Author: Michael Eaton

I trekked for twelve hours on Day 2, with stops of course. But it was all worth it. It’s hard to describe but I am going to do my best.

The first two hours were in total darkness. I used my headlamp to guide me across the track. I wanted to get above the treeline to see the sunrise. And I had to book if it was going to happen. I got into a rhythm at one point. I would slug it up some distance and stop and take 10 long deep breaths and then start again.

There was a point in which I could see the light sneaking over the horizon. And that pushed me even harder. I didn’t think I would reach it in time but the trees broke quite unexpectedly and I made it with 5 minutes to spare. It was a good moment. I ate an apple and planned to take some rest before moving on.

But then I got an unexpected surprise. A kea is a bird, an alpine parrot to be exact. And it’s the only parrot of it’s kind. It probably twice or three times as large as most parrots we know. And it came flying in yelling its head off. I was startled because I was interrupted in the middle of such a quiet moment.

The birds were all over the hut when I reached it maybe 25 minutes later. There were some children out there and they were playing with them. They call them “The Clever Clowns of The Alps” and for good reason. One ranger described them as having the intelligence level of a 4-year-old child. They will try to trick walkers in an attempt to get their food and they are sometimes successful.

I continued on towards Mount Luxmore, the highest point on the track. It was uphill but less so than the morning. I can’t describe it in words so I will just show you pictures.

I befriended an American couple on my way up and we waited out the clouds at the summit together. So we got to chat quite a bit. After about thirty minutes the clouds cleared and we got some of the most dramatic views. We’re all clicking pictures and then they ask me to take a video of them.

All of a sudden the guy pulls out a ring and asks this girl to marry him. She’s going full cry and here I am filming their engagement on the top of a damn mountain. I was shocked once again. Here I am, having met these people within the last hour, filming one of the most important moments of their lives. Something I hope they enjoy for a very long time.

The rest of the walk was over the top of the mountains. Just along the ridge line. Again the views were amazing.

Eventually, I had to go down the other side and the drop was steep. I prefer going uphill because it’s purely about physical condition. Going downhill is hard on the body, especially with a pack on. And at this point, my body had been walking for 8 or 9 hours.

I made it to Iris Burn though and the hut was situated in such a nice place. Right in the valley of the mountains. I stretched, I ate, I played a few games of cards, and I went to bed. I was utterly exhausted.

The first day was a lazy day. I didn’t get off and running until about 4 o’clock so I just relaxed. I only had to walk roughly two and half-hours to the campsite and I didn’t want to get there too early.

Most people hike all the way to Luxmore Hut on the first day which is about a five and a half-hour walk. But because of the booking situation, I couldn’t get a bunk in that hut so I had to stay at the Brod Bay campsite.

My new friend Lukas walked most of the way with me. It was nice to have company. He started on the trek the next day and completed all 60 kilometers in one day! Every year they have a race through the Kepler Track and the previous winner completed the trek in four and a half hours. It boggles my mind.

Anyway, when I got to the campsite I found a nice little plot right by the lake. The moment of truth arrived. It was time to pitch the tent. Thankfully, I did an excellent job (if I do so say myself). It was definitely better than my first attempt.

I took a quick swim in the lake and then chatted up a few people at the site. I met a few Americans that were on their honeymoon and they seemed to be having an awesome time. New Zealand would make an excellent honeymoon spot, assuming you were interested in hiking.

I didn’t get much of a good night’s sleep for a few reasons. First, bringing a sleeping mat is absolutely necessary because sleeping with just a sleeping bag is very uncomfortable, even on the sand. Secondly, I kept waking up because something (I assumed a mouse) was trying to get into my tent. I slept with the food in my tent so it wouldn’t get ravaged while I slept.

I woke up at 4 o’clock in the morning and I was utterly exhausted. But I had a long day ahead of me so I packed up camp and ate some breakfast. I started off about an hour after waking up. Just in time for Lukas to pass me on the trail.

Today I will leave for the Kepler Track. This time the walk will take four days. It’s the afternoon here and I only have a two or three-hour walk until I get to my campsite right next to the lake. Tonight will be the only night that I will have to camp out in a tent. The other two nights I will be in a hut.

This will be my first time properly camping outside in the wilderness. I’m not overly anxious about it. More excited to learn something new. It rained earlier today but it looks like the weather will hold up for the next few days. That would be ideal because the second day is supposed to be quite beautiful. As long as it isn’t cloudy I should be able to see for a long distance.

The second day will be the toughest day. Similar to the Tongariro Circuit I will have to bypass the second hut and trek all the way to the third hut. In short, I’ll be hiking up the mountain and down the mountain on the same day.

My plan is to wake up early, maybe like 4 AM and get going shortly after. If I can break through the treeline before 7 AM then I’ll have a good chance of seeing a very beautiful sunrise. And that way I’ll be able to get to the Iris Burn hut well before dinner. I’ll need some extra time to recover before I start off on the third day.

I’ll eat some lunch and organize a few things before starting off in a few hours. Be back in four days!

So I pitched a tent for the first time yesterday. I thought it came out rather well for a first attempt. It was stable and I could definitely sleep in it for the night. But the instructions that came with it were poor and didn’t do a very good job explaining what needed to be done. I think it’s a bit difficult to walk someone through the process in 4 steps!

Thankfully I found a YouTube video of someone pitching the same tent like the one I had. I felt a little silly following a 12-year-old boy step for step but we got the job done. I will practice a few more times before I leave for the track tomorrow afternoon. It’ll only get easier from here (hopefully).

Besides that nothing much is really going on here. Just a relaxing couple of days in a quiet little town. My daily routine includes getting a coffee around mid-morning, sitting by the lake and reading (or practicing German), and then meditating before heading back to the house.

I am quite happy with my meditation practice as of late. I’ve been fairly consistent with it. Obviously, it’s difficult to sit every single day when you are moving around so much. But I’ve carved out time. It’s amazing how the quality of your health, your thoughts, and your life can improve once you remove yourself from the situations that cause you so much stress.

It’s quite obvious that my happiness levels have improved because I am doing what I want to do. But the other side of the coin is that I’m not doing what I don’t want to do. And that’s just as important.

The amount of stress my work had caused me made me sick at times. And I understand that sacrifices need to be made. But everyone needs to make a choice as to how much they are willing to sacrifice. This trip is helping me understand where I might want to draw that line.

Admittedly I didn’t take advantage of all the hikes that Queenstown had to offer while I was there. There were so many people to meet and it felt like a Friday or Saturday every night. I could have really pushed myself to go hiking every day but I am pleased with how I spent my time there. I had a really fun experience.

Today I moved even further south to this small town called Te Anau. It’s situated right on the edge of Fiordland National Park which many consider to be the most beautiful part of the country. This is where Milford Sound, the most popular tourist destination in New Zealand, is located.

Unfortunately, there was a large storm that hit the national park about two weeks ago. The road out to Milford Sound is currently closed and it won’t be open for at least another week it seems. I originally planned a tour there for the 20th but it was canceled. I won’t be able to visit the sound but I am not too upset. Just another reason to come back.

There are three major tracks in the Fiordlands. The Milford Track, the Routeburn Track, and the Kepler Track (listed from most north to most south). Due to the storms the Milford Track and the Routeburn Track are closed indefinitely. But the Kepler Track escaped the worst of the storm and is still open.

Thankfully, that is the trek I reserved to walk. I didn’t really have a choice when I made the reservation. The other two tracks had no availability. So in this way, I got lucky. I came to New Zealand to walk on some of the best hikes in the world. And that is what I will be able to do.

I will be in Te Anau for the next three days and my plan is just to relax. I want to get my body and mind in the best condition so I am ready for the 4 day journey.

I’ve learned to be open-minded to the experience. Often we close doors because we see little chance of a positive experience happening. But sometimes leaving the door ajar costs us nothing. And if that’s the case then there is no reason to shut it.

When I traveled to London with my family in 2016 I connected with this girl via Tinder or Bumble or the like (I don’t remember exactly which one it was). But we never had the chance to meet each other while I was in the United Kingdom. We continued talking on and off for the last three years and here I am in Queenstown, where she now lives and works.

We got together the other night and it was a very fun time. It is a bit odd when you feel like you know each other and you’ve never met face to face. But we clicked and it was just an awesome feeling to connect with someone on the other side of the planet. Especially when it seemed so unlikely years ago.

But that’s not the end of the story.

In December I was in Hanoi with my brother-in-law and we met this man from Argentina. His name was Santiago and we had a great time together. We still keep in touch.

He gave me his friend’s contact information and told me to reach out when I was in Queenstown. Santiago lived in Queenstown for some time and roomed with this man for several months.

While I was hanging out with my English friend I told her about this. She was shocked to learn that she worked with Santiago’s friend at a nearby hostel. He was the manager there and the two of them were actually quite friendly with one another.

This type of thing happens all the time to me and it’s so fun to experience. When you keep the door open you can really milk life for all it’s worth. Sometimes it just takes a little while to develop. I am so lucky to live in a time period in which technology and transportation help create a smaller world. It’s possible to have friends in so many different countries and it’s not difficult to develop those relationships if you want to.

Did you know that Americans are the only people that say “zee” when talking about the letter “Z”? Everybody else seems to use the word “zed” instead. I had no clue this was the case. It’s just one of those funny things that I would never have any reason to notice.

I tried explaining that “zee” is more proper because the alphabet song would not rhyme if “zed” is used. I assumed the British and the Canadians didn’t have the same alphabet song as we do. But the worst part is they do. And they use “zed” and it’s horribly wrong. I was balked at when I expressed this opinion. Oh well.

The last two days have been pretty low key. A part of me wanted to go and do the main track in town but it’s about an eight-hour walk and I decided that might not be a good idea at the moment. So I still got outside but stayed around the town. Walked around the lake and just hung out. The weather was fairly nice yesterday. We will see what the next few days will bring. It seems like rain is likely.

I have been meeting so many Germans in New Zealand. I think I have met 3 or 4 times as many Germans as compared to any other nationality. And to my surprise, I have only met 2 or 3 Americans so far. Not that I mind. When you travel you want to meet other types of people and that’s exactly what has been happening.

I’ve had a good amount of free time and I’ve been focusing on learning German again. I studied for maybe 3 or 4 months last year but I stopped when work got busy. I have a decent vocabulary but I have still have a ton of work to do. The grammar is extremely difficult! I just don’t think it is necessary to have 4 or 5 words for the word “the” or “a”.

But I definitely think that I can achieve a certain level in German. It’s just a matter of staying consistent with it every day. Plus, I plan on meeting a ton of people that can help me practice.

When I talk to people and tell them about my plans I am often told that ‘I am lucky’. And I find it quite odd because I don’t see it that way at all. I am not on this trip because I won a contest. I worked very hard to save my money so I could create this opportunity for myself. It took me years to muster up the courage to make this choice. Luck hasn’t had a part to play.

Anyway, last night got a little bit crazier than I was expecting. Queenstown is filled with young people from all over the world and it creates this energy that is palpable. It reminds me of the towns you find at the bottom of the ski mountains in Colorado, for example, Vail or Breckenridge. In reality, Queenstown is an alpine ski village.

I got a bit of a late start but I got some food and some coffee in me and I felt more motivated. Today has been a beautiful day and it seems like the rain is going to come along for the next couple of days. So I decided it would be waste if I didn’t get outside.

I got going just around lunchtime and headed towards Queenstown Hill. First off, it’s the biggest hill I’ve ever seen. There were some sections that were fairly tough because it’s just a trek straight up the hill. But the base is only a 15-minute walk away from the town which is very convenient.

I met some Americans on the way up and we spoke for some time at the summit. I probably spent close to two hours sitting at the top. The views were so majestic, it was hard to be in a hurry to leave.

There is another trek called Ben Lomond which actually gains more elevation and has more of a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. I would like to do it tomorrow because that is the only day that is guaranteed to have good weather. But we will see what I get into this evening.

I said my goodbyes to the friends I made at National Park and jumped on a bus to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. The bus ride took about 8 hours but I didn’t mind too much. The views from the window seat made the trip enjoyable.

I met this elderly woman on the bus and we chatted for quite some time. She was a retired teacher and she helped me understand more about the political and social culture of the country. I learned a lot from her.

She gave me her email address and offered me a room if I ever returned to Wellington. The people in New Zealand are so friendly. This is the only place I have visited where a two-hour conversation results in being offered free accommodation. Imagine striking up a conversation with someone on the New York subway and being offered a place to stay. That would never happen!

My flight to Queenstown left in the early morning and I decided to sleep in the airport in order to save some money. The sleeping bag I purchased functioned quite well as a pillow but I’ll be grateful to get back to sleeping in a normal bed this week. Between the trek and the airport, I haven’t had many nights in a proper bed lately.

The flight into Queenstown was very cool. The plane has to fly in the valleys between the mountains and as we were landing we got so close to the cliffs. Thankfully I got a window seat (in the emergency exit row to boot) and I got to see everything there was to see.

I’ve only been in Queenstown for a few hours but the scenery is remarkable. It honestly doesn’t look real. It looks like you are looking at a green screen in the distance. I had some time to kill before I could check into the hostel so I hung out around the lake and relaxed. It’s a magnificent place to meditate.

I woke up earlier than I expected which has been a common theme since I arrived in New Zealand. A group of four from France set off before the sunrise. Their plan was to hike from the Waihohonu Hut all the way back to Whakapapa Village. A total distance of 30 KM. It’s definitely doable but it seems like the ultimate challenge. I hope they finished without any issues.

Surprisingly my muscles were not sore at all. I was tired but my muscles were ready to go the additional 15 KM back to the village. I set off around 8 AM with the intention of getting back to the village by lunchtime.

Thankfully the track was mostly flat. It was a welcome reprieve. The views of both mountains were fantastic as I was walking in the valley between them. There were times when I was all alone. It felt like I was the only person on Earth, a feeling you don’t experience back at home. The walk was quite meditative.

About halfway through I started encountering more people. The last part of this trail is a day hike to Taranaki Falls, a small waterfall in the valley. I had some lunch by the waterfall and rested up for a bit before finishing off the last leg.

As I got over the last hill I could see the village in the distance, no more than a thirty-minute walk away. It was one of those moments that you laugh to yourself because you are so relieved. I was proud of myself. I can’t remember being more proud of myself in recent memory.

This was a challenge of both body and mind. I rallied myself and finished off the track with a smile. Had I made other choices I would be sitting behind a desk reviewing tax extensions at that moment. A feeling of triumph permeated through me. I felt as if I was directing my life in the direction I wanted it to go. There is no better feeling.

When I got back to Whakapapa village I hitched a ride to the hostel. Thankfully someone picked me up quite quickly. I didn’t feel like walking another 3 hours back!

Today I will jump on a bus and head to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. I will only stay overnight. My flight to Queenstown, a small city in the South Island, leaves in the morning tomorrow.