There is a book, Wild by Cheryl Strayed. It is a memoir about a woman who, after several tragedies in her life, decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. She talks about the hardships and the triumphs. She does it on little more than a whim following the difficult period in her life. There’s much for which she is ill-prepared. There are times you cheer for her and times you want to shake her. It is an honest accounting. I recommend the read to anyone who finds him or herself stuck in a bad place in life; especially when that bad place is primarily of one’s own making.
Wild is, in part, responsible for my trip to NZ. It is, in whole, responsible for the next three days of the trip—Tramping in Abel Tasman National Park.
The List Made Me Do It
Actually, it was my fellow backpackers. There are 9 Great Walks in NZ. The Abel Tasman Coast Walk is the most trekked & the southern trailhead is only an hour’s drive from Nelson. Hiking the whole track takes 2-5 days depending upon the tide schedule (time of year), your fitness level, and your will. If you don’t want to camp out in the huts or in your own tent, there are water taxis that will drop you off & pick you up the same day. During summer, there is also a lodge if you require more creature comforts. Nearly all the tourists that come through the Tasman region tramp it for at least one day.
After having read Wild, and wanting to chase the memory of the failed volunteer assignment out of my head, I decide one day is not enough. I’m trying to figure out a way to make a two day hike between water taxi drop-off points, distances I think I can handle w/ my gimpy knee, hut locations for sleeping, and having only a day pack with which to carry my food, clothes, and a sleeping bag. The weather is a factor since we are getting hard frosts most nights and I’ve never gone on an unguided overnight hike before. I priced full-size backpacks and they are simply too expensive to purchase and leave behind. I’ve been studying the map & making calculations for more than an hour, but I can’t work it out.
I’m resigned to a one day tramp, ready to make my reservations, when the gang at Shortbread Cottage comes through! Tine offers me her full-sized backpack and Miki offers his sleeping bag. They both offer headlamps. Ok, this is real now.
I’m targeting two days but still can’t work it out to have full experience and not put undue stress on myself for making it past the tidal crossings, low tide is before sunup & after sundown this time of year, so I must plan to take the high-tide routes the entire way. There’s a day of rain in the forecast too. And, the list says I must spend at least one night in Bark Bay. And…
The Curse Blessing of Being a ‘Planner’
Travel moves me out of my comfort zone, and getting outside of my comfort zone often makes me reach for my ingrained habits whether or not those habits are appropriate to the situation. I often rely on planning & analysis, sometimes to my detriment & the annoyance of those around me. Here, I was at risk of planning my way out of this whole thing, this challenging, wonderful, and once-in-a-lifetime experience. And I may have annoyed some new friends.
Backpacking in NZ off-season lends itself to impromptu activities and I made ‘winging it’ a goal on this trip. But that’s not what I was doing here. I admit to reflexively (that is, without thought) reaching for rigorous planning out of anxiety. Once I recognized I was digging too deep, complicating this, I stepped back to examine & this accomplished two things:
- I relaxed. Reminded myself that this trip is better without much structure & I’ve no time commitments. Opened my mind to the possibility of a 3-day hike.
- This is a big deal for me. My lack of experience, the weather, low off-season foot traffic in the park, and the dodgy knee. Especially the knee, I don’t know how it will hold up over 20+ km with a full pack on. I conclude it is appropriate I spend the time to thoroughly plan this.
Ok. Good. Three days on the trail works out just right. It will be ~36 km + any side trips and two nights in huts.
I make the reservations, buy portable food, and pack. The gang helps me adjust the backpack & offers friendly advice. Tine will meet me on the trail on Wednesday and she will drive us back to Nelson.
The shuttle picks me up right here at Shortbread at 0645 tomorrow morning.
Apologies to Faithful Readers
Hi all. I apologize for the big gap since I last published. It was always my plan to write retrospectively, but this was much more retro than I intended. I’m back in the US now and in a new residence & glad to be using the desktop rather than the tablet to publish (although there is still wonkiness w/ WordPress on my Mac).
Also, this post is a little heavy on words & light on photos. I promise more pith and pics going forward.
Thank you for your patience.
Cheers!
Sneak Peeks
Life Shake New Zealand 