Obviously a lot of time has passed since my last post, but not much that can be written about here. So I am going to skip that chapter, and jump straight into my most recent adventure… home!
The end of March brought with it a month of bliss in New Zealand with parents, coffee, and the great outdoors. Apart from the wonderful walks along the Manawatū River and exploring the He Ara Kotahi walkway, we were lucky enough to have some fabulous days exploring the region, including Beehive Creek Walkway in Pohangina, Rangiwahia Hut Track in the Ruahine Ranges, and Kapiti Island.
Beehive Creek Track, a wonderful little there and back walk that follows the creek through a range of native bush, involves a number of water crossings and scrambles up and down. It is currently cut short due to farm work at the top of the track, however is close to the Pohangina Wetlands, lending itself to a bit more adventure for the day and is the perfect anecdote to an overcast Sunday afternoon, returning home to a gin and tonic and a book.
Our next hike was to Rangiwahia Hut in the Ruahine Ranges, an ex-ski hut with a wonderful view of the region. Having done it a number of times over the years, it was meant to be an “easy” three hour hike, however I swear it has become harder over the years! A gradual zig-zagging track interrupted by a number of sharp ascents and descents over slips, old and new, it was certainly a great day out. Lunch of tomato soup and gingernut biscuits at the Hut was the break we needed, before putting in some pace on the way down, to a welcome beer at the car. We had planned on a visit to the Apiti Tavern on the drive home for its famed burger and beers, however it was sadly closed, so it is on the list for the next trip!
The highlight of the trip was a day trip to Kapiti Island, a predator free nature reserve and sanctuary to a number of native birds. Accessible by boat, it is only open to a select few, with visits monitored by two tour operators. We booked through Kapiti Island Eco Tours, and were pleasantly surprised by the process. We were greeted by a guide and boat on the mainland, and were provided with a short talk once on the island. We decided to walk up to the peak of the Island, Tūteremoana, from which you can clearly see the main Kapiti coast. A slightly strenuous uphill hike, it was glorious weather, and we saw lots of native birds, mainly Saddlebacks and Weka. A full day of walking in the sun saw me dozing off on the boat on the way back to the car, but it was an incredible experience and I can’t believe it has taken us 20 years of being Kiwi’s to finally visit!
That’s about it from me today… there’s still plenty more but I’ll write another post in a day or so. Perhaps.
Finding my own way 