This post is “diary style”. I appreciate your patience and interest if it seems a bit long-winded. It's just what I would have written in my journal anyway if I had brought the 1.5lb notebook along..
4/1
The “home” month is over. I’ve been wined, dined, supported and loved by friends every single day. I was with friends on Sharon’s birthday and death day. Aside from needing a “deep cleaning” for my teeth, my skin, colon, eyes and blood are all doing fine.
I left at 8:00am for a 4:00pm flight out of Newark, fully expecting a six hour wait through security with TSA shortages and ICE presence supposedly “helping”, but in fact I breezed through. I didn’t mind the wait, and the rest of the trip went seamlessly. I watched six movies and only slept a little.
Roughly 30 hours after I left Tarrytown, I saw my beloved Eva! I stayed awake and we had a full day getting last minute things for the hike, a quick swim in Wanaka Lake and a delightful dinner. We left the next day for our four day backpacking trip in Greenstone Caples.
4/4
I’m the only one up in the hut. It’s 6:15 am and still dark. I feel old. My sleeping spot was on the upper bunk of a long platform. Three times last night I had to get out of my sleeping bag, slide up to the edge, hook my foot on a rung of the ladder, swing out while holding the post on the opposite side with my hand that is inexplicably injured and can’t take weight, and curl my other leg through to climb down the ladder to pee.
Yesterday I leapt off a rock outcropping into a gorgeous aquamarine creek. It was a long drop and I went deep, which irritated my right ear. The sand flies were all over me and drawing blood as I dressed. Josh had come breathlessly up the hill to tell us about “one of the most magical places on Earth”, so I couldn’t very well say my feet were tired and it’s starting to rain, anyway. My feet WERE tired; I blame it on the cheap hiking boots I bought in Oregon, but it was more likely the six mile hike to the hut with a 32lb pack. The spot was truly incredible. Coming out of a deep ravine and opening into a wide valley with the Tooth Peaks behind it, the crystal clear water at the diving spot had to be 30 feet deep. Because my feet were so tired, I had opted for sandals to hike down to the most magical spot on Earth. It was a precarious choice, but I managed.
The hut was a hotbed of people and activity. There was a wood stove in the center, two cooking areas, and long tables. Maybe it was the jet lag, but when Eva began explaining the rules of a new card game, I realized I was feeling old, socially overwhelmed AND mentally dense. On top of that, Eva had recorded my leap from the rock, and when I watched it I judged myself pudgy and out of shape. But I gave myself credit for being willing to leave my comfort zone in a big way.
Today is the big climb to the summit. There is a steady rain coming down. We are prepared with pack covers, rain jackets and ponchos, but my pants and boots will just have to get wet. Eva and Josh did a great job planning and organizing for the trip.
Jenn, Josh’s mom is super lovely. It’s so exciting to meet someone who is family to someone whom someone in my family loves.
4/5
I don’t think I’ve ever walked 14 miles in a day, much less including a mountain and a backpack. I’d like to say how happy and peaceful I felt being so far out in nature, but in truth much of the day was a slog, picking our way through rocky and muddy trails. Eva and Josh had noticed my slight struggle from the day before and had taken weight out of my pack. I may not be “surrendering gracefully the vigors of youth”, but at least I’m not stubborn or prideful, and I gratefully accepted the gesture. We did come upon epic views. Much of the day there was a light misting rain, and the trail took us through Fiordlands National Park, one of the wettest places on Earth. We topped the pass and began the descent. The forest turned into rainforest; lichen dripped from the trees, ferns looked prehistoric and moss made a spongy carpet over everything. I made a few noises about little discomforts and trail judgements, but I also remembered how thrilled I am to be here and kept my spirits positive. I also made sure Eva knew I am all in for the adventure.
All of us were totally spent (except maybe Josh) by the time we got to the second hut. We collapsed onto the benches. Josh had gone ahead and set up camp (we are using a mix of hut spots and tenting) and had made us tomato soup. The first taste of that soup was manna from Heaven. There was one hut spot, which I took. I was still on the top bunk but it was easier to get down the ladder for my nightly excursions. We have another long day ahead of us, but no mountain to climb and the packs are getting lighter every day.
4/6
I awoke remarkably refreshed, glad for the recuperating power of sleep. Today’s trek was described as more “technical”, which meant a lot of rock hopping to avoid wet boots and climbing over roots. The climate shifted again to a drier environment, and for most of the day we followed a long, wide valley. Unfortunately for me my refreshed feet protested their conditions by mile five. I felt a strange combination of physical discomfort and the happiness of being in this gorgeous nature. Eva and Josh had obviously done a tremendous amount of preparation for this trip, and no amount of sore feet could dampen my gratitude. We finally stopped and Josh distributed even more of my weight between his and Eva’s pack. I couldn’t help but wonder if everyone had the same pain as me but were just better at handling it. I added a second pair of socks for more cushion. These steps made a big difference, but once again I was really struggling as we trudged the twelve miles to the hut. We finished with a swim in the freezing mountain stream, washing away the day’s efforts.
4/6
For me, the final day was perfect in every way. My feet were fully refreshed again at the start, and didn’t give me any trouble for the last nine miles. Of course, by now this old man was carrying nothing but clothes and a sleeping bag. It was a beautiful fall day, the air was crisp with a light breeze, the trail was smooth and glorious, and the views, well, it’s New Zealand after all.
Eva assured me neither she nor Josh were hurting themselves carrying my load, but I also saw her feet towards the end, and she had been struggling, too. Jenn shared later she had been in agony with a prior foot problem on top of the miles, but never let on one bit. So yeah, I was just a wimp. “It’s all training,” Eva quipped.
As we neared the car, Eva started to say something, but stopped herself. When we got to the car, she said, “now I can safely say congratulations for an injury-free journey!” On the ride back we joked about the role reversal between parents and kids; they had been our guides and caretakers, making the meals, setting up the tents, watching over us like mother hens as our 60+ bodies not so gracefully navigated the rocks and roots. But wow, what a great adventure!
Now we sit in the lap of luxury at my rental place in Wanaka. Jenn is leaving tomorrow, Eva and Josh are back to work, but we will have plenty of time for fun and cavorting in nature.