After a night in the little town of Methven, we met up with Wayne from Alps2Ocean. Wayne shuttles cyclists and trampers all around this part of New Zealand and he offered to take us back to the trail on the south side of the Rakaia River. We met Wayne at the Primo Cafe, which felt like sitting in someone’s living room. Small towns have the most interesting and unexpected shops.
It took us six days to walk from Boyle Village to Arthur’s Pass and we were looking forward to a shower and a comfy bed. Every last room was booked up for the big race, so we caught a ride back to the trail and stayed at the unassuming Bealy Hut.
After four weeks of walking south along New Zealand’s national trail, Te Araroa, we paused for a nice break in locally famous Hamner Springs.
We’re into our fourth week of hiking down the South Island of New Zealand along the Te Araroa Trail. The scenery continues to change surprisingly quickly. We’ve gone from hidden ocean coves to cool green rivers, dense steamy rainforest, and now clear blue alpine lakes surrounded by jagged peaks.
We had a nice day in Nelson, a charming little town tucked into a bay at the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s really fun to take a break from walking and enjoy the cultural side of the country.
We’ve just completed the second leg of our walk through New Zealand. After a rest day in Havelock, we continued south to the Pelorus River Track.
New Zealand is known for its stunning scenery. An island nation that’s at the same time both lushly tropical and bleakly glacial. We want to get a taste of that scenery and have started by walking the Queen Charlotte Track.
Continue reading “Walking New Zealand’s Queen Charlotte Track”
2018 was a year full of travel, adventures, and some nice time back home. I made sure to keep things interesting by having a wide diversity of themes to each trip, probably more so than I’ve done in recent years. From cooking classes in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur to backpacking trips in Kyrgyzstan and the Grand Canyon, and cycling through Western Australia, it was a great year.
Continue reading “2018 in 12 Photos”
The Grand Canyon is the second most visited national park in the US. Five million people come here every year to catch a glimpse of the iconic mile-deep tear in the earth. You’d think, then, that this would be a pretty busy place for someone who likes to explore remote corners of the earth. Yes, it is crowded, but drop down into the canyon, turn off the main trails and you’ll be all on your own. That’s all it takes – from millions of people to none in just a few short miles.
When I discover a new place that I really like, I tell myself I’ll come back. There’s always more to discover. When I love a destination, I can’t escape the feeling that I’ve just scratched the surface. I need to come back. That’s definitely true of Tajikistan’s Fann Mountains. Continue reading “Tajikistan’s Fantastic Fann Mountains”
Eating Snow Around the World 