New Laptop

Well its been a couple of months since I have written on this thing, so thought I would update. This weekend I had a big list of things to do but instead got distracted looking for laptops (after not hearing back from Nick about when he could get me one). So anyway went into all the usual Noel Leeming, Bond & Bond, Harvey Norman etc etc...but yeah ended up getting a new Acer Blue Gemstone (see picture). Pretty! but got some grunt which is cool...so anyway just thought I would get the blogs flowing again, until next time.

Carrington Hut Day 2

Well we were awoken early today by some of the others talking in the kitchen area, Dad and Emma got up early but I tried to stay in bed as long as possible, even though I was cooking! I finally got up and got some warm clothes on, wandered into the kitchen and started breakfast. We brought along Uncle Toby Oat Temptations which are soooo fantastic! after a good breakfast we started packing up everything and made a move for it. It was pretty fresh outside, and after taking some photos outside the hut we were on the way, not long after walking we were into the freezing river and cris-crossing the river taking the shortest path possible. The sun hadn't made it to us yet so it was quite nice (cool anyway). We stopped for some scrogg on a log, then the next stop was at Anti Crow hut for some lunch, I think we were more lunch though, the sandflies were everywhere! and they didnt see to mind the insect repellant...so after quickly scoffing lunch we moved on. It was so hot out now, and there were no more river crossings for the rest of the trip :o( we stopped quite a lot on the way back as dad was really feeling the effects of walking all day in the heat. But we eventually made it back to the car, got our hot boots off and headed for Springfield for a well deserved ice cream. Note to everybody, check your insoles before tramping, I managed to wear 2 insoles in my boots for the trip, no wonder my toes hurt (they are usually fine)...so yeah good lesson to be learnt.

Carrington Hut Day 1

Today we began a 2 day tramp to the upper reaches of the Waimakariri river. Emma and I managed to convince dad to come along on this one as it was only going to be a short 3-4 hour walk. We set off after Emma had finished What Now and arrived around the 1pm mark, had some lunch and a coffee before setting off. The day was sweltering and the walk was all on the open flats. After walking for a good 2 hours we were all looking forward to a river crossing to cool off a bit, thankfully not to far after the Anti Crow hut we were blessed with knee deep crossings, we met up with an American tramper named Miles and walked the rest of the way with him. Now if you read the DOC route description it states NOT to follow the marked track after Harper Creek but what did we do? yep, followed the marked track and ended up on a boggy overgrown track which slowed us down. It was getting later in the day and the sun was beginning to get low in the sky, we were all hanging out for the hut. Thankfully it was just around the corner, but what we thought was going to be a short 3 hour walk took more like 5.5 hours! oh well we didnt have to walk in the dark so no worries. We got to the hut, threw our packs down and got the sleeping bags out (why did I bring a 4 season mountaineering one? it was toasty in the hut). Anyway we had a sit down before cooking a fantastic pasta meal with fresh mushrooms and salami and mashed kumera on the side! yummy!!! The rest of the night was spent around the table chatting to all the other trampers in there.

Lake Daniells Tramp

We have just got back from doing an easy 2 day tramp to Lake Daniells in the Lewis Pass area. We left Christchurch on Saturday approx 9:30am and arrived around lunchtime at the carpark. Unpacked all the gear, got eaten alive by sandflies and made our way towards Lake Daniells (DOC recommend 3 hours one way), the day was warm and the river lookd so inviting! Anyway we moved quickly and before we knew it we were there in just on 2 hours (how did we knock one third of the walk time off?). The hut was nice but was going to be crowded with all the people turning up so we setup camp in the forest up the lake a bit and headed to the hut to sign the book. We spent most of the afternoon taking photos and working on a puzzle book until dinner time. Now I must add tea looked fantastic until Emma threw it all over the ground (accident I know, but still...the pasta looked so good!). We ended up having pumpkin mash with cheese, pita bread and salami which was fine. After dinner we went for a walk and then sat on the jetty spotting trout. After we retired to bed, did some reading and more puzzles before hitting the sack. After a restless sleep we arose to a fresh morning, but after running around making breakfast and packing the tent up we soon warmed up. We shortly left the lake and were back to the carpark in 2 hours. Lunch in the sun at the carpark before heading back to Christchurch, all in all a really fantastic easy trip, and one we will have to do again sometime.

3 Year Anniversary

YAY, Today Emma and I are celebrating our 3 year anniversary :o)

New Phone

Finally I have decided to bite the bullet and buy a new phone. I saw this little puppy in the Vodafone store the other day and was very impressed. However at a rather steep $499 I thought I would look around for a better deal, Thailand? in the end I bought it online from New Zealand and it cost me slightly under $400 so I thought thats ok. Just got to wait for it to arrive now :o( hopefully get it before the weekend! Anyway see the pic for the phone (Nokia 6121 in Blue)

How slack am I?

Ok well over the last 2 months or so I have written pretty much nothing...so sorry for that but have not really been doing that much fun stuff. Work, painting a room, although Emma and I did buy a new 40" LCD TV, PS3, 5.1 home theatre system and the like so has been some cool things happening. Just planning a couple of tramps for the 2 upcoming weekends so should be good. Emma and I are going to try our hand a lake Daniells again for our 3 year anniversary and the following weekend (Easter weekend) Dad and I are going on a CTC trip over the Ball Pass below Mt Cook so should be a lor of fun and hard work! Now I am just trying to decide whether to buy a new pack of now (an alpine one, its on special so pretty good deal!) hmmmn decisions decisions!. Well until later have fun and I promise I will write more.

St James Walkway - Day 5

Well this is it, the last slog to the end....well its not that much of a slog but it sure as hell is going to feel good to get it done. The last day has greeted us with and absolutly beautiful day, the sun is beating down and the sandflies are swarming. We all decide to get going early morning, we say our last goodbyes to the family from the West Coast as we will well and truly beat them back. The walk today is in the trees a lot which makes for easier walking with the hot day, every swimming hole looks so good and I can just visualise jumping in there pack and all!. After only a short walk we make it to the Magdalen Hut swingbridge (Magdalen hut approx 20mins in the opposite direction to the way out) so we carry on to the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre as per plan. The walk is more like the first day in the forest, climbing over logs, crossing small streams. We stop on a log and have some scroggin overlooking the Boyle Valley and river, the view is so amazing, its going to be weird to get back to civilization again. We cant stop long as the sand flies are out in full force and dont seem to be bothered by insect repellant (or they are finding any tiny bit we have missed). We walk further until we reach the last swing bridge of the trip and decide now is a good time to have some lunch, a big feast to finish all the remaining food before the last push to the carpark and the end. The last part of the walk was fast as was mainly on a well graded track before emerging into a makeshift campground the the last stroll to the carpark and signage. Well thats it, we have done it!!!! YAY! I think this was such a fantastic trip and I would love to do it in the winter time with the snow everywhere :o)

St James Walkway - Day 4

Day 4 started like most of the other days, awake early to the sun coming in, others in the hut moving around. We all got up much the same time, had the usual breakfast and repacked everything. Its amazing how much lighter the pack starts to get as you eat your food (amazing how heavy some muesli and pita-bread is). Anyway after mashing everything back into the pack we made a move for it. The day looked like it was going to be amazing again, the sun was out and starting to dry all the dew off the ground. We started crossing the grassy flats dodging cow poo as we went, not long into the day we were beginning the ascent of the Anne Saddle (1136m) whuch was pretty gentle really compared to other tramps we have been on. We passed the other 3 nearing the top of the saddle, stopped for a brief photo and continued the steep and hard on the knees descent. Once on the Boyle river side it felt so good to be on the flat again, this valles is pretty much identical to the other side of the saddle. We stopped shortly after by a side stream for some lunch and a good drink, one you sit down its so hard to get moving again (especially for Emma as she was really feeling the pain of the blisters today). After a nice long lunch we got moving again and before we knew it we had reacked Rokeby hut (a small 4 bunker) which may be ok if you REALLY had to stop in an emergency. Rokeby is where we were going to spend tonight fefore completing the rest of the walk in another 2 days, however decided to continue to Boyle Flats hut and complete it in the normal 5 days. The Boyle Flats hut was not far away from here and was so inviting to tired trampers, we even met a couple who were running the St James Walkway in a day! Soon after arriving at the hut we decided to go for a swim and a wash in the Boyle river below the swingbridge, even though it took your breath away it was so nice to swim around in the large water holes. The rest of the night was just the usual playing UNO by candle light and talking the night away.