Glacier Views

Yesterday (Thursday) we got an early start and hiked up to a vista of the Fox glacier at sunrise. We then drove to Wanaka, which took us past stunning lake views. Once we arrived in Wanaka, we drove to the end of a long dusty road and hiked up a steep gulch to the base of another series of mountains with huge snow formations. After the hike, we drove to Queenstown and feasted on the world-famous Fergburgers. Pictures to come!

Today we will go canyoneering.

Avlanche Peak and the Franz Josef Glacier

This morning we hiked up the Scott’s Track out of Arthur’s Pass. Yesterday’s drive offered us stunning views of one valley after another, and this morning’s hike gave us the opportunity to relish the vistas at a slower pace as we climbed up the side of Avalanche Peak. Across the valley we could see the Devil’s Punchbowl, an impressive 200 ft waterfall. As the mist blew from the higher regions and the sun peaked from behind the clouds, we glimpsed a rainbow that arched over a gulch to our right. While the hike lacked the switchbacks of the Appalachian trail, we quickly gained elevation, and in just two hours, we were above the tree line and headed for the peak. Winds and clouds blew up the mountain in gusts, so we made our way carefully.

As the trail grew steeper, we decided to take it one marker post at a time. The valley below disappeared, and we could barely make out the peak, so we paused and looked out into the misty void. We decided to call this point our summit, and after relishing brief glimpses of the view, we began our descent. We stopped for lunch on the trail and made it back to the vans in the early afternoon.

Leaving Arthur’s Pass, we wound our way down to the coast again. As we did so, the fauna changed once again. We stopped at a café for a “long black” coffee (essentially an Americano), and we eventually arrived at Franz Josef, where we took a short walk up to an overlook that offered us impressive views of the Franz Josef glacier at the top of the valley.

Tomorrow we will hike toward the Fox glacier, and we will move toward Christchurch. 

The Long Haul

As of now, our nerves are shot.  Why, many of you may ask?  Well, let me briefly explain seeing as how dinner is now ready.  We have been riding in the car for nine and a half hours.  We left Nelson this morning around 10:00.  After walking around the city for a while and exploring the shops, we left on our journey (which was much longer than expected, might I add).  After many bathroom stops, scenic views, and stops for Troy to climb some rocks while the rest of us explored the surrounding area, we made it to our hostel in Arthur’s Pass.  So after a super long and slap-happy drive filled with exploration and Troy’s bothersome antics, we made it.  Now I am off to eat dinner, which, as you can imagine, is definitely at the top of my priority list right now. So, so long.

Regards,

Sarah

Abel Tasman sea kayaking

We woke up bright and early this morning at 5:45 A.M. After rolling out of bed and devouring a quick breakfast, we all hurried out to the twelve passenger van and took off for an hour long drive to Abel Tasman National Park. Once we arrived, we went and woke up our selves with some “long black” coffee at a café and sat through the safety briefing for the sea kayaks. After organizing ourselves into a boy-girl manner, we loaded the double kayaks up and headed for the beach.

We set off for a three-hour paddle along the beautiful coast of Abel Tasman. Everything was simply peachy when we first set off, as all of us adjusted to the steering system, enjoyed the cerulean blue waters, and spotted cuddly seals on Adele Island. However, at the very end of our voyage we tackled the “Mad Mile”, which attempted to deter us with large swells, lots of wind, and clouds that blocked out the pleasant sun. Eventually we all made it through to a beautiful bay where we stretched our legs and ate lunch in the sun.

Leaving the kayaks at the beach, the group set off on the return hike, a six-mile journey that went up high for sweeping vistas of the coast and then back down into the woods, which resembled a jungle straight out of Hollywood. Three hours later we were back in the van headed back to our hostel in Nelson. Unfortunately, many among us were wearing sandals for the 8-mile hike, which left Sam, Grace and Katherine with painful blisters. Now, we are all showered and full from a delicious pasta dinner and relaxing in the hostel.

Adios,

Matt Thomas

Editor's Note: 1) The SmugMug pictures of students eating and laughing involved an inevitable experiment with Vegemite. All survived.

2) Tomorrow we will have a day of driving, so the noted blisters will have time to heal before our next hike, which will involve shoes, not sandals.

Kaikoura to Nelson

We awoke to our watch alarms crying like restless children, telling us that it was time to begin our first day in Kaikoura. We proceeded to drag our semi-animated bodies into the kitchen for a fulfilling breakfast comprised of cereal, omelets, and fruit. Tim, Ben, and Linsay unfortunately told us that surfing was not an option, but our fearless leaders did say we would be going for a day hike along the rocky beaches of Kaikoura. This was the first time I fully realized the perfect beauty that is the New Zealand coastline. The coast is made up of furry seals, rolling green hills, and cerulean blue water. We finished our hike and piled back into our vans, Hemmingway and Wilde--yes they have names--for a short trip down the road to a pull off. Here we, Robbie Epps in particular, came across an incredibly arrogant pack of seagulls who clearly thought they owned the place. 

When we were done eating, and Robbie was finished bad-mouthing seagulls, we crawled back into the vans for a 3 hour drive to Nelson, New Zealand. Before heading into the city we took a detour to one of the most breathtaking stretches of beach I have ever witnessed. While half of the group went for a strenuous hike up a steep ridgeline, the other half lounged and swam on the rocky beaches. We left our oasis, our next destination being our new hostel. After dominating Sarah in a game of darts, I devoured a well-deserved pizza while writing this very blog. Goodbye for now

-Troy Leach-

We have arrived!

As we hit the last speed bump on our way out of Baylor, Troy set a timer. 34.5 hours later, we arrived in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Four flights and three hours of driving, interspersed with a lot of airport wandering, made for a long day that, according to our watches, never happened. Now, however, we haves walked on the beach, washing the travel grime from our feet, and we reposed on the pebbly shore, marveling at the contrast of a turquoise ocean before us and snow-capped peaks behind it. On the drive from Christchurch to the coast, we compared the character of the terrain to Montana, California, and rural Tennessee, but once we reached Kaikoura, we realized that we have arrived in place that is truly like no other.

Tomorrow we will check the surf and go for a hike, then we are off to Nelson to prepare for our sea kayaking adventure in Abel Tasman.

Cloudland Canyon

On Saturday, February 28, the New Zealand group gathered again for a day hike. This time, parents joined for a wonderful trip to a waterfall in Cloudland Canyon. We can only hope that the weather in New Zealand matches the perfection of this afternoon: windy, warm, and clear.