9 Great Walks

Earlier this year my work made a partnership to sponsor the Department of Conservation, and to encourage people from NZ and around the world to come and see the 9 great walks of NZ (one of which is a river canoe trip). So we starting getting lots of emails through work about the things that were going on and this competition that they had planned to bring 4 people from overseas to come and see NZ. It got me curious and looking at the different walks that were available. One I had already done last year without realizing it was one of the “Great Walks” the Abel Tasman coastal walk not far from Nelson, at the top of the South Island. Earlier this year I did the Tongariro Crossing which I had thought was one of the walks but its not (the Tongariro Northern Circuit is, which is about 3 or 4 days and includes parts of the Tongariro crossing – part of which is now closed due to volcanic eruptions) and then a few weeks ago I did the Routeburn Track, which is near Queenstown, 32kms over 3 days. I travelled by myself, which my family thought was crazy, and I was quite slow compared to the daily time estimates, but it wasn’t a competition and I had a great time. I met lots of cool people and I got there in the end (although the bus had to wait a few minutes for me as I had lots of hold ups and issues on the last day with torrential rain and near hypothermia). My next planned walk is in March, to do the Milford Track. I’ve heard lots of good things about it, and I’m really looking forward to it. I have yet to buy a back pack (I hired one for my last walk) but I think it will be great.