On the Milford Track: Contrasts of heart-stopping beautiful

Deep in New Zealand's Fjordland rainforest, a brave beam of sunlight breaks through the overcast to illuminate the thick coat of moss on an ancient Red Beech.  The sudden glow stops my head-down trudge.

I straighten up under the weight of my pack, turning slowly, taking a deep breath of dampness, focusing on the soft edges of an untouched wilderness.  Squinting ahead into the dripping drizzle I take my next step on the beckoning trail.














Miles up the glacier-carved valley of the Clinton River, far from roads, electricity ... from connectivity, you'd expect silence.  But days of steady rain have swollen the river to a cacophonous torrent.  The thunder of rushing water is only meters away, punctuated by thumps that may be rock falls, or landslides or ... ?

Only the occasional birdsong rises above the din, a simple but beautifully tonal tune that seems to change with every few meters of altitude.













As we emerge into clearings, the steep valley walls are strung with thousand-foot threads of falling water, fed by collecting cols high above and swelling streams that flow across our path.  The water is so moss-filtered-clear that we don't hesitate to drink deeply.

It's only day one of our 3-day "walk" along New Zealand's famous Milford Track and we are already intoxicated by the heart-stopping beauty of our surrounds.

Packs on and ready to get started

The Milford Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks and often called the 'finest walk in the world'.  It is a 54 km, restricted-access trail open to only 90 hikers a day and must be completed in 3 days.

Priscilla (centre) describes local flora during a break

We have opted to take the guided option - joining a small group led by Ultimate Hikes - the only private operator on the Track.  This gives us access not only to cheerful, knowledgeable and empathetic guides, but also allows us to bed down for the night in their private lodges.

Glade House - the first lodge on the Milford Track

Ultimate Hikes' three lodges on the trail are small, rustic and very comfortable.  The real benefit?  A hot shower, hot meal and dry, comfortable bed at the end of each day's hike.



















Fjordland is the tortuously folded south-western tip of New Zealand's South Island.  It's raw peaks capture the brunt of the moisture laden winds that sweep across the Tasman Sea. The weather is unpredictable ("50% chance of everything", they say) but you'll miss out if you don't hike it in the rain.

On a day of heavy rain, hundreds of waterfalls lace the bare rocks of the mountainsides - a sight of unparalleled beauty.

Clinton River Valley, Fjordland National Park NZ

Of course, when the skies clear, the long vistas of glacier-carved, U-shaped valleys and snow dusted peaks can take your breath away.

We woke (at the requisite 6am) on Day 2 to a cool crisp spring day and started out from the cascading rooms of Pompolona Lodge on the most arduous stretch of the Milford Track - the climb over MacKinnon Pass.

Our first glimpse of MacKinnon Pass (left of centre)

As the morning progressed, and we cleared the tree line, we began to catch glimpses of our lunch-stop - a small hut on the saddle of the Pass.

7 switchbacks carry the trail up to the pass (upper right)

By mid-morning, we were close enough to see the famous 'seven switchbacks' (actually 11) that carried the trail up the steep approach to the pass.

Urged on by our fellow hikers, we counted down each turn.  Trudging up the relatively gentle grade.

View of the Col at the head of the Clinton Valley

As we neared the summit, we were rewarded by spectacular views of the col at the head of the Clinton valley - a solid, rocky ridge that once cupped the head of the valley's glacier.














Summiting had other rewards, a chance to drop our packs and pose for photos against the extreme backdrop of jagged peaks, a cup of hot tang and biscuits offered by our thoughtful guides, and the backslapping camaraderie of those who shared the experience.

Kea - New Zealand's alpine parrot

But we couldn't let down our guard.  The resident Keas - incredibly intelligent alpine parrots, kept an eye on us, ready to pounce on unattended gear for the sheer pleasure of tearing it apart.

MacKinnon Pass, Milford Track

Our lunch stop, the sturdy Pass Hut built to withstand extreme winds, was a few minutes away, past a series of mysterious alpine pools.

MacKinnon Pass, Milford Track

The extreme beauty of the harsh alpine landscape contrasts so sharply with the lush, mossy rainforest we had just emerged from.  This sharp transition is a quintessential New Zealand experience.

The Arthur River Valley from MacKinnon Pass

MacKinnon Pass gave us a great overview of the trail ahead, the glacier-carved Arthur River Valley stretching languidly down towards Milford Sound.

Little did we realize that the steep descent to the valley floor would occupy our attention and tax our strength and flexibility for the next few hours.

Sutherland Falls

By late afternoon, we had arrived at Quinton Lodge, a lovely complex connected by wooden walkways and arrayed around an open courtyard of alpine flora.

Rather than grabbing a cup of tea and putting our feet up, we talked ourselves into the 90-minute side-trip to the base of Sutherland Falls.

The combined height of its three stages is 3 times the height of Niagara.  The trail opens without ceremony onto a flat terrace at the base of the falls, where the massive force of the falling water pummels you with thunderous spray.

The Arthur River, Milford Track

The final day is the longest leg of the Track at 21 km.  But the trail is relatively flat, the Arthur River is broad and languid.  We had time to reflect on the beauty around us - the landscape of course, but also our wonderful fellow adventurers from New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Korea and the U.S.

Our first view of Milford Sound

We reached the end of the trail mid-afternoon on our third day.  A rustic hut sheltered us from the hungry sand flies as we waited for the launch that would take us across the head of Milford Sound to Mitre Peak Lodge where we'd spend our last night before heading back to Queenstown.








But the adventure wasn't over.  Ahead of us, the sea water of Milford Sound lapped against the feet of abrupt, 4,000-foot peaks, holding scenic promise for our cruise the next day.

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Heli-hike on Franz Joseph Glacier - Otherworldly prose

Looking down the Franz Josef glacier - its retreat is obvious

The wild wet winds of the Tasman Sea wash New Zealand's west coast with torrents of rain.  The sheer weight of winter snows compress into a series of low altitude glaciers that scrape their way towards the sea.

Two are on the tourist itinerary - Franz Josef and Fox.

One of the helicopters dwarfed by the ice fall

In fine weather, helicopters rise from their eponymous villages carrying hikers to landing spots carved into their higher reaches.

Our safety briefing

Glib young guides wield ice picks with thor-like bravado and stride the ice channeling Indiana Jones.  They gird us in crampons and caution us on the dangers of crevasses and inattention.

Getting ready to start our hike

And inattentive we are.  Below us the glacier plunges into the jagged darkness of the barren valley, cascading dangerously towards the sea.

Heading out

Above us the blue ice tumbles over resistant ridges, crumpling into tortuous ice falls that creak and slip a meter a day.

We stay close to one another, awed by the heaving, plastic mass below our feet.

Under the watchful eye of our guides

We are small in this sculpted landscape of white and blue; the surface softened by weeks of steady rain, rivulets dropping into bottomless caverns to join the gushing meltwaters at the glacier's snout.

The guides constantly cut new trails

A false footing, straying too close to a crumbling lip, venturing under a weakened thrust of ice; all potentially fatal missteps.


The danger, despite our guide's admonitions, is ever-present.












But the beauty sculpted by nature's forces is otherworldly.

Aboard the helicopter over the Franz Joseph Glacier

And in the end, we return to the tourist trail with new visions of the strange and beautiful world we inhabit.












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Queenstown NZ: Comfort in magnificence

The view from the top of Bob's Hill puts Queenstown, New Zealand into perspective.

View of Queenstown from the upper Gondola Station

The bustling self-importance of the South Island tourist hub, its high-end shops, pricey gourmet burgers and hyped up adventure tourism, fade into a string of  bright lights, almost lost among the vast alpine scenery.


The linear parades of tour groups are merely dashes on the boardwalk of the turquoise bay below.







The amplified buskers and bungie jumper screams are lost in the brisk breezes that sweep off the surrounding ranges and rustle the invasive Douglas Firs behind the clearing.

The Remarkables catch the setting sun

Like its northern hemisphere cousin, Banff, the true wonder of Queenstown is its location - nestled by the crystalline waters of  Lake Wakatipu and enclosed by the barren rock faces of endless mountainscapes.


It is important, although not easy, to look beyond the town.

The setting sun over Lake Wakatipu

Some visitors recognize this, and brave the stiff breezes, perching on the boardwalk wall to watch the setting sun cast dramatic shadows on the lake's undeveloped shoreline.

A cone of exceptional Patagonia ice cream or a glass of local draft from the Atlas Beer Cafe buys you a sheltered front row seat

Rhododendron and Roses in Queenstown Gardens

Not that the town lacks its own attractions.  Well over 100 years ago, forward thinking settlers planted a botanical garden that today boasts towering specimens of Giant Sequoia, Red Beech, English Oak, Horizontal Elm and Pin Oak.

During our spring visit at the end of November, the Peonies had peaked, the Rhododendron were bursting with colour and hundreds of rose bushes were just beginning to bloom.

Churchill's Runabout in Queenstown harbour

Sitting on the shore of one of the deepest and clearest lakes in the world, Queenstown offers plenty of opportunities to get out on the water, from scenic cruises to private  boats.  We even saw a few brave backpackers shed their outer layers and jump in for a glacial, early spring swim.

The landscape may be Queenstown's original raison d'etre, but the comforts of a well developed tourist town undoubtedly help ratchet up the "happy factor", particularly on the eve of our challenging Milford Track expedition.


(PS. Apparently Taylor Swift agrees ... she dropped in for two visits while we were in the area)

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Livable Auckland

New Zealand's largest city is consistently ranked as one of the world's most livable cities.  With a sub-tropical maritime climate, close proximity to the ocean, acres of beautiful parkland, a vibrant downtown university, a lively theatre and arts scene and a tolerant, multi-cultural population, it sounds like paradise. 

But then there's the small issue of the dozens of volcanic cones that punctuate it's topography.  In the photo to the right, at least half a dozen are easy to spot.  

No worries, residents tell us.  There have only been 19 eruptions in the past ten thousand years (or something to that effect). 

It's actually easy to forget the volcanic activity bubbling below the surface of the city.  The city connects to the Tasman Sea on the west and to the South Pacific on the east through two different harbours each scattered with beautiful islands that are an easy get-away from the central business district.  

The parks offer verdant stretches of cricket fields, lined with magnificent 100-year old trees.  The plane trees in Victoria Park pictured here, offer cool dappled shade from the hot afternoon sun. 

New Zealand's distance from other land masses means that the island nation has developed unique flora and fauna.  The lack of land mammals (until the Maori arrived with pigs, chickens and rats 800 years ago) meant that birds evolved into niches occupied by mammals in other parts of the world.  

In the absence of deer or bison, flightless Moa - taller and heavier than ostriches - grazed the grasslands.  Kiwi birds still snuffle through the ground cover looking for bugs just like rodents would in other parts of the world.  Flightless parrots fit in where squirrels might live elsewhere. 

The country's fascinating geological, biological and human history is revealed in the War Memorial Museum atop an extinct volcanic cone in the Auckland Domain.

When we visited there was also a charming temporary exhibit on the 75 history of Air New Zealand - including a virtual reality simulator of the cabins of the not too distant future (hint - see-through walls and floors). 

But the city itself is embellished with it's very present living history.  For example, picturesque Victorian cottages abound in inner city neighbourhoods like Ponsonby and Parnell.   

Auckland is a comfortable landing spot when arriving from overseas and is often dismissed as 'just a big city' you pass through on your way to bigger adventures, but it offers a useful orientation to New Zealand's colourful history and current psyche.

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The Enigma of Rapa Nui / Easter Island

It might be the world's most remote speck of land.

- 3,500 km off the coast of sovereign Chile
- over 4,000 km from its earliest settlers' origin inTahiti.
- 2,075 km from its closest human neighbours - the 100 people of Pitcairn Island (Mutiny on the Bounty).

 A low-slung sliver of volcanic tuft reaching blackened fingers into the endless sea.

The sheer isolation and beauty of this spec of land would be enough to make it an intriguing destination for explorers.  But the enigma of a "lost civilization" creates an irresistible pull.   Scattered across the island are immense Moai - heads carved out of volcanic stone - staring intently out to sea with blank, hooded eyes.

These monoliths, a few petroglyphs and a cluster of stone huts on a promontory are the only structural remnants of what was an complex and advanced society.  

The people of Rapa Nui are still here - several thousands of descendants of a people beaten down by kidnapping and slavery (taken to the guano mines in Peru), colonization (a French sheep baron who 'owned' the island until killed in an uprising) and diseases brought back when exiles were repatriated.





Their oral histories and archaeology have revealed a fascinating story of competing villages who 'ordered' stone representations of their ancestors to protect them from the sea and from each other.

The Moai, who actually have torsos and arms, with hands folded across their bellies, were arranged on Ahu, solid stone platforms at strategic points between the village and the perceived threat.


Conflicts involved toppling and smashing the rival villages "protectors".  The island's forests, it is said, were toppled so tree trunks could be used to move the Moai from the volcanic cone where they were carved to  their final destination.  The loss of the forests led to erosion and exposure sowing the seeds for the civilization's decline. The story is often used as a metaphor for how we as a species are despoiling our own planet. 

Rapa Nui has many fascinating side stories. The 'nursery' is the volcanic cliff on one side of the island where all of the island's Moai were carved.  Apparently rival villages 'ordered' their figures from the same carvers who may also have carved 'on spec' and created a showroom of their work on the lower slopes. 

The crater of Rano Kao, one of three volcanes that created the mid-Pacific island, has sides so steep that modern civilization (cattle, cats and dogs) have not disturbed the original ecosystem.  It's a living time capsule that helps us understand the uniquely evolved flora and fauna of this isolated spec of land.










Orongo, a ceremonial village of flat-stone huts looks out over the sea on the slopes of the volcano, and appears to have been used only for ceremonial purposes.

Young men staged a competition each spring to welcome the new season.  They scrambling down the immense cliff, swam to a small rock outcropping to find the first bird egg of the season, swam back to the main island and climbed back up the cliff.  The first one back brought honour to his family/tribe.

Many of the old customs are being rediscovered and revived by the proud Rapa Nuis.  Culturally Polynesian, Spanish-speaking, they study the old way and revive traditions - contributing both to the revival of collective memories and to a thriving tourism industry, 

Rapa Nui / Easter Island may be one of the most isolated spots on earth, but the reward for making the effort is a chance to learn about a civilization unlike any in the world, a cautionary take for how we seek material advancement at any price.









But it is also a welcoming destination that offers unsurpassed beauty, exceptional hospitality and more than a few bragging rights.

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