Post 11 - The coast and the trek
There were days of peace in Punakaiki. Food, coffee, good people.
There were a lot of Israelis there, which gave me the ability to be more relaxed, more like in Israel.
Throughout the trip I realized that my place is Israel. Not that I don’t like traveling abroad and meeting people from other countries, it’s just that something about meeting Israelis is much more natural.
Some of my longings here are also reserved for the country, the train delays, the July-August heat, the sirens at traffic lights, all of which suck in themselves but are part of home.
In Punakaiki I tried to surf as much as possible. Most of the times were good, but some of the times the sea washed me down hard. The strong waves reminded me that nature is stronger than us and that we always have to be humble.
In addition, it was nice that, unlike the east coast, this time the sun was setting in the sea, like at home.
In any case, being by the sea did me good as only it knows how.
I decided to head to the Nelson Lake area to do a trek that I had heard many recommendations about. I arrived in St. Arnaud in the morning, packed my bag and set off.
The hike itself began with a beautiful view of Lake Rotary with the mountains in the background. Equipped with food for five days, hiking equipment and a camera, I walked along the path around the lake until I reached the hut where the lake ends and the river that feeds it begins.
At the same hut I met Stephen who told me that 50 years ago he had done the same route. It was nice to see that like Stephen there were a lot of older hikers in their 60s and 70s, mainly New Zealanders who had done the trek.
The nice part about this trek is that almost the entire time you walk parallel to a pure and cool stream, which makes it possible to walk around without much water on your back. When I was thirsty I just went to the stream and drank, just like the Tami 4 at home.
The first night I slept in the John Tait cabin, with only two other hikers in the cabin so it was calm and nice.
The next day I was determined to reach Blue Lake, on the way to which I had to cross the pass and climb with the stream that leads to the lake, not an easy day but very rewarding in the end. The lake is indeed very clear as it is the clearest lake in the world! No less than 80 meters of visibility. It is so clear because the stream from which it is fed passes between thousands of rocks that filter the water beautifully.
The next morning I pampered my hard-working body and allowed it to toss and turn in the tent without an alarm clock. I went for a walk to the upper lake, which is also stunning (a real coincidence). I sat there with a flute and a nectarine and it gave a good start to a day of walking. On the way down, the view of the clear lake was impressive, now that the sun was shining on it and I could see all the way to the bottom.
Blue Lake from above
Upper lake
Blue Lake
Another detail that I’m not sure will interest some readers is that I didn’t take toilet paper with me, thinking that the DOC (New Zealand Conservation Authority) would be happy to stock the toilets scattered around every corner with this white gold. I was wrong, sometimes you make mistakes. In the future, I’ll take a roll with me for every trail I go. In any case, the tissue box was a miracle and I was amazed to discover how much a piece of tissue can last (sorry for the description, but that was also part of the experience).
I finished the section at noon and because the next section was a bit limited in terms of time, I decided to hang out on the river for the remaining half of the day.
In the evening at the hut, while I was cooking my rice and lentils, I looked to see what the other hikers were eating. Without exception, everyone didn’t cook a meal but ate the dried meal in a bag. It turns out that this is a tough section here in New Zealand and people don’t cook anymore, what a shame. I’ve seen so many dishes in a bag before, but every time it surprises me anew. There’s curry with chicken in a bag, Asian noodles in a bag, and even a falafel or muesli with granola in a bag - where did we end up?!
The fourth day was also relatively easy and consisted mainly of a moderate descent on a comfortable path that allowed me to increase my pace and cruise all the way to Lake Rotorua. When I reached the hut by the lake, I debated whether to continue to the next hut or stop. I decided to stop there because the time was again limited. Later in the day, I was a little disappointed with myself for not continuing, but in retrospect, I think it was a wise and responsible decision, and it also allowed me to go back to dipping in the blue water that flowed under one of the bridges I crossed on the way.
That same day, I also dipped in Lake Rotorua, which I was “happy” to discover in retrospect that cute meter-long eels were also swimming there with me.
The fifth and final day began at first light without unnecessary introduction, with an almost vertical angle ascent. What was nice was that other hikers had described the climb to me as the most terrifying, and when I climbed it I expected something more difficult (not that it wasn’t difficult, God forbid). When I left the tree line and entered the alpine part of the mountain, fog enveloped me, reducing my visibility to a few dozen meters. I could see the trail, but the view was not viewable. When the fog cleared (it’s amazing how quickly the weather here changes) it was like opening a gift wrap, I was greeted with the entire beautiful spectacle of the mountain peaks from here to the next announcement.
I arrived at the Angelus hut exhausted and satisfied. I wanted to be able to reach the car at the end of the trek early, so I didn’t have too much time to waste there. I felt like a race car entering the maintenance track, I took off my shoes, ate no less than four peanut butter sandwiches, drank a few liters of water, went to the bathroom, swam in the frozen lake, and put my smelly clothes back on. After all of this, my body was ready for one of two scenarios - either to fall into a coma or to keep walking - somehow I chose the second option.
Lake Angelus
Blue water under the bridge
Lake Rotoroa at sunset
From there the body went on automatic - I didn’t have to explain to it what to do and it took me down the mountain to the parking lot and from there I took a ride back to the car. Oh, my cute car was waiting for me there with all the tires still full of air (which is not a given when I return from a trek, see the story of the flat tire on the Kepler trek). A post-trek dip in the lake and coffee - that’s how you relieve the panic.
Then I went shopping at the town’s gas station, which is the only store in the area. A funny store that has everything truck drivers, hikers and cyclists need. As the saying goes, “A chocolate wagon with engine oil and a banana with an Allen key will do”.
I had dinner that, for a change, didn’t have rice and lentils and decided to leave that evening for Nelson, a small city in the north of the South Island. I arrived at a free campsite in the middle of an industrial area, a bit of a farce. The campsite was full, I parked in a nearby parking lot hoping that no one would evict me. I didn’t sleep well because I was afraid that an inspector would arrive at any moment. At five thirty, after a few dreams about inspectors, I started the car and drove to the beach. In the parking lot on the beach, I took another half-hour nap and started the day.
It was a great day overall. It started with tidying up the car and bag after the trek, a dip in the sea, a shower with a towel after a lot of neglect, shopping, falafel, a drive around the marina and a salad to restore some vitamins to the body and soul. Now I’m sitting here in the car and writing. It’s raining non-stop outside (in New Zealand it really is non-stop - I have to pee and brush my teeth, by the way).
Looking back on the trek, which was also the longest period of time I was cut off from civilization, it was a lesson for me. A lesson in enjoying the journey, not wanting to just arrive, not only on the trek but also in life, I often wait for the end without being present on the way. A lesson in being with myself, in making decisions, in being kind to myself even if I’m wrong.
I realized that with all the desire to ponder fateful questions, during the walk I mostly think nonsense thoughts and hum songs to myself - which is great!
On the one hand, I like the impulsiveness and spontaneity in my decisions here sometimes, on the other hand, I feel that many times when I do things leisurely, I can achieve a more desirable result with less stress in the process.
I have nine days left until the ferry to the North Island, I will try to enjoy the time I have left here on the South Island as much as I can.
“Across the sea, alone, where no one knows you and time seems to not exist.
Another place, far away, from home and family, where you can forget who you are.
Travel far, without worries, let the moment lead you. Leave nonsense, start being, enjoy your life.
When you are alone and silence resonates within you and thoughts no longer haunt you.
Excited, dreaming, cuddled with longing and realize, the horizon awaits you.
Travel far, without worries, let the morning embrace you Leave nonsense, start being, enjoy your life.”
Across the sea, Carolina.