THE GRAND TRAVERSE

THERE IS NO WIFI IN NATURE BUT YOU WILL FIND A BETTER CONNECTION

There is something to be said for leaving behind the chaos and stress of our busy lives. In fact, it could be argued that we have no idea just how much we all need to ‘get away’ from it all and re-connect with nature. We began our journey into the outdoors arriving 10 minutes late for our briefing at the Ultimate Hikes headquarters in Queenstown. Having no idea that we are about to embark on an adventure like no other, we listened intently to the guide who gave us a run down on what to expect and what to pack; six days without technology, tramping the Greenstone Valley and the more famous Routeburn Track. The thought of a week without any social media or cell phone contact, was initially, a bit nerve wracking. However it did not take us long to appreciate this lack of constant intrusion, and in fact, welcome it. Everything happening back home had to stay there and cope without us; our families, our jobs, our responsibilities. Once we let it go, it was refreshing. Our fellow trampers looked different to what we had expected – not the latte drinking, pretentious tossers that we had imagined. Just a bunch of good old down to earth, like- minded, Kiwis and Aussies. As a group, we immediately clicked and this camaraderie just continued to grow. An hour and a half after leaving HQ on our coach, we arrived at the start of the Greenstone Valley Track. With a hearty lunch provided, and full of enthusiasm, 12 hikers and our 3 trusty guides headed off into the wilderness. The morning was brisk, much colder than the humid summer we'd been experiencing in Auckland but luckily we'd followed the advice of Ultimate hikes and packed our layers of clothing, including thermals, gloves and hats. The Ultimate Hikes website provides you with detailed gear list, training regime and what to expect day by day, very thorough and easy to follow. As we crossed the Caples Valley the sheer extravagance of nature hit us smack in face. Every hour or so the landscape completely changed; from forests, to flowing rivers, to valleys dwarfed by the Southern Alps, we were treated to the rugged beauty that the South Island has to offer. To understand the beauty of this place, you actually have to experience it. No photos or words can do it justice. This ever-changing scenery kept us captivated and the 18kms of day one passed by easily, broken up with regular breaks for morning tea and lunch and the constant chatter as we got to know our fellow hikers. As we came to the end of the first day the trees opened up to an impressive valley and we meandered along beside a river in the warm sunshine. It was like a scene from Lord of the Rings, you are in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilisation with nothing around you but nature and it's a pretty great feeling.