This day was started with fixing the flat tire problem.
The Bridgestone opened at 8 a.m., so we arrived at 7:50 a.m.
Mr.N: Are you open?
A guy: Yes.
Mr.N: We had a flat tire on the rental car.
A guy: Who was driving?
Mr.N: .....me.
A lady: I am recording.
A guy and a lady: Hahahahaha.
Mr.N: I think a new tire is needed.
A guy: You drive long with that.
Mr.N: .......probably.
A lady: they don't last long do they?
They are funny and nice.
New Zealanders are known for being very nice and friendly, and I found that the reputation is very true throughout the trip.
The tire was kind of torn off, so we were sure we needed a new tire. The brach of Bridgestone near the Queenstown airport didn't have the tire for our car. We went to a nearby branch and got a new tire.
Then we started a hike! Finally.
Greenstone and Caples Tracks
Type: Loop
Time Spent: 3 nights 4 days backpacking
Distance: 60 km (37- miles)
Elevation change: 4225 meters (approximately 6800 feet)
<Day1>
Trailhead (Divide) to Mckellar Hut
9.7 km (6 miles), 350 meter (1150 feet) elevation gain
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| Rain Forest |
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| Kea |
Although it was raining in the morning, but by the time we started hiking it was just a tiny drizzling. Besides, the first portion of the hike was in the rain forest, so rain was not an issue at all. Lucky. Rain forests after rain was shiny and pretty. It was so green. Trees, ferns, water falls, river. There is so much going on with a lot of water.
Then we saw a noise. Whoa. Kea! Kea is a native New Zealand bird that is endangered. The bird was eating something from the branch. Inside of the wing is very colorful. The Kea continued knocking the tree. The Mauri name of the birds in New Zealand are interesting. For example, Kea's bird song is "ke-a". Another example is a bird like pipipipipi that songs pipipipipi.
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| Lake Mckellar |
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| Mckellar Hut |
Then the Lake Mckellar appears. Since the blue sky came out, the lake looked nice blue reflecting it. The first day's destination was the end of the lake. After a couple of miles we arrived at Mckellar hut. Since it seemed the rain was gone, we were debating if we would stay at a hut or go beyond a little more for freedom camp. While we were thinking, the small rain came. So we decided to stay at the hut.
Mckellar hut is located in a beautiful places in front of meadow. Over the meadow there is a tall cool mountains (the left picture).
Mckellar hut consists of three rooms. A common room with tables, chairs, kitchen area, and stove with coals. There are two rooms of bunks beds. There is a room for a warden with stove, bunk beds, a desk and a chair, and radio to communicate with a visiter centre. Near the kitchen area there is a white board and a warden wrote next three day weather forecast. Actually a warden takes care of three huts in the area, and he stayed at a different hut (a hiker at the hut told us). On the white board the warden's name was stated. I saw it and made me happy. The warden is Japanese. It was written as "Eiji Kitai, 北井栄治” his handwriting is clearly by Japanese, so I was sure he is from Japan, not Japanese New Zealander.
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| Bunk Bed |
Other hikers at the hut were quite international. French, German, Americans, and a hiker from Israel. Some people were doing te araroa (New Zealand's long trail of 3000 km! from north of North island to south of South island).
Bunk beds were nice and there are mattress there. However, Mr.N somehow moved a lot and mattress made squeaky noise all night. I couldn't sleep well.
Next day we got up at 5 a.m. and started hiking at 7 a.m.
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