Vietnam: Hanoi , February 21st-23rd

Traffic in Hanoi

Taking into account the tragic history and stunning scenery, Vietnam has been a place I’ve been looking forward to this entire trip.  We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi, the capitol and second largest city of Vietnam.  As I handed the customs officer my passport, I could only wonder about his thoughts as he noticed the US flag on the cover.   I had no idea how the Vietnamese viewed Americans today and this was my first test.  The customs officer smiled at me, stamped my passport and I was at the baggage claim within seconds.  After a one hour drive from the airport, we arrived at the Sofitel Metripole Hotel, right in the heart of the old French quarter.  Many buildings remain from the French colonization (1859-1954), most of which have been restored into embassies, hotels and quaint shops.  After a quick freshening up, we hit the streets of Hanoi.  As I crossed my first street, I realized it would be a miracle if I left Hanoi with all limbs, ten fingers and ten toes.  The insanity of the traffic is like nothing I have ever seen in my entire life! Motor bikes and cars jostle for space on the two lane streets,--crossing into each others lane, continuously honking and not slowing down a bit for pedestrians.   You would think that the sidewalk would be your safe haven, yet motor bikes drive out of stores, alleys and onto the sidewalk to join you.  I poked my head into numerous silk and antique shops, but ultimately couldn’t resist the bargain of a $4 USD pedicure.  I splurged and opted for the $5 pedi with nail art, because if you don’t do it in Vietnam, when the hell will you?  

Hanoi streets

Following our nail salon excursion, we couldn’t wait any longer until we tried the Vietnamese famous pho—spicy chicken noodle soup.  Accompanied with Vietnamese pancakes and rice paper rolls, our first meal in Vietnam was a hit!  In order to clear our minds for the walk home, Megan and I downed a bottle of Vietnam rice wine.  Definitely the best solution, as a calm came about me as I crossed chaotic streets.  Day one in Hanoi was a definite success.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

I awoke day two ready for a noodle breakfast and a day with our guide Long learning as much as humanly possible.  Our first stop was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an enormous complex to honor the controversial Ho Chi Minh.  Endearingly referred to as “Uncle Ho” by many Vietnamese, Ho Chi Minh was the founder of the Communist party, the person to declare independence in 1954 from both France and Japan and the first president of Vietnam.   Within the large granite structure inspired by Lenin’s mausoleum in Moscow, you walk into a dark room and your eyes are immediately drawn to Ho Chi Minh’s preserved body within a glass case, with dim lights shining on his face.  Russian experts were brought in after his 1969 death to preserve the body to boost the morale of the troops during the war.  The complex is intensely guarded by crisply white uniformed officers every few meters; many of which did not think highly of me, as my bag was searched multiple times and my arm grabbed in order to not stare at Ho Chi Minh’s body too long.  Megan was convinced they just liked to touch me, but I must say it was a bit unnerving!  Guards enforce people to walk in two silent lines, with hands straight down at their sides, in addition to covering any bare skin.

Presidential Palace

House on Stilts

Behind the mausoleum, lies the bold yellow Presidential Palace from the French rule of 1900-1945.   Vietnamese history and our guide informed us that Ho Chi Minh refused to live in this yellow montrocity due to its grandeur--opting to build a two room traditional house on stilts on the grounds next door.  Masses of people queued to get a look into HCM's humble abode and photograph his famous work space.  Following the HCM complex, we headed to the Temple of Literature, the first university of Hanoi built in 1070.  One of the few buildings that survived the war, the school's ornate decorations and respectful throne seat for the teacher left me thinking about the architecture designs in my future classrooms.  

With a jam packed morning, we were anxious for the Vietnamese "fish hotpot" lunch at Cha Ca La Vong.  As we sat down, our waiter brought us a laminated sheet of paper that read "1 DISH ONLY-FISH..AND BEER".  I like a place that makes your decision a little easier--so I graciously welcomed the famous Bia Hanoi beer to cut the burn of the fish hotpot dish! Absolutely delicious.  We walked off the excessive beer calories at the Museum of Ethnography, a conglomeration of artifacts from all fifty four of the ethnic minorities throughout Vietnam.  Fish baskets, ornately woven wedding gowns, Hmong houses, hundred year old pottery and more. 

We found ourselves standing outside the Hoa Lo Prison, known by many Americans sarcastically as the Hanoi Hilton due to the miserable conditions.  Originally built by the French to house Vietnamese political prisoners, it later provided the North Vietnamese a prison to house American prisoners of war.  Although much of the original prison is gone, a museum containing photographs and several original 5 foot x 3 foot cells remain, including John McCain's.  McCain was shot down in Truc Bach Lake in Hanoi and later transferred to Hoa Lo, where he was imprisoned for several years.  I am still formulating so many thoughts on the images I saw within these walls. 

Hanoi Hilton

After a day filled with new information and heavy emotional material, we winded down with a cycle taxi tour of Hanoi.  Well...we thought it would be a relaxing journey.  Instead, I found myself discussing my will with my bike partner, Sam.  With the absence of street lights and continual automobile/motor bike honking, I closed my eyes for the majority of the trip! I opted for a night of relaxing in the hotel room, googling my multitude of new questions on the Vietnam War and beginning to digest all that I had seen that day.

Malaysia: Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur, February 14th-21st

Firefly Airlines got us into the Malaysian beach resort island of Langkawi early and safely!  We trekked through rainforests and past monkeys, into the winding driveway of The Datai Hotel where we would be relaxing for the next five days.  Set within the depths of ancient rainforests and macaque monkeys, the Datai provided stunning beaches and pools to lounge and lose myself in several books.  With productive morning school sessions, the afternoons were left to play Monopoly, take a nap and frequent the water.  As if the scenery were not enough, we ate like kings and queens at both their Thai and Malaysian restaurants.  Although legends tell of Langkawi's pirate haven days, the island has truly turned into a beach paradise. 

Independence Square

Despite several days in paradise, our taxi driver had to literally drag us away from the idyllic setting and into the cab to make our flight to Kuala Lumpur, the capitol and largest city of Malaysia.  My city girl heart started beating as we entered the city limits of this shoppers haven and symbol of Malaysia's growing economic power.  Thankfully we stayed at a generous hotel, for there was not time to drop the bags in the room, with only a day and a half in KL, there was shopping to be done.  We didn't have to venture far, as we reached the Pavilion, one of KL's six shopping malls connected with one another.  I mixed amongst the locals at the Time Square Mall, with local markets on each of the twelve levels.  My night's entertainment could be found within a 3 block radius--TV commercials with cars on the side of buildings were being filmed, festivals with people break dancing to Glee and more Chinese New Years parties! The Petronas Tower's lights guided me back to the hotel in the wee hours, exhausted and already loving KL.

Chinatown Market

No doubt our full day in Kuala Lumpur would have to be jam packed to fit all of the beauty of the city.  After a first stop at the Malaysian's King Palace and National War Memorial, we visited the National Mosque of Malaysia.  With our styling purple robes, we toured the stunning complex and met many volunteers anxious to teach us more about their religion.  We finished our morning in the footsteps of the Malaysians that announced independence from Britain in 1957.  Now appropriately named Independence Square, this open park area surrounds itself with stunning buildings and crowds of people.  We spent our afternoon at the famous Petronas Towers, the tallest buildings in the world until the last two years.  The Sky Bridge on the 41st floor and the observation deck on the 86th provided never ending views of the growing metropolis.  Amongst every Asian cuisine option available for lunch, we devoured a Japanese meal incredibly happy to be back with tuna sashimi and shabu shabu.  I spent the rest of my Sunday afternoon walking through the local markets of Kuala Lumpur where handbags, sunglasses, watches, Batik dresses and more crowded the streets.  Being the only European in the thousands of locals I got everything from Britney Spears to Kim Kardashian to a headband fashion choice like Gaga.  Although no purchases, the entertainment was enough to last me hours.  Tomorrow I head to Vietnam, a country I have been looking forward to this entire trip!

Penang, Malaysia February 12th-13th

After leaving the mainland of Malaysia, we crossed a brand spankin' new bridge to the island of Penang, where it claims to have the best hawker food in the world.  The whole "hawker food" concept is a new one to me--the idea of picking a street corner or street and sampling dishes from a variety of stalls.  Definitely an experience that is good for the pocket books and taste buds :)

We pulled into the Eastern Oriental Hotel, an old British colonial building, and hit the streets to check out the city of Georgetown.  Little did we know that we were in town for the biggest party of the year, the Chinese New Year Festival Celebration!  Ringing in the year of the rabbit, over ten city blocks were closed down for Chinese children games (reciting Confucius sayings, making paper flowers, etc.), Recycle Fashion Shows with accompanying Madonna music (me with my favorite contestant in the picture), live rabbits, Chinese acrobat shows and numerous food stalls.  As we walked into the festival, a group of street performers displayed their skills in the national sport of Chingay--balancing a 30 foot bamboo flag pole on their heads only to "head it" back to their teammates to land on their chin! It makes the "Original Tin Man of Chicago" street performer look like a nobody!  After an evening of games and shows, we hit the food stalls.  The Midwest girl in me could not contain my excitement when I saw a corn pancakes sign! Absolutely delicious AND innovative! Delicious fried noodles, dumplings, and honey chrysanthemum tea followed, although tough to follow my opening dish.  I stood amidst the body to body crowd marvelling at the midnight fireworks.  What a party :)

It took several cups of coffee to get me moving the following morning for our city tour of Penang.  After a stop at Fort Cornwalis, we couldn't miss Cheung Fatt Tze's, the 19th century Chinese tycoon/player, Blue Mansion.  With a strikingly beautiful blue color, the mansion was built for his favorite wife (number 7) and offers great insight into Chinese architecture and the principles of feng shui.  A blue mansion could really only be followed by the Temple of Supreme Bliss (Kek Lok Si) and the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas the site did not disappoint.  Although the big tourist attractions were a hit, the real adventure came when we got to Gurney Drive, the longest and busiest hawker stall street in Penang.  Situated along the sea esplanade, Gurney Drive offered Malaysia's top dishes and of course, we had to try.  The char kway teow won my award--Chinese flat rice noodles fried with prawns, bean sprouts, sliced chilis and corn! By far, the largest stall was the International Satay Man--over 10 different kinds of meat being grilled right in front of your eyes.  With stained shirts and full tummies, we strolled down the Straits of Malacca until our bodies just couldn't take it anymore.  I collapsed in my bed, anxious for an early morning flight to the island of Langkawi.

Malaysia: Malacca and the Cameron Highlands Feb. 9th-11th

With my mouth still burning from red chili crab for dinner and spicy nasi goreng for breakfast, I warned our driver that I may soon be breathing fire as we entered customs on our way into mainland Malaysia, the meeting point of the worlds of the West and East.  Just a short drive from Singapore, we passed through customs like a well oiled machine and began our journey to Malacca, a historically important city on the Straits of Malacca.  For centuries, dynasties battled for control of this port town, which is evident in the architectural and culinary influence of the Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Dutch and British throughout the city today.  We dropped our bags at the Renaissance Hotel, put on another necessary coat of deodorant and went on a self guided tour of the city. We passed by many hotel recommended restaurants, but instead opted for the Portuguese Settlement--where the locals go! As we stepped out of the cab, a group bombarded our taxi to lure us to dine at their seafood stall.  Told by many that Seafood Stall #1 was the place to go, we bypassed the heavy talkers and found a table for 6.  The only Europeans in the crowd off 200ish people, many onlookers enjoyed our efforts at ordering in the "you pick it, we'll cook it style".  You literally go up and handpick the fish and crab you would like them to cook.  Must have been good ones, as we devoured black pepper crab, fried noodles, fresh grilled fish, spicy vegetables and more! Yum and yum!

Pick your seafood :)

Chinese New Year plate

Anxious to learn more about the history of Malacca, a guide joined us on day two.  It is evident that people from countries and religions all over the world have shared this land for centuries.  We walked along "Harmony Street" where ancient mosques, temples and churches are within doors of one another.  Jonker Street added the colonial character with quaint little shops and narrow alleys. Even government buildings and forts still stood from the Dutch and Portugueuse dating back 500 years.  A trip to Malacca isn't complete without a trishaw ride through town.  Quite possibly the coolest form of transportation worldwide, the trishaw is a bike taxi decorated with all the junk you could imagine, including techno music pumping at the highest possible volume out the back! What a sight.  We finished our day at Bistro 11, enjoying a fusion of Indian and Malaysian cuisine, topped off with a festive Chinese New Year dish to ring in the year of the rabbit.

The following morning we said goodbye to Malacca and started our drive inland.  Allowing us to see much more of this beautiful country, we drove through the Titiwangsa Mountains and into the Cameron Highlands.  With a much cooler climate than humid Malacca, our main destination were the British influenced tea plantations.  With the plantations carpeting the valley and snaking up the mountainside with a mysterious cloud sweeping in, my uncle Tim noted that it felt as if we were walking through a National Geographic article.  After a tour of the production factories, we all sat to take in the scenery with a steaming hot cup of BOH tea :) After a long travel day, the comfort of our Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel bath robe was just what I needed.

Singapore, February 8th

Super Bowl Sunday was a heavy travel day for this group.  I didn't mind too much as my desire to ever watch the Packers is minimal (still can't believe they won).  Instead, we took a four hour flight from Auckland to Melbourne and after a few hour layover boarded an eight hour flight from Melbourne to Singapore.  Hardly a word was spoken on board, as we immersed ourselves in our personal TV's to watch movie after movie.  We landed late in Singapore and headed straight to the Goodwood Park Hotel, just a block off Orchard Road, the main drag.

After a good night's sleep and a successful school morning, I wanted to take advantage of our one full day in Singapore, so I headed out on my own to explore.  A shopping haven, Orchard Road provided a perfect combination of window shopping and people watching.  I ventured off the main drag to the Singapore River, the lifeline of Singapore in which immigrants first arrived and saw their city transform from fishing village to a bustling port city.  I bought a ticket for the River Cruise and enjoyed the entire boat all to myself--what a tour! We traveled down the river by several of the famous quays (Clarke, Boat and Robertson), century old shophouses, the landing site of William Raffles, Merlion Park and more.  After a fantastic walk and river tour, I was ready for a bite to eat and a comfy chair.  Locals and tourists alike said a "must do" in Singapore is a stop at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar, home of the Singapore Sling cocktail.  I wasn't going to pass this up, so I ventured into the beautiful Raffles Hotel Complex and bellied up to the bar with a delicious Singapore Sling cocktail and a bowl of peanuts :) The bartender and I became BFF, so much in fact that another Sling was in order to finish our conversation.  I called it quits after two, for another Singapore staple was calling my name night--red chili crab!!

Singapore prides itself on its cuisine, but it may be the most famous for its red chili crab.  Our group of six sat down at a table already equipped with a crab cracker and hand washing bowl for each person.  As we sat down, a person immediately "bibbed" us, as red chili crab splatter is just a fact.  The hard work was definitely worth it, as each bite of crab provided a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavor! What a treat :) As we sat outside overlooking the river, with the fresh crab on the table and red chili sauce on my fingers, I knew that Singapore was my kind of town! It was definitely not enough time to explore, for we were headed to mainland Malaysia in the morning!

Waiheke Island, New Zealand February 3rd-7th

What do you think of when you envision Paradise Island? Sandy white beaches? Palm trees? From our four full days on Waiheke Island, I can strongly claim I may have found it.

Delamore Lodge

As I have said about so many places in New Zealand, it was sad to leave Queenstown.  Not having flown in a month, we hopped aboard a plane from Queenstown back to the bustling city of Auckland on the North Island.  After a quick nibble of sushi, we caught the thirty minute ferry ride to Waiheke Island, an island famous for its wineries and restaurants.  We were greeted at the ferry terminal by our driver and a display from the island sculpture walk entitled "Bare Bottoms".  Not a bad greeting at all.  As our driver pulled into the Delamore Lodge, I knew it would take a natural disaster or a winery meal to tear me away from this property.  Large reflecting pool overlooking the water, stunning flowers and jasmine trees, extravagant meals with fresh fruits and veg, complimentary appetizers and drinks every night at 6:30...need I say more.  My wishes came true and for the first two days, we didn't leave the hotel once! I finished two books, wrote several school lessons and ate.

Mudbrick Vineyards

By day three, we were ready to check out what the rest of the island had to offer.  Along the edge of the island, the Headland Sculpture walk provided both fascinating art by local Kiwis (massive lego Super Mario man) and gorgeous views of the island and beyond.  After we all submitted our vote for best piece of work, we walked inland to the Cable Bay winery.  Although delicious, it couldn't even come close to our meal at Te Whau Winery that night.  With a prime time location, several table visits by the owner and the most delicious lamb I'd had in New Zealand, Te Whau had overtaken the coveted "Best New Zealand Winery Experience" in my mind.  It would be short lived, as we spent our last meal in New Zealand at Mudbrick Vineyards, which took the top spot.  With lavender plants and fresh vegetable gardens surrounding each table, Mudbrick offered spectacular views, even better cuisine and my idea of a dream wedding location! As with any last night in a country, our family went around the table sharing our favorite hotel, experience, outdoor activity, lunch, dinner and more.  I honestly can say, I fell in love with New Zealand!

Queenstown, New Zealand January 31st- February 3rd

I returned from the Hollyford Track with two legs full of itchy sand fly bites and a strong desire for a long night's sleep, yet Queenstown provided too much excitement to be concerned with either of those petty issues.  After a short night's sleep, we were up by 7 am for a planned trip to white water raft the Shotover River.  Our bodies were dragging as we stepped aboard the shuttle bus towards city center to meet our Family Adventures van.  Somebody must have been listening to the kids desperate pleas as the white water rafting trip had been cancelled due to high water levels.  We returned anxious for a day of lounging at our villa overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables Mountain Range (coolest mountain range name EVER!).  After an afternoon full of pure laziness, the adults went grocery shopping for home cooked meals and an abundance of wine bottles to enjoy for the next few nights.  As we unloaded bag after bag of groceries, Sam wandered outside.  Within seconds a scream came from the backyard "WOW!! Uncle Mike and Aunt Cathy are here!!". I rushed outside to greet my dad and stepmom; so thrilled that they had come to Queenstown to spend the next 3 days with us! We sat around and talked for hours- our only break in conversation being the moment it took to open a new bottle of red wine.  A little after midnight we called it a night, as the action began the following morning bright and early.

After devouring the Heritage Hotel breakfast buffet, our Dart River Safari picked up our expanded family crew for a half day excursion.  With numerous scenic stops along the way, including the location of numerous Lord of the Rings scenes and the mountain vista for the Coors Light bottle, we twisted and turned our way into the New Zealand bush for a quick walk.  Our guide described numerous aspects of the beautiful beech forest, but my eyes were focused on only one thing ahead --the JET BOAT.  Originally designed for the shallow rivers of New Zealand, the jet boat can not only travel through inches of water, but in full speed can  perform 360 degree turns and easily manuever tight turns.  In true New Zealand fashion, they have turned jet boating into quite the adrenaline sport and has taken off globally as a result.  We tightened our lifejackets, only after graciously accepting protective water gear, and told our driver Shayle that we wanted lots of actions.  Ingeniously designed with heated handrails, everyone became white knuckled once we made our first turn! "How did we fit through there?" "Ahhhhhhhhh!" "That was SO much fun, let's do it again!" were just a few of the commentary lines coming from our family boat!  In addition to the tremendous excitement, we stopped numerous times to take in the stunning views of the mountains, braided river and glaciers surrounding us.  After countless 360 turns, the only thing that lured us off the boat was the thought of a delicious lunch in Glenorchy and the driver's ears needed a break! After a scrumptious lunch, we sadly said goodbye to the Dart River and headed back to Queenstown.  The adults opted for an afternoon of  local New Zealand Mac's beer at the Pub and shopping adventures along Shotover Street!  A fabulous day was only topped by a wonderful evening of sitting around the table looking at Kirley family photos that my dad had brought along.

Hannah lured me into another adrenaline activity for the following morning, so another early morning as we headed down to breakfast at 7.  After a quick glance at the brochure, I agreed to be Hannah's canyoning partner, not quite sure what I had gotten myself into.  Probably a good thing, as the next 4 hours may have been the scariest thing I have ever done in my entire life.  After a short drive from the hotel, we were dropped off in the middle of a parking lot with only helmets and wet suits in sight! With five minutes to get dressed, I changed into 10 mm of wet suit, booties, a safety helmet, buoyancy jacket and a harness.  The gentlest part of the morning came in our five minute bush walk into a scenic lakeside reserve.  I knew the staff was a tad bit nutty as they led us into chest high glacial water for our safety briefing!  Little did I know this was only the beginning of the insanity.  Our guide Andrew led us in a rock climb to the top of the Queenstown canyon where a zipline was waiting for us.  Being a fellow American (Andrew was from Oklahoma), he volunteered me to be the first to zipline the forty meters across the canyon.  Never one to shy away, I grabbed on with two hands, latched a safety and off I went! By the second zipline (50 meters this time) I was able to look down to truly take in the stunning views.  The four ziplines were just getting us ready for the real excitement.  Andrew warned us that due the rain, the ledges were quite slippery, but we had to test that as we needed to abseil/repel down to the bottom of the canyon.

"Katie, have you repelled before?," the guide asked.  "Only on a rock wall" I responded.  Apparently that was all he needed to hear and within seconds I was strapped up to lead be the first to repel down the 20 meter  (60 feet) canyon wall.  "Oh and there's not a guide down there yet.  You are going to have to do all the safeties and latches yourself!".  Definitely not the words to hear as I turned around and took my first step down the wall.  Luckily I survived and was ready for the next adventure.  We reached the water at the bottom and began rock scrambling and sliding head first through the current to reach our first waterfall.  The true adrenaline came when we reached the 8 meter (24 feet) gushing waterfall.  What was our way down you may ask? Jumping! Yes, I stood on the ledge of the rock face and plunged myself into the 8 meter waterfall. What a thrill! More jumps came along--including a 6 meter butt jump, a 10 meter standing ledge jump and a 2 meter backwards jump into the canyon water.  We even ziplined ourselves across to the middle of the canyon to only release our safety to plunge ourselves into the water!Even the swim slides provided excitement, as our guides yelled for us to turn on our sides so we could squeeze through the rocks!  After a full three hours in the canyon, we finally reached the finish.  My body was utterly exhausted, but I could not wipe the smile off my face! For three days my body would be paying for this adventure, but I would do it all over again. What a morning!!

After an adrenaline filled morning from both parties (the rest of the crew went luging!), an afternoon winery lunch was certainly in order.  Amisfield Winery, just oustide of Queenstown, provided the perfect setting, yummy lobster risotto and flights of pinot noir.  After our four hour lunch, we returned home to spend our last night in Queenstown! Sad to say goodbye, to both Queenstown and my dad and Cathy, we were off the next morning to Waiheke Island.

**Although I would like to take credit for it, I took the canyoning jumping photo from their website, not my photography work :) **

Hollyford Track Day 2 and 3

Lake Alabaster

Day Two began with a wake up call from Bard and a stiff cup of joe at 6:45 am.  After a filling breakfast and goodbyes from our generous lodge hosts, we began our walk to stunning Lake Alabaster, a large mirror lake that reflects the peaks of the Skippers Range and lush green forests on the perfectly still water.  On the return journey, we crossed the longest swing bridge in the Fjordland--running with no hands :) With four kilometers already in the books, we were off to Martin's Bay.  To reach Martin's Bay walkers can opt for the Devil's Trail, a 10-12 hour journey around Lake McKerrow or you can go by jet boat, down the Hollyford River and through Lake McKerrow.  For so many reasons, I appreciated the jet boat decision.  With a few side splashes and jokes cracked from our driver Robbie J., we drove through stunning Lake McKerrow, carved out by glaciers during the ice age.  Surrounded by mountains on both sides, the sunshine even popped out to make the views even more magnificient.  A geology lesson ensued, as we stopped at a point along the lake to marvel at the junction of two tectonic plates (the Indo Australian and Pacific) which cause an earthquake everyday--only those which are higher than 3.1ish on the Richter does one actually feel. 

Goblin Forest

It ended up being a delightful afternoon as we walked through podocarp, beech and goblin forests.  Even the diversity of the ferns and mosses made for "trippy" photos of 250 million year old plants, lycopods and other varieties.  With more Davy Gunn stories came a mandatory stop at the wooden post that Gunn's horse was once attached to before breaking several of Gunn's ribs.  Bard insisted we all touch this peg before we passed--strange/creepy, I know.  We finished our walk on day two overlooking Martin's Bay at the Long Reef, stretched out on the rocks watching the adorable New Zealand fur seals.  Despite no rain today, the hot shower at the end of the day felt almost as good as removing my hiking boots!  The plentiful red wine made me feel even better.  There was never a lull in the the conversation, as the fourteen of us sat around reminiscing on our favorite moments of the first two days and decided to head to bed for another early night.

I awoke the third day expecting to be thrilled it would be my last day, but in fact I wasn't yet ready to say goodbye to the Fjordland.  With both a Maori and personal wake up call, I jumped out of bed anxious for the day to begin.  After a filling breakfast, we boarded the jet boat one last time for a short trip to the Martin's Bay Beach.  With enormous sand dunes and an abundance of plants, it was a spectacular scene to finish our last portion of tramping.  The kids dominated the competitions of running up sand dunes, both forward and backwards, while the adults stopped numerous times to take in the 360 degree views around us.  We stood under hundred year old podocarps listening to stories of survivors who came before us--which all made our journey seem luxurious and minimal.  We spent our last kilometers and moments on the beach collecting stunning shells and rocks, enjoying the isolation from the rest of the world in a picturesque setting.

Because of the continual rainfall, our scenic flight into Milford Sound got switched to squirrel (6 seater) helicopter rides! Somehow it got around that this would be my first helicopter ride, so both our guide and pilot made sure this would be a ride I never forget.  I got to be the co-pilot, sitting up in the front with the headset and all.  The pilot freaked me out with several close calls, flying between rock formations, within inches of large mountain faces and more.  The other passengers were overjoyed as I screamed into the microphone multiple times--wondering at many moments if it would be my last! As we rounded the corner into Milford Sound, it took my breath away.  Milford Sound is a fjord created by glacial activity with water up to 400 meters in places and mountains surrounding it with 1200 meters of height.  Due to all the rain, hundreds of waterfalls with varying intensities raged down the mountains.  As the helicopter landed and I stepped foot on ground, a new perspective allowed me to truly appreciate the enormity of the sight. Truly a remarkable place!

We finished our journey by bus-- taking in a portion of the Hollyford Alpine Track, driving through the handcarved Homer Tunnel and mesmorized by the amount of waterfalls every direction you looked.  Once we arrived in Te Anau, celebratory drinks ensued with an honorary toast for our guide.  Our group exchanged email addresses and promised to send photos.  I must say it was sad to say goodbye, another reminder that this 3 day journey had concluded.  The six of us continued our journey to Queenstown, where we shared our favorite stories, memory, plant and scenery.  We spent the next few days laughing and reliving this time together--I for one certain, that I would love to do it again :)

Hollyford Track Pre Departure and Day 1

Although difficult to leave the beauty of Lake Wanaka, the withdrawal shakes had begun to set in, for it had been over a week since our last winery visit.  We were just in luck, as just a few miles down the road we found ourselves in the middle of Central Otago, a region famous for its pinot noir.  We pulled into the Lazy Dog Vineyard for tasting flights, enormous cheese plates and an intense game of Bananagrams!  As we traveled through valleys and alongside lakes, once again the landscapes of New Zealand impressed us all.  After dropping our bags in the adrenaline junkie town of Queenstown, we headed downtown for our briefing meeting preparing us for the 3 day walk ahead of us.  They provided us with hiking packs, heavy duty raincoats and a nervous excitement after learning our pick up time was 6:30 am! Immediately, we beelined it for the supermarket to load up on sugar and granola bars as Day 1's seventeen kilometers sure seemed like a lot.  Opting to save our legs, we taxied home, packed our bags with the bare essentials and called it an early night!

Over the next three days, our crew would be walking the Hollyford Track, a thirty nine kilometer guided walk that begins in the forests of Fjordland National Park and concludes with a helicopter ride through Milford Sound.  For weeks, Tim gushed excitement as he spoke of this birthday present journey.  Yet I, the girl who declared herself a "city girl" at the age of seven, did not necessarily feel the same way.  Little did I know, this trip would be one of my New Zealand highlights.

Group shot

Day 1: I woke up anxious for my debut as a Kiwi Tramper (not tramp, people). The Kiwi walking/tramping outfit includes leggings, shorts and incredibly sexy hiking boots (see attached photo).  With my day pack on, an English muffin in hand and a smile on my face, the bus picked us up at 6:30 sharp.  After several pick ups, we were en route to Te Anau for a flat white and our first opportunity to meet our guide, Bard.  Our group of fourteen boarded the bus as strangers, unaware of how could we would become over the next three days together.  The commentary and jokes began from Bard immediately and for the first time I thought that I actually may enjoy this. Our bus dropped us off at the end of the road/start of the track with our full packs in the middle of a downpour.  Our guide's incredible knowledge of the flora and fauna combined with hilarious story telling caught all of our attention right away.  While showing us the stinging nettle tree, he testified to the group "So, if you take off all your clothes and roll around in this, only then would the histamine give you a very slight chance of dying.  Katie, we know you were forced to go on this trip--but don't do it!" Between the humor and constant forest eating--tried the caterpillar looking seeds on the back of the koru, pieces of young shoots of asparagus, the pepper planet-- Bard kept us all so happy. 

End Day 1

We devoured our lunch inside the ironically named Sunshine Hut, savoring every moment of being in dry surroundings.  Bard assured us this wasn't "man rain", but just a light shower in the Fjordland.  As we walked through the tracks of early explorers and Fjorldland legend Davy Gunn (the greatest man that every lived), I marvelled at the enormity of the beech trees, diversity of the ferns/mosses and the towering mountains in the background.  The kilometers continued with Lady Gaga songs, gummy worm popping and multiple rounds of twenty questions.  By afternoon, our group began to gel, for at any moment you could be walking with any person enjoying a new conversation.  By kilometer fiftteen, I started to embrace the puddles and mud, instead of avoiding them.  Once Tess, Megan and I reached the jet boat sign and our cue that we were only fifteen minutes away, we let the entire national park know our excitement by the decibel level of our screams.  Our lodge hosts greeted us at Pyke's Lodge with orange slices and delicious lemon barley water.  I stripped down and anxiously jumped into the hot water-- a joyous and luxurious feeling.  A glass of red wine, a three course meal and plenty of laughter made for a delightful evening.  The only thing that could tear us away from the fire was the opportunity to feed the monster eels leftover venison and blood juice :)  Our group all hit the pillows with a warm hot water bottle and duvet, dreaming about the tracks ahead of us on day two.  I hit the pillow thinking about the breathtaking scenery, water falls and river crossings I'd seen today and thought that maybe, just maybe, I am liking this whole nature thing.