Blue Hen Engineers in New Zealand

@mjchajes

68 posts

Last Night in New Zealand

February 6, 2020

I know nobody wants to talk about going home, after this amazing journey I’m still not ready to leave. All good things come to an end and this trip, like everything else, has come to a close. Our last full day in Auckland started out stressful and ended on a high note.

First thing in the morning at 9 am we had our final for Transportation engineering. It lasted 2 hours and was nerve racking the whole time, I was just hoping all my cram studying for the exam the night before would pay off during the final. After the final was over, we were free from any more classwork. The rest of the day was free for whatever we wanted to do.

After a long test everyone was starving so people went their separate ways to find some lunch. Emily, Ilana, and I headed to a Korean BBQ place called, Bansang, and got Beef Bulgogi and dumplings. The food was amazing, and we had a good time struggling to use the chopsticks given. After lunch we were fueled and ready to go on a full day of shopping.

Exchanging NZD currency for USD means losing money in the transfer, so we decided to have a shopping spree to spend most of our New Zealand dollars. We walked down Queen Street looking at all the souvenir shops we could find. We went down the street going through side alley ways walking into clothing stores, bookshops, and other knick knack stores. After a couple hours our bags were full, and we were tired, so we stopped shopping and went to a park to sit and relax in some bean bags.

Time really does fly when you are having fun. Before I knew it, it was time for the group dinner at Sail’s Restaurant for our final goodbye. The restaurant was a 30 min walk from our University of Auckland dorm, so Emily and I decided to take the bus, since we still had money on our metro cards. We made it to the bus stop on time for the bus, but the bus never arrived. We had to pick up a later bus that only brought us part of the way to the restaurant. We saw some scooters on the street and decided to try them out. In heels in and dresses we rode scooters down rolling hills to get to the marina that housed Sails. We arrived a couple minutes late after getting a little lost in the marina. It is hard to scooter and look at Google Maps at the same time. We joined the rest of the group at a few large round tables. The three-course meal was amazing, but the time talking with everyone trading stories of all our adventures in the city was truly priceless. Enjoying food and talking with everyone at dinner made me realize how close we have come together as a group and how much I will miss everyone after we leave.

After dinner we took our last group photo with the flag and had a big group hug in the middle of the restaurant. I will forever remember this group of amazing people and the experiences we have had here together.

Taira Baldauf

Sunset at the Sky Tower

February 6, 2020

I decided to write my blog post about something I had wanted to do since I heard about this trip. One of the top items on my bucket list was to see the city of Auckland from the top of the Sky Tower. After Monday’s group pizza dinner, a group of us decided to check out the Sky Tower. We purchased our tickets online before leaving the dorms. Tickets were $23 for students, and we found a promo code that gave us an additional 20% off. After a short walk from University Hall through downtown Auckland, we arrived at the Sky Tower about 30 minutes before sunset. We took the elevator up to the 186-meter-high Main Observation Level and took in stunning views of the city. I could see all the spectacular places I had visited in Auckland. Rangitoto, Devonport, and Waiheke Island were all within view. After doing a few laps around the observation level, we took the elevator up a few more floors to the 220-meter-high Sky Deck. We staked our claim on the west side of the Sky Deck to capture the view of the sunset. Once the sun started setting, the sky transitioned into a spectacular orange color. There were also traces of pink in the sky like I’d never seen before! We stayed on the observation level for over 30 minutes until the sky went completely dark. I am extremely thankful that I was able to experience the Sky Tower and take in the incredible views at sunset. After leaving the Sky Tower, I stopped for some frozen yogurt before heading back to University Hall to finish the sustainability project.

Brendan Benson

My Favorite Day

February 3, 2020

Since I was tasked with the last blog post, and nobody wants to read about everyone coming home, I decided to write about what may be my very favorite day on the trip, the day at Lake Tekapo.

This was our first move of many from Christchurch, and we packed into a hostel for a quick one-night stay. Our dinner was delicious, and afterward we walked over to the hot springs to wander around different temperature hot pools. While this was cool, this wasn't what made this my favorite day, it was actually the walk back to the hostel. Alex, Nicole, Harry and I stopped next to the Lake to take in the colors that the lake and mountains behind them were turning as the sun began to set. Once we saw people on their jet skis going around the lake we decided we HAD to dive into the freezing water. We stayed in as long as we could while Chajes snapped some pics, and Ben hopped in too.

The second part of the night that made this my favorite day was going on the Dark Sky Project tour, where we went into a man-made crater, to look and learn about the stars. To let our eyes adjust, we were not allowed on our phones, which meant no pictures. This almost made the experience more special, because we just had to remember how cool the entire experience was. The longer we looked up, the more layers of stars we could see, until the entire sky was covered. We also saw at least 4 shooting stars.

This trip has had so many cool, new experiences for us, but this night was definitely my favorite.

Bailey Apostolico

A Pale Blue Dot

February 3, 2020

As our trip winds to an end, I feel that a period of reflection is warranted. Over the past few days, while still enjoying trips such as Rangitoto and eagerly awaiting Rotorua, I have begun to reflect upon people we have met, experiences we have shared, and beautiful places we have been fortunate enough to visit. Of all the incredible and breathtaking location’s that we have seen, I have chosen to elaborate upon one my favorite experiences.

On a chilly Friday night two weeks ago, my peers and I donned thousand-dollar Canada Goose jackets and boarded busses that carried us 15 minutes south of Lake Tekapo into a cratered field to view the wonders of the New Zealand night sky. Two guides of the Dark Sky Project shared their knowledge of astronomy with us, encouraging us to look through their high-powered telescopes. This was nothing short of stunning, and many of us were left dumbfounded by facts such as how we were looking at light that probably left respective stars around the time the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. However, I found myself wandering off to lie alone and stare at the expanse of the Milky Way Galaxy. Beautiful shades of light yellow and vibrant purples combined to form a hazy band. There are no words that need to be shared, or existential discussions to be had, when looking at the southern hemisphere sky just south of Lake Tekapo. As we were herded together at the end of the tour, I felt humbled into silence having experienced our cosmic orientation. Perhaps it is fitting that I have no pictures to share, as it is something that one must relish in person in order to truly enjoy.

The next morning, I shook Langdon awake at around 7am to go for the run around the lake we had promised each other. A light jog in the brisk morning air startled us to our senses and we agreed this was probably the best morning we’ve ever had. After working up a light sweat before our bus departed to Queenstown, we jumped into Lake Tekapo, which is comprised of mind-numbing melted glacier water. The water was nothing short of freezing cold, but it was the beautiful turquoise that encouraged us to bask in it. After regulating our breathing with our chests under the water, we experienced an ecstasy that only freezing water can bring. As we boarded the bus to Queenstown, and I regained feeling in my toes, I reflected on the past 24 hours with gratitude. Lake Tekapo brought the understanding of our cosmic position to our journey through New Zealand.

Going home will be a melancholy experience as our trip has concluded, but I am content knowing that this is the beginning of a new journey.

“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.” - Carl Sagan

Harrison Chuma

Footnote by Professor Chajes - As some people in the field of sustainability say, “There is no planet B.”

The Glow worm caves!

Monday, February 3,

On Sunday we went on a fantastic adventure. After a nice two-hour nap on the bus in the morning we arrived at the glow worms cave site. When my group’s turn came, Alex, Emerson, Jamie, Jessi, Kristina, Madi, Nick, and I got fitted into wet suits in order to start our three-hour journey! On our wild adventure we got the opportunity to jump off waterfalls, drift down the underground stream watching the glowworms above, and learn about the wondrous stalagmites which grow just 1 cubic centimeter ever 100 years. In case you didn’t know, what we thought were glowing worms were actually their maggot form. We got lost a time or two but made it out safely in the end. At the end we were greeted with a hot shower, bagels, and some piping hot tomato soup. Shout out to our fantastic tour guides, Lucas and Aisha. Then after another three-hour nap we arrived back in Auckland where we will remain for the rest of our stay here in NZ. We checked in, grabbed dinner at BBQ duck, and got to work on our final sustainability projects which are due Tuesday!

Gabe Brown

Hobbiton and The First Day in Rotorua

Sunday, February 2

Friday morning was chaotic organizing our apartment and bringing our overstuffed bags downstairs.

After class we had some time to get lunch in Auckland. I ordered some awesome dumplings while others had cheesy pancakes. Then we all hopped on the bus to get to Hobbiton.

The bus ride was about 2 hours. I slept most of the way and was very happy to wake up when we got to the Hobbiton Movie Set.

We got to tour the original movie set of the Hobbit. It’s one of the only movie sets to be preserved after filming. The set was built on a 1,250 acre sheep farm belonging to the Alexander family.

The second we got there Connor immediately went to the gift shop to buy a Lord of the Rings ring. He then put it on and kept telling our tour guide that he couldn’t give him his ticket because he was invisible. Our tour guide responded by saying it was going to be one of those tours.

I have to admit I have never watched the movies or read the books but I did find the tour fun. One thing I found interesting is that the mailboxes of the hobbit houses have a symbol that gives a hint as to what profession the hobbit who lives there has. Also, every tree is real except for one. I won’t tell you which one in case anyone goes. (Hint: look for a tree that doesn’t move with the wind)

After the tour ended, we hopped back on the bus and began our 1 hour journey to Rotorua, which again I mostly slept through. When we got to Rotorua we immediately checked into the hostel and set out for dinner.

Taira, Ilana, and I went to Wholly Smoked and then went to the Redwoods Treewalk. Everyone who visits should see the Redwoods especially at night. It is spectacular. We walked on suspension bridges through the Redwood Forest. The Redwoods are 118 years old and are 75 meters high. It was so beautiful to walk at night because they had the trees lit which gave the area a surreal vibe.

It was a really great day and I’m excited for what the rest of the weekend has in store!

Emily Chapman

Down Under (The Sea)

January 30, 2020

When I had first told my grandfather that I was going to Auckland, he raved about the SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium and dubbed it a must see. The weather wasn’t great, so Harrison and I decided it would be the perfect day to go. We arrived feeling confused to find a random small building built into the side of a hill. Upon entering, we found that it was built under the road, allowing it to be much bigger than expected.

We started our journey by observing the penguins… not doing much. Even with stoic stances, these little guys were entertaining to watch. There were a few out of place, running around, play fighting with one another, and having a staring contest with me. We even got to see an animal keeper goofily chase one down to tag him. Once we got our fill of the penguins, we moved to the Turtle Bay where some very old sea turtles cruised around, unbothered by the fish brushing over them. They were quite mellow, but managed a wave at Harrison. We then got to see jellyfish, seahorses (my favorite sea animal), giant lobsters and eels. I was fascinated to find the strongest animal in the aquarium to be an octopus.

Up until this point, I didn’t think there was anything quite special about the aquarium and wondered why my grandfather loved it so much. We then walked into a tunnel, where fish, sharks, and stingrays swam over and around us. They were mesmerizing to watch and feel like we were in the water right there with them. A conveyor belt took us in a loop through the tube, which we couldn’t break away from until our 8th time around. After traveling in circles for so long, we headed to the gift shop in a straight line so that I could buy my best friend a souvenir.

Harrison and I left the aquarium and agreed it was a great day! I am very excited to report back to my grandfather that I had just as great of an experience as he did. I am very grateful for his recommendation!

Emily Eichenlaub

Sky Tower

January 29, 2020

So far, New Zealand has been treating us well with sunny days and clear skies. But yesterday (January 28th), grey clouds rolled in and threw a wrench in our plans to take a trip to the beach. Bailey, Alex, and I decided to go to the sky tower and enjoyed the view of the city from above the skyline. The 360 observatory deck allowed us to overlook the whole city, the harbor, and beyond. We also learned some fun facts during our experience. Standing 1,067 feet tall, the Auckland Sky Tower is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere and the 25th tallest building in the world. Kinda cool!

The sun did end up peeking out, so the rest of our day consisted of exploring the city, shopping on Queen Street, and getting some homework done in a nearby coffee shop. The three of us have been loving the whole NZ to US exchange rate, and it’s cool to find new shops that we don’t have back at home.

Although it was not an adventure-packed day like we’re used to, we made the best of it and ended up having a nice time. We did a lot of reflecting on the earlier parts of our trip, and are sad to see it start coming to an end. Hopefully the rest of our time here brings nice weather, adventurous days, and good times with friends!

Nicole Girardi

The Path Less Traveled

January 28, 2020

My blog post is about one of my favorite days I’ve had while in New Zealand. Even though this day was a while ago (1/15), and when we were in Christchurch, it’s worth talking about. Hannah, Emily, and I headed out on the bikes we rented to return them. We were planning on doing a hike around Governor’s Bay. We asked the man working at the bike rental place what would be a good hike to do and he explained a lot of the hikes aren’t just an up and down route but rather a loop. He did recommend the Ohinethai Gardens. We took an Uber from the bike shop to the gardens, it was about a 30-minute ride and arrived at the Gardens. It was $15 NZD to walk around the gardens but totally worth it.

After we spent a good amount of time exploring the different parts of the garden we made our way down to Governor’s Bay and started walking around the coastline. We were walking for a little and couldn’t continue our hike because the trail was washed out. We headed up to the road with no idea where we were going or how we were going to get back on the trail. Finally we found a sign that headed us down to Sunset Beach. We followed that road down to the beach but it was only a beach no more trails to hike. So we decided to make our own trail and continued to walk along the rocks on the coastline. We wanted to find a good spot to cool off and swim but it was difficult because the coastline consisted solely of rocks for the first few miles we walked. Eventually we came along to a small sandy opening where we went swimming.

We then realized the time and figured we should start heading back. We looked left, right, and then up, and soon realized we had no way of getting back up to the road anytime soon. We spotted Lyttleton way up the coast that we were planning on hiking to so we could get back up to the road and back to the University. We walked for a few more miles until we saw a pier. We took the pier from the beach back to land where the road was and made our way back from there.

I really enjoyed that day because it made me realize no matter how much you try to plan your day, the most unexpected trips and adventures are always the ones you remember the best. That day we truly took the path less traveled.

Madeline Green

Saturday at Piha Beach

January 27, 2020

For my blog post I’m talking about an unbelievable day spent in Piha beach on Saturday (January 25). A group of ten of us decided to spend the day at this volcanic sand beach for our day off. We started our trip with a 30 minute train ride followed by another 30 minute Uber. It was a bit of a challenge fully getting there but after arriving it was entirely worth it.

Once we got there it seemed as though everyone relaxed a bit. Max, James and myself all got there together and grabbed food from an awesome taco shop. Talking to a local at the shop, I learned some awesome things about the beach. A true local woman who had never fully settled down anywhere else, told us that Piha has done as much as it could to avoid becoming commercialized. The people living there had a top priority of maintaining the true nature of the beach. I was able to see exactly what she meant when we finished up lunch and moved to the surf shop to rent a few boards. The “town,” if you could call it that, was made up of about four buildings. Two restaurants, a surf shop, and a book store. These shops were surrounded by camping sites filled with tents and RVs.

We met Red, the owner of the surf shop and a former pro surfer. It was super cool talking to him about all of the awesome spots he’s surfed which even included Long Beach, NY and Ditch Plains in Montauk which are where I grew up surfing. We rented three boards for three hours and set out to meet up with the rest of the group in the water. Getting into the water I immediately noticed the increase in temperature being on the north island compared to the south. The waves were perfect for what we were looking for; relaxing three to five footers coming in nice sets that let everyone enjoy some great rides. I spent almost all of my three hours of rental time in the water. I have never been in water so clear in my life.

After an awesome time in the water we brought our boards back to the shop. From there we walked over to the Piha café and grabbed some awesome pizza. After pizza, Chuma and I climbed up this massive rock called Lion rock that that split the beach down the middle. Following the path to the top of the rock we were instantly blow away by the view. Behind us, massive rolling green hills spotted with beautiful summer homes. And in front of us, endless ocean. The water was amazing from this view. We were able to see the waves forming and the swells coming from the ocean. To finish up our day in Piha, we watched some people riding waves from the unique view of Lion Rock.

Ryan Langdon

Exploring Rangitoto Island

January 27, 2020

On Sunday, the group took a day trip to Rangitoto Island, a small island located in the Hauraki Gulf and home to Auckland’s youngest volcano, Rangitoto. We took a twenty-minute ferry ride to Rangitoto and immediately got to hiking up to the island’s summit point, which is located 850 feet above sea level!

An interesting part about visiting the island is that before boarding the ferry, passengers are required to thoroughly “brush” the bottoms of their shoes off at the pier to avoid bringing traces any invasive soils.

Passengers are also required to put their belongings, such as clothes and snacks, in a zipped bag to prevent bringing any invasive species onto the island, since Rangitoto is pest-free.

The forecast was hot and sunny, so the 2.4 km uphill hike to the summit was not the easiest. Speaking for myself, I had to stop a few times to both catch my breath and to catch some of the beautiful views of Auckland on the way up. Along the way, it is impossible not to notice the rocky volcanic terrain of lava fields that were formed from the volcanic explosion 600 years ago. As you ascend, vegetation around the trail becomes denser and lava fields seem to disappear, creating a more forest-like environment. After a little over an hour, we made it to the summit which overlooked the Auckland skyline, Devonport, and the Hauraki Gulf. As you can see from the pictures, the trek up was definitely rewarding and worth the amazing views!

After working our way down, we headed for the bay to cool ourselves off by taking a dip into the water. The water is absolutely gorgeous, and just about as blue as you can imagine. The actual Rangitoto “beach” is located on the other side of the island, which is almost 4 miles wide, but we just couldn’t wait to cool off from the hike! Jessie, Emerson, and I went out a good distance from the shore and found that it was the perfect temperature for a cool-off and a swim. After a couple hours of swimming and trying to even out our tan lines, it was time to head back for the 5pm ferry (which is the last running ferry to Rangitoto, so if you don’t catch it, good luck!).

There was no hiding that much of the group was exhausted from a long day of fun – many of us took a quick nap on the ferry ride back! Overall, it was a Sunday well spent and a beautifully unique spot that I will never forget. It is amazing to me that some of these scenic spots are only a short ferry ride away from the bustling city of Auckland. I’m excited to continue exploring more of Auckland and its surrounding beaches, islands, coasts, and more! Back to class tomorrow 😊

Kristina Kowal

Relaxing Fishing Trip in Queenstown

January 27, 2020

For my blog post, I am going to jump back in time to Queenstown because I had an extraordinary experience and I am reporting the same day as Kristina.

Flashing back to January 19, I woke up for a fishing charter on Lake Wakatipu, less than five minutes from our hostel. I met Captain Stu Dever at the wharf where a couple from Australia and Taiwan soon joined us. On our three-hour trip, I talked with Rick and Karen from Melbourne who said they fish wherever they take a vacation. When we left the wharf, we crossed the lake to reach deeper waters and dropped our lines. Captain Stu then declared, Taiwan would fish off the starboard side, America straight off the back, and Australia off the port side; whoever caught the most fish would be the champion of this international battle. We fished six lines at three depths off Captain Stu’s boat, the Chinook. As we were trolling and the Captain was telling a fish story, I caught a rainbow trout on my thirty-foot-deep line. Being from northern Maryland and fishing the Chesapeake Bay regularly, I was very excited because I had never caught a trout before. Unfortunately, that was the only fish caught but America brought back the bragging rights. The conversation was great; I picked Captain Stu’s brain, chatted with the Aussies about the wildfires, and all of them questioned me on fishing and crabbing the Chesapeake Bay. We also got a history of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding landscape; glaciers came through and carved the lake with the melt water eventually becoming the lake water. Thus, the lake is deep and well-regulated in temperature year-round (~50 Fahrenheit). At the conclusion of our charter, we made our way back into the wharf and I said goodbye to my fellow fishermen. Captain Stu then cleaned my fish and recommended a local restaurant where I could get it cooked. I immediately went and they baked my fish for me (you cannot get much fresher). It came out absolutely delicious and it was a morning well spent.

I then went back to the hostel to meet up with Austin. We went up the Queenstown Gondola where we got some spectacular views of the town and Lake. We then got on the “luge”, a go-cart type ride where you control your speed as you descend a portion of the mountain. Austin and I then went back down the mountain to meet up with Professor McNeil for dinner. She had arranged for the non-hikers to go to dinner for a five-course, Italian meal. The first course at our table was prosciutto, bread, and olives. The second was linguini alfredo, pork in a red sauce on pasta, and duck risotto. The third course was pork belly, Madi’s favorite saying is the second best she has ever had. Fourth course was cheese pizza with basil and Parmesan. The final course, dessert, was tiramisu and two other things. Everything was delicious and we all thanked Dr. McNeil for setting the evening up for us. We went back to the hostel, bloated, and slept off a food coma.

Needless to say, the experience thus far in New Zealand has been life changing. I have truly enjoyed everyone’s company and all the experiences I have had. I cannot wait to see what the remainder of the trip has to offer!

Nick Hughes

A Relaxing Day at Mission Bay

January 25, 2020

Today, I took the time to relax and sleep in. I woke up around 9:30 am and spent about an hour doing homework. Once my roommates were up we made a nice American homemade breakfast. We made scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes. It was great starting our Saturday slowly and getting to relax before our trip to Rangitoto Island on Sunday. Once we finished cleaning up after breakfast we got ready for the beach. Around noon we left for Mission Bay Beach with our bags packed and our sunscreen on.

When we got to Mission Bay Beach one of the first things I noticed was the huge water fountain right before the sand started. We saw kids splashing and playing in the fountain. The weather was perfect. It was 77º without a cloud in the sky. When we found a spot on the beach we immediately got in the water. The beach had so many shells it was difficult to get into the water, but once we were past the shells, the sand was soft. The water wasn’t too cold and the water stayed shallow for a while. We saw people far out from the shore but the water was still at their waists. When we were wading in the water we were the perfect temperature. The sun kept us warm but the water kept us from getting too hot. While in the water we ran into some other people from the trip and chatted with them for a while. Once I got out of the water I had a very relaxing time reading and listening to music. It was the perfect beach day.

After spending about three hours at the beach we dipped our feet into the fountain and headed to get lunch. We shared nachos at a Mexican restaurant across the street from the beach. After lunch, I got macadamia nut ice cream. Before this trip I had never tried macadamia nut ice cream but now it’s one of my favorite flavors. After, we took the bus to Britomart Station and went to the grocery store. We picked up some food to cook for the week, along with some snacks and then headed home.

Once we were home we showered and put on some sweatpants. The sun had exhausted us so we decided to stay in and watch a movie. It was the perfect way to end our relaxing day.

Isabella Krynyckyi

Waterfalls in Queenstown

January 23, 2020

On Wednesday morning, we left Queenstown and traveled to Auckland. A lot of us wish we could have spent a few more days in Queenstown, so, that is why my blog is more of a reflection of our time in Queenstown and not a log of what has happened in Auckland so far.

Queenstown had a nightlife unlike any I had seen before. In Christchurch, stores closed at 5 pm while in Queenstown, they would be open until around 9 pm. The town was jam packed with young people and tourists who were looking to have a good time and go on adventures. One adventure in particular that caught my eye was canyoning. You might be wondering: what is canyoning? Canyoning is when you completely immerse yourself in waterfalls. Rushing rivers and hydropower are a big part of New Zealand’s sustainability efforts. So, to experience that first hand, I had to go canyoning!

Jamie, Ilana and I went on the half day adventure through the waterfalls and streams of Queenstown. While others chose thrills that would only last a few seconds, we chose an adventure that would provide us with a few hours of an adrenaline rush. The sights of the untouched waterfalls and forest was unbeatable.

The three towns we visited on the South Island were very different in their feel and experiences. I look forward to seeing how Auckland on the North Island differs!

Christina Le Febvre

All Systems Down

January 23, 2020

This morning began our first whole day in Auckland. After a 5-day period of adventures and no classes, we were back to the academics. With a new city came a new venue, and a 20-minute walk uphill to our classroom in the University of Auckland’s science building. At some point between arriving to class and walking back to the apartments, the power grid shut down and with it, traffic signals, crossing signals, and elevators. Walking back to the apartments was stressful as cars stopped and drove through intersections as if the coast was clear. People were weaving in and out of traffic, pulling out in front of cars, and cutting each other off with no sense of organization or right of way. The only way to cross was to wait until there was a back up and we could safely walk between stopped cars. An interesting transportation problem for sure.

Upon arriving to the University, we had to use the side gate and walk up seven flights of stairs to prepare ourselves for the rest of the day’s plans. What a way to start the last leg of our trip!

Jessie Lissner

More Routeburn Trail

January 22, 2020

By far my favorite day so far was the day of the Routeburn hike. This hike was a mental and physical battle at times, but the views made everything worth it. For the first 30 minutes of the hike all 13 of us were walking in pairs, still together. By the time we got to our first meeting spot, which was about an hour and a half in, we were split into two solid groups, which stayed the same for the remainder of the hike. The group I was in had 7 people and we ended up being a couple hours ahead of the other group as the hike progressed, therefore, I can only speak to the experience of my group and me.

There was a major climb about 6 km in which was the toughest spot in my opinion. The climb led us up to the “Saddle,” which was a beautiful look out over a lake and on the back side over a range of mountains. It was the kind of spot that just took your breath away, so we stopped there for lunch. After lunch we trekked on, only stopping for water or great views. The water here is so clean that you are able to drink from any of the streams, as long as the water was moving. Overall, we kept at a good pace for the entire hike, which is why we arrived at the hut around 4:30 pm when we had originally projected an 8:30 pm arrival. After a quick "bath" in Lake Howden, we took naps. Emily and I put up our hammocks and napped there looking out over the lake and the mountains behind. The rest of the night consisted of chatting with the hut ranger, trying to learn new card games and just sitting peacefully with good company.

We completed 18.3 miles the first day and 2 miles the next morning. The photos of what we saw don't do it any justice, it is truly something you have to experience in person, but I hope you can get a sense. I am extremely grateful that I was able to do this hike, it was an experience I will keep with me for life.

Hannah Nevel

Pictures from Tekapo, Queenstown, and Auckland

Lake Tekapo

Queenstown

Queenstown at Night

New Zealand Alps (on the way to Auckland)

Routeburn Trail Day 2

Routeburn Trail Watertfall

Routeburn Trail

Routeburn Trail Cartwheels

Routeburn Trail (evening reflection at Lake Howden)

Routeburn Trail

Routeburn Trail Panorama 1

Routeburn Trail Panorama 2

Routeburn Trail Panorama 3

Milford Sound Cruise

Waterfall in Milford Sound

Waterfall by Milford Sound

BBQ in Auckland

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