Oct 11, 2002

A friend reminded me that life is precious. Reminded me to aspire to greatness; to be kind, patient and polite. To follow my bliss. To live every day as if it is my last.

Thank-you Denise.

I chase Captain Cook again.

I who had ambition not only to go farther than any one had done before, but as far as it was possible to go.

Captain James Cook, HMB Endeavour

Age 39, snatched from obscurity mapping Newfoundland, Captain Cook sailed in search of the Great Southern Continent.

Queen Charlotte Sound Cook made his place of refuge in the Pacific. He returned here 5 times, 100 days total, refitting his ships, tramping the same hills as I — now the Queen Charlotte Track.

I stepped ashore as Cook did first at Ship Cove.

I came to stretch my legs on this 78km 4 day walk. A tad shattered, I needed time off following the National Championships which we hosted in Christchurch. It was by any measure a quality competition.

But I left town deflated. Of the 14 athletes who competed from my club, several were disappointed with how they competed. I empathize.

Others had some great results. That is sport, I reckon. The delicious uncertainty is what keeps it interesting. (results of NZ Nationals — PDF file)

The only other to disembark at Ship Cove was Paul, a Dutch bio-chemist who had hiked Patagonia and in the NWT. (He immediately noted that the Dutch sailed New Zealand before Cook.)

We walked quickly. This sub-tropical Track is surprisingly tropical; giant ferns, waterfalls, strangling vines like steel cables. Some trees are covered with weird black lichen. The best sections are walking the spine of a long isthmus enjoying the views 400m down to the sea on both sides.

We were parched and hungry by the time we reached the first pub. (It is difficult to find true wilderness in New Zealand.) Monteiths Black happened — we then stumbled dark pathways to our backpacker cabin. Glow worms lit the way.

We did the first 2 days together enjoying a terrific seafood meal in Ponga. (Ponga is the silver tree fern, symbol of NZ.)

I took Paul on his first kayak paddle there.

I later joined up with hiking tour guides from Nelson checking the Track for their customers. I heard great things about hiking in Iceland and Greenland. Even better company were the numerous Weka, another goofy, supposedly flightless Kiwi bird. They are curious, fearless thieves stealing anything shiny. We were warned not to leave our boots outside! A farmer told us Weka steal his chicken eggs every morning.

It was a long sunny day to Portage — I did not realize I was exhausted until I arrived. A superb backpacker hostel, a gorgeous sea harbour. We shared a kitchen with 2 Kiwi hunters tracking wild pig with dogs. Cook had released the ancestors of these pigs.

Hunting is illegal here in the Marlborough Sounds but, I have to admit, wild pig bacon is tasty.

It is great to be on the backpacker trail. This is my element. Especially in New Zealand. One welcoming hostel provides free coffee and home made bread, transportation, information, library, and movie room — $C12 / night.

I am looking forward to tramping more Lord of the Rings landscapes. It is instantly obvious that Lord of the Rings had to be filmed in New Zealand. A quick quiz;

Which of the following places are in LOTR and which are actual geographic locations in New Zealand?

Cape Foulwind?
Mount Aspiring?
Mount Doom?
Fiordland?
Middlemarch Bluff?
the Remarkables?
Mount Awful?
Mount Misery?
Dusky Sound?
The Snares?
Mount Dreadful?

(Answer at the bottom.)

You have to love a country which has a picture of Ed Hillary on the currency. (The new $20 bill features different adventure sports including kayaking and tandem skydiving.)

My friend Elaine from Saskatoon is coming in December. Also Greg Chartier and his family from Saskatoon. We will holiday together over Christmas.

I once thought I would spend 2 years in New Zealand; I have decided to spend just 1 year here. I will give up my job by Christmas, travel the country, and return on my 1-year open airline ticket.

Life is precious. Follow your bliss. Live every day as if it is your last.

– Kiwi Rick

PS Only Mount Doom is from Lord of the Rings. The other evocative place names are actual NZ geography.