi kunne få tørret alle vores ting.

    Siden vi startede om morgenen havde vi set frem til at få vores dehydrerede chokoladepudding, når vi kom frem, og den smagte meget bedre end forventet. Den fik 10/10 på madskalaen på turen indtil videre.
    Senere om aftenen stod den på nytårsmenuen med et andet dehydreret måltid, som bestod af vildgryde med kartoffelmos.

    Om aftenen begyndte det at blæse og regne endnu mere. Vi håbede på, at det ville stoppe, men i løbet af natten blev vejret meget værre, og om morgenen stormede det stadig. Vi konkluderede derfor, at det ikke var sikkert at gå videre, da floden, vi skulle krydse mod næste hytte, var steget meget, og sigtbarheden var meget dårlig.

    Vi blev derfor alle (syv personer) en ekstra dag i hytten, hvor vi fik tiden til at gå med mange lure, lavede hjemmelavede terninger, så vi kunne spille yatzy, lavede statistik over alle, der havde overnattet i hytten i 2025, og hvilket land de kom fra. Derudover så vi frem til hvert måltid og snakkede meget om mad!

    Med denne ekstra “hytte-dag” blev det dog også meget klart for mange af os, at vi ikke havde mad nok til flere dårlige vejrdage, og at vi derfor skulle gå mere end planlagt de resterende to dage. Min madrationering bestod derfor blandt andet af varm kakao med en smule couscous i, en yderst interessant blanding. Det blev derfor en anderledes nytårsaften, men en meget afslappende én af slagsen og uforglemmelig!

    ————

    I still had a migraine in the morning and therefore slept in, which worked out well since it was pouring with rain. Svea and I didn’t set off until around 9 a.m. The trail itself was fairly easy to walk, but unfortunately it was raining heavily and very overcast, so we couldn’t see more than about 15 metres ahead of us. When we walked along the ridge, visibility was even worse, and with strong wind and heavy rain, we became thoroughly soaked and cold.

    Luckily, the rain stopped briefly, and we managed to dry off and warm up a bit before having to cross a river. After that, it was another 15 minutes uphill before we reached Hunters Hut, where the others had already warmed up the hut so we could dry all our gear.

    Ever since we started in the morning, we had been looking forward to having our dehydrated chocolate pudding upon arrival, and it tasted far better than expected. It earned a 10/10 on the trip’s food scale so far.
    Later in the evening, the New Year’s menu consisted of another dehydrated meal: a game stew with mashed potatoes.

    In the evening, the wind picked up and the rain intensified even more. We hoped it would stop, but during the night the weather worsened significantly, and by morning it was still storming. We therefore concluded that it wasn’t safe to continue, as the river we needed to cross to reach the next hut had risen considerably and visibility was very poor.

    As a result, all of us (seven people) stayed an extra day in the hut. We passed the time with lots of naps, made homemade dice so we could play Yahtzee, and created statistics of everyone who had stayed in the hut in 2025 and which countries they came from. We also found ourselves looking forward to every meal and talked a lot about food!

    With this extra “hut day,” it became very clear to many of us that we didn’t have enough food for several more days of bad weather, and that we would have to walk more than planned over the remaining two days. My food rationing therefore included hot cocoa with a bit of couscous mixed in an extremely interesting combination. It turned out to be a very different New Year’s, but a very relaxing one, and an unforgettable experience.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    1
    Orange HutToilet with a view

    Mid Wairoa Hut - Top Wairoa

    30–31 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Dagen blev mere udfordrende, end vi havde forventet, og man skulle virkelig koncentrere sig i løbet af dagen for at blive på stien. Stien bestod hovedsageligt af meget snævre stier langs skråninger, trærødder og mange flodkrydsninger. Da vi på et tidspunkt holdt pause, kom en lille, sød fugl og holdt pause sammen med os.

    Derudover kom der også regn den sidste 1,5 time af vores tur i dag, så vi var meget glade for at se, at de andre havde varmet hytten op, da vi ankom. Da der kun var plads til seks personer i hytten, sov den ene af os på gulvet.

    Telefonen var derfor for det meste også pakket væk i dag, da det til tider var meget vådt.

    I løbet af dagen fik jeg migræne og sov derfor resten af dagen i den varme hytte, hvilket var tiltrængt.

    ————

    The day turned out to be more challenging than we had expected, and you really had to concentrate throughout the day to stay on the trail. The path consisted mainly of very narrow tracks along steep slopes, tree roots, and many river crossings. At one point, when we took a break, a small, cute bird came and took a break with us as well.

    In addition, rain set in during the last 1.5 hours of our hike today, so we were very happy to see that the others had already warmed up the hut when we arrived. As there was only space for six people in the hut, one of us slept on the floor.

    The phone therefore stayed packed away for most of the day, as it was quite wet at times.

    During the day, I got a migraine and therefore spent the rest of the day sleeping in the warm hut, which was much needed.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Sunrise on a cold Morning
    1One of the mountains from yesterdayFighting in the windAnother swing bridgeBreak time

    Mt Rintoul Hut - Mid Wairoa hut

    29–30 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Dagen bød på ca. 1.000 højdemeter op og ca. 2.000 højdemeter ned, hvilket tydeligt kunne mærkes i kroppen. Det blev derfor også en meget lang dag. Det skulle være smukt oppe på toppen, hvor vi skulle gå i dag, men vinden var så kold, at vi skyndte os at komme ned under trætoppene igen for at komme mere i ly.

    På vejen så vi en helikopter lande ved hytten, vi havde overnattet ved, da personen med anklen blev hentet ud om morgenen, fordi hans ankel så ret så voldsom ud.

    Efter en lang dag ankom vi endelig til hytten. Her havde vi endelig mulighed for et slags bad i floden ved siden af, hvor der var en slags pool, man kunne bade i. Vandet var meget koldt, så det blev en meget kort fornøjelse (det viste sig at blive det eneste “bad” i løbet af den uge).

    ————

    The day involved about 1,000 metres of ascent and around 2,000 metres of descent, which could clearly be felt in the body. It therefore turned into a very long day. The ridge we were meant to walk along was supposed to be beautiful, but the wind was so cold that we hurried back down below the treeline to find more shelter.

    Along the way, we saw a helicopter land at the hut we had stayed at, as the person with the injured ankle was evacuated that morning, his ankle looked pretty serious.

    After a long day, we finally arrived at the hut. Here, we finally had the chance for a kind of bath in the river beside it, where there was a small pool you could swim in. The water was very cold, so it was a very brief pleasure (and it turned out to be the only “bath” during that week).    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Second Mountain for lunch111

    Old man Hut - Mt Rintoul hut

    28–29 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    I dag stod på det højeste bjerg på Richmond Track i 1.736 meters højde. Derudover gik det meget, meget langsomt, og alt i alt blev 5,5 km tilbagelagt på 6,5 timer. Terrænet var til tider meget udfordrende, og der skulle koncentreres meget på nedstigningerne. Men vi havde perfekt vejr i dag, og det gjorde en kæmpe forskel!

    Vi startede med at gå op over trætoppene, hvorefter den første store stigning ventede os. På det første billede kan man se bjerget bag hytten, som var morgenmaden. Derefter havde vi en meget stejl nedstigning, hvorefter vi tog det næste bjerg til frokost, som også var det højeste punkt, vi kom til at passere på Richmond Track.

    Denne nedstigning var meget bedre, og da vi kom ned til trætoppene, var der ikke langt igen til vores hytte.

    I hytten var der blandt andet et lille puslespil, hvor nogle havde skrevet, hvor lang tid de var om at samle det, og vi forsøgte at slå tiderne, men det lykkedes ikke, og der manglede også to brikker. Til campstedet/hytten ankom også de to canadiere, som vi mødte for to dage siden, og med sig havde de en newzealænder, som havde beskadiget sin ankel på vejen, men var overbevist om, at høje støvler var den bedste støtte for anklen (hvilket var ret så ironisk). Senere på aftenen begyndte det at blæse og hagle, og vi værdsatte meget, at vi havde fået en plads i hytten og ikke skulle overnatte i vores telte.

    ————

    Today was all about reaching the highest mountain on the Richmond Track at an elevation of 1,736 metres. Progress was very, very slow, and in total we covered just 5.5 km in 6.5 hours. The terrain was at times extremely challenging, and a lot of concentration was required on the descents. However, we had perfect weather today, and that made a huge difference.

    We started by climbing above the treetops, after which the first major ascent awaited us. In the first photo, you can see the mountain behind the hut, which was breakfast. After that, we had a very steep descent, followed by climbing the next mountain for lunch, which was also the highest point we would pass on the Richmond Track.

    This descent was much better, and once we dropped back down to the treetops, it wasn’t far to our hut.

    In the hut, there was, among other things, a small jigsaw puzzle where people had written down how long it took them to complete it. We tried to beat the times, but didn’t succeed and two pieces were missing as well. Later, the two Canadians we had met two days earlier also arrived at the hut, along with a New Zealander who had injured his ankle on the way but was convinced that high boots were the best support for it (which was rather ironic). Later in the evening, the wind picked up and hail began to fall, and we were very grateful to have secured a spot inside the hut instead of having to spend the night in our tents.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    21Snack break111

    Starveall hut - Old man Hut

    27–28 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Nu var vi endelig kommet over trætoppene, og vi forventede de kommende dage nogle flotte udsigter. Man hører meget om, at det newzealandske vejr kan skifte meget, specielt i bjergene, og det fik vi afprøvet i dag.

    Morgenen startede meget kold og blæsende, så vanterne blev fundet frem for første gang. Afsted gik det mod flotte udsigter og bjergtoppe. Efter en kort pause kom mørke skyer tættere og tættere på. Først så vi dem drive væk, hvorefter de kort tid efter kom meget hurtigt imod os, og hvad vi først troede var regn, viste sig at være haglvejr. Vi søgte lidt ly imellem de få træer, der var.

    Efter haglvejret gik vi videre, og en halv times tid senere gik vi igen i solskin, og vinden havde igen aftaget. Herefter gik det over flere forskellige toppe, inden det gik meget stejlt, mudret og klatrende over væltede træer mod Old Man Hut. De knap 250 højdemeter, som vi gik ned, skulle vi op ad igen næste morgen. Wuhu!

    I Old Man Hut mødte jeg en vandrer, som jeg mødte tilbage på Timber Trail, og som jeg ikke har set siden Whanganui-kanoturen, så det var et godt gensyn.

    ————

    Now we had finally made it above the treetops, and we were expecting some stunning views over the coming days. You hear a lot about how changeable the New Zealand weather can be, especially in the mountains, and today we got to experience that firsthand.

    The morning started off very cold and windy, so gloves were brought out for the first time. Off we went toward beautiful views and mountain peaks. After a short break, dark clouds started moving closer and closer. At first, we saw them drift away, but shortly after they came rushing toward us, and what we initially thought was rain turned out to be hail. We sought a bit of shelter among the few trees that were around.

    After the hailstorm, we continued on, and about half an hour later we were walking in sunshine again, with the wind having eased. From there, the route crossed several different peaks before dropping very steeply, muddy and with some scrambling over fallen trees—toward Old Man Hut. The nearly 250 metres of elevation we descended would have to be climbed again the next morning. Wuhu!

    At Old Man Hut, I met a hiker I had previously met back on the Timber Trail and whom I hadn’t seen since the Whanganui canoe trip, so it was a great reunion.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    Richmond alpine Track
    Hacket hutPyramid rockStarveall hutToilet with a view

    Nelson - Starveall hut

    26–27 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Update fra Richmond Track, der endte med at tage længere tid end planlagt.

    Da der næsten ikke var nogen biler på vejene om morgenen, delte vi en taxa med to andre til Hacket-parkeringspladsen, da det ellers næsten ville have taget os det meste af dagen at komme tilbage til stedet, hvor vi forlod stien den 23. december. Herfra gik vi mod Hacket Hut, hvor vi holdt pause, inden det gik 1.000 højdemeter op mod Starveall Hut.

    Den første kilometer krydsede vi Hacket Creek utallige gange på kryds og tværs, hvilket gav benene et koldt bad, inden de for alvor skulle arbejde.
    Derefter gik det op, op, op og atter op, indtil vi var kommet over trætoppene. Her havde vi blandt andet udsigt til Pyramid Rock. De sidste 150 højdemeter var de værste og meget stejle.

    Ved hytten mødte vi et canadisk par, hvor den ene har gået Sydøen hele fire gange. Han havde nogle gode tips til spisesteder, der var et besøg værd de kommende uger.

    ————

    Update from the Richmond Track, which ended up taking longer than planned.

    As there were almost no cars on the roads in the morning, we shared a taxi with two others to the Hacket car park, as it otherwise would have taken us most of the day to get back to where we left the trail on December 23rd. From there, we walked toward Hacket Hut, where we took a break before climbing 1,000 vertical metres up to Starveall Hut.

    During the first kilometre, we crossed Hacket Creek countless times back and forth, giving our legs a cold wake-up before they really had to get to work.
    After that, it was up, up, up and up again until we rose above the treetops. From here, we had views of Pyramid Rock, among other sights. The final 150 vertical metres were the worst and very steep.

    At the hut, we met a Canadian couple, one of whom has walked the South Island no fewer than four times. He had some great tips for places to eat that are worth visiting in the coming weeks.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    12

    Brownie Hut - Nelson

    23–26 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Fra Brownie Hut gik vi videre mod en parkeringsplads, hvor vi havde arrangeret et lift med dem, vi havde mødt i hytten dagen forinden. Derefter hitchhikede vi til Richmond, og derfra tog vi bussen til Nelson.

    I Nelson slappede vi af, fik købt ind til de resterende dage på Richmond Track og fik fejret jul af to omgange.

    Den 24. december tog vi ud og spiste om aftenen, hvorefter vi tog til julesang foran en stor kirke i Nelson med livemusik. Der blev sunget 14 sange i alt, og vi sluttede af med Jingle Bells. Det gav langsomt lidt julefølelse under solen og palmerne. Derefter gik vi tilbage til vores hostel og tog et par runder Klodsmajor.

    Den 25. december fejrede newzealænderne jul, så hele byen var lukket, og man kunne dufte, at folk grillede rundt omkring. Vi gik en lille tur op til midtpunktet af New Zealand og gik derefter tilbage til vores hostel, hvor vi grillede mad sammen med nogle andre vandrere og fejrede jul endnu en gang. Vi havde en meget afslappende dag, inden det i morgen går videre mod Richmond Track, hvor vi også fejrer nytår.

    Glædelig jul og godt nytår!

    ————

    From Brownie Hut, we continued on toward a parking area, where we had arranged a lift with the people we had met in the hut the day before. After that, we hitchhiked to Richmond, and from there we took the bus to Nelson.

    In Nelson, we relaxed, bought supplies for the remaining days on the Richmond Track, and celebrated Christmas twice.

    On December 24th, we went out for dinner in the evening, after which we attended Christmas carol singing in front of a large church in Nelson with live music. In total, 14 songs were sung, and we finished with Jingle Bells. It slowly brought a bit of Christmas spirit under the sun and palm trees. Afterwards, we walked back to our hostel and played a few rounds of Klodsmajor.

    On December 25th, New Zealanders celebrated Christmas, so the entire city was closed, and you could smell people barbecuing everywhere. We went for a short walk up to the geographical centre of New Zealand and then returned to our hostel, where we grilled food together with some other hikers and celebrated Christmas once again. We had a very relaxing day before continuing on to the Richmond Track tomorrow, where we will also celebrate New Year’s.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    11

    Rock hut - Brownie hut

    22–23 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Morgenmaden blev nydt foran hytten, inden det gik videre mod Brownie Hut, som desværre ikke levede op til sit navn.

    Endelig kom der en dag, hvor man ikke kun skulle gå inde i en skov med meget små udkigssteder. Det var derfor en lettelse endelig at kunne gå lidt på toppen og nyde udsigten, inden det gik ned ad.

    Eftersom vi ikke havde haft signal i et par dage, blev det udnyttet, at vi havde lidt signal på toppen, så vi kunne booke vores hostel over jul.

    I Brownie Hut mødte vi to ældre damer, som var gået op til hytten og gik ned igen dagen efter, og som var kommet med bil. Vi fik derfor arrangeret et lift noget af vejen mod Nelson dagen efter, hvilket vi var utrolig glade for, da det sparede os for 12 km vej.

    ————

    Breakfast was enjoyed in front of the hut before continuing on toward Brownie Hut, which unfortunately did not live up to its name.

    Finally, there was a day when we didn’t have to walk only through forest with very limited viewpoints. It was therefore a relief to finally walk a bit along the ridgeline and enjoy the views before heading downhill again.

    Since we hadn’t had any signal for a few days, we took advantage of having a bit of reception on the ridge to book our hostel for Christmas.

    At Brownie Hut, we met two older ladies who had walked up to the hut and were heading back down the next day, having arrived by car. We therefore arranged a lift part of the way toward Nelson the following day, which we were incredibly happy about, as it saved us 12 km. of road walking.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    11

    Captain creek hut - Rock Hut

    21–22 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Den anslåede tid, det tager at komme til hver hytte, er begyndt at stige betydeligt. Første hytte var 2,5 time for 5 km, og derfra og til den næste hytte var det 3 timer for 5 km.

    I dag blev en masse små “broer” krydset, nogle længere end andre, og nogle svingede mere end andre.

    På vejen gik vi forbi Middy Hut, hvor jeg spiste et par snacks i fred for sandfluer og geder. Derefter fortsatte turen videre til Rock Hut, hvor vi mødte nogle newzealændere fra Nelson, som gav os nogle tips til, hvad vi skulle opleve, når vi holdt jul der om et par dage.

    ————

    The estimated time it takes to reach each hut has started to increase significantly. The first hut took 2.5 hours for 5 km, and from there to the next hut it took 3 hours for another 5 km.

    Today, we crossed many small “bridges,” some longer than others, and some swayed more than others.

    Along the way, we passed Middy Hut, where I ate a couple of snacks in peace, away from sandflies and goats. After that, we continued on to Rock Hut, where we met some New Zealanders from Nelson who gave us tips on what to experience when we celebrate Christmas there in a couple of days.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore
    1

    Pelorus bridge - Captain Creek hut

    20–21 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Den kommende strækning byder på Richmond Alpine Track, som strækker sig over ca. ni dage og byder på en masse højdemeter. Vi har valgt at dele den op, så vi tager de første tre dage, og derefter går vi ned og finder et lift mod byen Nelson, hvor vi fejrer jul og holder hviledage i et par dage.

    Om morgenen mødtes vi kort med en, vi har mødt på Nordøen, som ville give en anden vandrer et lift til Christchurch, da han alligevel skulle den vej for at fejre jul. I mellemtiden tog vi et spil fire på stribe (jeg var rød) og en varm kakao.

    Derefter fortsatte vi langs en lang grusvej for at gå langs en flod og videre ind i en skov, inden vi ankom til hytten Captain Creek. Dette er den første ud af mange hytter, som jeg kommer til at overnatte i her på Sydøen. Senere dukkede to danskere op, som går Sydøen fra syd mod nord, altså modsat af os. De havde de hidtil største rygsække, vi har set på trailen, og de vejede over 25 kg! Vi kunne fortælle dem, at dagen efter ventede et varmt bad og en lille vogn med mad og drikke, hvilket tydeligvis var gode nyheder!

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    The upcoming section includes the Richmond Alpine Track, which stretches over approximately nine days and involves a lot of elevation gain. We chose to split it up by doing the first three days, and then hiking down to find a ride toward the town of Nelson, where we will celebrate Christmas and take a few rest days.

    In the morning, we briefly met someone we had encountered on the North Island, who was giving another hiker a lift to Christchurch, as he was heading that way anyway to celebrate Christmas. In the meantime, we played a game of Connect Four (I was red) and had a hot cocoa.

    After that, we continued along a long gravel road, walking beside a river and then into the forest, before arriving at Captain Creek Hut. This is the first of many huts I will be staying in here on the South Island. Later on, two Danes showed up who are hiking the South Island from south to north, the opposite direction of us. They had the largest backpacks we have seen on the trail so far, weighing over 25 kg! We were able to tell them that a hot shower and a small food and drink cart awaited them the next day, which was clearly very welcome news.    Leggi altro

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  • Gitte JensenEventyr i New ZealandViaggiatore

    Davies Bay - Havelock - Pelorus bridge

    19–20 dic 2025, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Vi gik de resterende få kilometer ind mod et område, hvor der var nogle enkelte huse, og håbede på at kunne få et lift til Havelock, da størstedelen af strækningen var vej. Det lykkedes dog ikke, og vi gik yderligere 7 km, før vi fik et lift af en lokal mand, som havde en meget stærk accent, som vi havde svært ved at forstå, men som skulle hele vejen ind til byen Havelock.

    I Havelock satte vi os på en café og fik noget at spise, samtidig med at vi kunne oplade vores powerbanks. I byen handlede vi ind i den lille lokale butik, hvor vi fik forsyninger til de kommende fire dage. Derefter fik vi endnu et lift ud af byen mod Pelorus Bridge, hvor vi overnattede. Her kunne vi tage et varmt bad for 1 $, hvilket var utrolig tiltrængt! Vi slog vores telte op nede ved floden, men idyllen blev hurtigt afbrudt af hovedvejen, der lå lige på den anden side.

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    We walked the last few kilometers toward an area with a handful of houses and hoped to get a lift to Havelock, as most of the stretch was on the road. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out, and we walked another 7 km before getting a lift from a local man. He had a very strong accent that we had trouble understanding, but he was heading all the way into the town of Havelock.

    In Havelock, we sat down at a café and had something to eat while also charging our power banks. In town, we shopped at the small local store and stocked up on supplies for the next four days. After that, we got another lift out of town toward Pelorus Bridge, where we stayed overnight. There, we were able to take a hot shower for $1, which was incredibly needed! We pitched our tents down by the river, but the idyll was quickly interrupted by the main road just on the other side.    Leggi altro

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