So we decided to hike the 265-km-long Great South West Walk. This is a loop in the south-west of Victoria. It was established as a trail in 1981 by two lively residents of Portland. Later, in 1984, a volunteer group known as the “Friends of the Great South West Walk Inc.” continued to extend, realign, maintain, upgrade, and promote the GSWW on behalf of the Glenelg Shire community and in collaboration with Parks Victoria.
My partner and I got all packed and ready to leave the United States from Dulles Airport to Melbourne shortly after Christmas. It was right on time as it became significantly cooler at the end of December, and I could not wait to return to summer in the Southern Hemisphere. After a smooth, but long flight that included transits in Charlotte and Los Angeles, we made it to Melbourne.
It feels very special being in Samoa. On the one hand, it’s so isolated and surrounded by the vastness of the Pacific Ocean; on the other hand, many of the global invisible lines meet here. It’s remote, but it’s all about globalization here: the planes departing Samoa are full of groups of enthusiastic workers flying to Aotearoa and beyond to work in construction and agriculture. At the same time, in Samoa, many stores are run by Chinese …
Well, another one of my favorites in the Hauraki Gulf is Aotea Great Barrier Island. Whenever things get a little much, I dream myself away to Aotea, and now and then, I make the time to head out there. I am not sure whether it is the remoteness of the last barrier before the vastness of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name), the time travel aspect of feeling to go back in time to an Aotearoa from 20 years ago, the plentiful hiking opportunities or if it is the characters you get to meet and with who I, to some extend, share the fascination of a place so out of the way.
The last time I was on Tiritiri Matangi, the bird sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, I noticed a bunk house. This facility is run by the DOC (Department of Conservation), so you can stay on the island. Staying in the bunkhouse is in high demand as it is popular among volunteers staying on the island, but it is also for bird-watchers as nocturnal birds cannot be seen during a day trip.
The flight into Christchurch from New Plymouth was uneventful. After landing, I made a beeline towards the exit and took a taxi through the cold and dreary city to the Intercity bus terminal in the city center. As the bus was a little late, I enjoyed a coffee at a coffee shop opposite the bus stop. I expected to experience some of Canterbury’s and Otago’s scenery along the coast. However, after boarding the bus, the ride went through endless fruit plantations, flat farmland, and rather dull countryside towards the south.
John was making good progress towards the end of Te Araroa, and I planned on joining him in Invercargill to hike the last stretch with him to Bluff. As I had some flexible time workwise ahead of me, I wanted to take it a little slower and make it a worthwhile trip going south. As I have never been to New Plymouth but always marveled at Mt Taranaki when flying south from Auckland, it was time to visit this volcano.
Aotearoa New Zealand – that’s unique bird life and a very fragile flora and fauna. Living in Auckland also means being only a ferry ride away from a few islands in the Hauraki Gulf. Motutapu is my favorite; I have been there plenty of times. But there’s one island I have yet to go to: Tiritiri Matangi.
I had it on my list for quite some time now, but all those times I needed to travel back from Wellington to Auckland, the train was not scheduled. As it is a scenic train, AKA tourist train, it only runs 3-4 times a week and only once daily. However, on my way back from hiking the Abel Tasman Coast Track, I made it work and booked a ticket for the train ride.
Rangitoto is rugged, raw, dense vegetation covering most, but not all of the sharp edges of the dark lava rock. The very moment you step on Motutapu, the feel is very different: Motutapu is a 15 sqm mass of rolling hills, farmland that is still (better: again) cultivated by the local iwi (Māori tribe), some windswept trees and some fine beaches and bays to go for a swim or to sit and enjoy being away from the world.