Back with a Pack

So in Wanaka i sit on christmas morning, had my hot coffee and today it's cloudy and cool (exactly what i asked for...see Santa likes us pho-jews as well :) Spent the last few days in the bush...and really only came out due to lack of food, damn that more berries aren't in bloom!
Me and the pack headed up to the Rob Roy Glacier Tuesday mornin early, flipping amazing...and i will try ardently today or soon to get some picture on this here crazy blog thing-a-ma-bob. The glacier was quite near Mt Aspiring and partly attached to Avalanche peak, aptly named! I heard many and saw fewer small avalanches occurring while up there.

Once at the glacier 'viewpoint' i decided to extend my venture; dropped my pack behind some rocks and rockscrambled and bush whacked up for a few hours up the slopes, twas adventure at its finest! Once the skin on my legs had bout had it (the brush here is thick and less than baby's bottom soft), i headed down and got so caught up in the joyous flow of rockhopping that i made it almost to the river before remembering that i had to cross over the hillside to the dry creek bed where i'd left my pack! oh such fun :)

From there, i headed back down and then off toward the mount aspiring hut. In New Zealand, many of the tracks are dotted with huts that have beds and cooking areas and water, seriously this country is beyond set up for trekking! Anyhow this stretch was along the river and every turn led to more waterfalls and creek crossings and new mountain views and at some point i just had to put the camera down! Reached the hut round 5:30 (although I thought it was closer to 4) and found me a nice spot by the river away from the hut and its people to set up camp. Layed out my thermarest, sleeping bag, and virgin bivvy sack and voila! A note on bivvy sacks, for those who don't know they are basically a sleeping bag condom that keeps you mostly dry and better insulated and replace a tent when you're by yourself. I've lovingly begun to refer to it as my camping condom, safety first kids!

Anyhow from there the story can only get better, but let's just say that my evening was one of personal laughter and brief moments of calamity amonst brilliant backdrop and crystal clear skies.

So camp is set up, i thank my knees for making the long trek and still being able to pop a squat in the grass without complaint. As feelings of relief 'pour' from me, an eerie sound presents itself, or shall i say lack of sound. Yes, that's right, after years and years of peeing in the woods, i finally peed on my shorts...and I will even admit it on the internet ;) Luckily, with a stream nearby and no one around but the sandflys to puruse me in my undies, i had clean shorts ASAP...granted they were wet (and continued to be so through the next morning...doh!) Later that evening i managed to spill soup on myself (this happens when you drink soup out of its can for lack of spoonage), lick my fingers after applying loads of lemon eucalyptus bug repellent (tasty), and then spray my nice new blister with bug spray (also tasty). Then i learned what they meant by sandflies...I have heard stories of these buggers sending tourists running out of trailheads with bloody legs from the immense bites they've received, but really it wasn't so bad; granted i was more than happy for any and all skin cover and the everything "tube" (thank you Heather!) once again came in handy when i had no idea i'd need it (picture to follow...hopefully:)

That said, i had a fantastic evening watching the sunset, reading Herman Hesse's Magister Ludi and the Glass Bead Game, and journaling bit. That evening I wrote some elementary poetry that i thought i'd post. The idea was to use basically the first line to come to mind, no flow necessary, what fun! Y'all in ptown should try it seeing as how you're mostly snowed in anyhows! Gotta say, slightly I am jealous ;)

Anyhow, next morning up with the sun...and the sandflys. I layed there looking at them all landing and hovering on the mesh of my bivvy and laughed thinking 'ha you little bastards, you're so close but you can't get me' and also laughed thinkin 'i'm gonna have to climb out of here soon and then they're all gonna have christmas feast.'

So another day of hiking along the river and then back to the trailhead, once again, waterfalls, mountains, glacier....rewind, repeat, rerun. seriously, the sheep here have got it made. On the way out, became more visually enthralled with the rock formation. The mountains here are quite rugged and dramatic (due to glacial creation..as is everything here in Kiwiland). The rock has intense angle and sheeted layers of "schist"...so apparently, schist happens :) in fact, the mountains are really just a load of schist, but really who gives a schist?

Anyhow, back in wanaka, i stopped for tea at the home of the fellow i'd hitched a ride. He and his wife are in their mid 60s/early 70s and are in town for the holidays with family, spent a few hours with them having a fabulous time! Must say, as a general theme, the people i've found myself having the most fun with are kids and older adults, more free and fun and spirited i'd say.

By the way, merry christmas to all! Hope you guys pull out the sled and make a few snow angels (or snow devils knowin some of you blokes!)

Cheers!