Had a really good sleep and today was going to be different so you need to get a glass or cup of your favourite beverage this is going to be a long post!!!!
I decided today was going to be an easy day and a day that I let Mellow Yellow rest after having driven 2000 km already…so I had a very slow and delicious breakfast and did some trip planning but more on that later and also decided that I wanted to stay another day here so I spoke to sally and she gladly let me stay till Friday morning more on that later too…..
I just enjoyed puttering around this morning and then at noon packed some lunch and went off to hike from the house to rainbow Falls!!!
The trail first took me here to this old village
A very important settlement in the Maori history….
The oldest stone building in NZ
Check out the floor
I cannot even begin to describe the smells from these gardens..
The beauty for me of this sign is that the dedication is the church in Spain where I finished my Camino last summer!!!!
I then set off on the riverside trail to the falls it was lovely and my first view was this amazing pond
Neat trail..
Cool waterfall yes??? Except these are not Rainbow falls they are another 30 minutes walk away!!!!!
Notice how similar to the waterfalls I spent time at yesterday!!!!
A nice stop for lunch!!!
I do love beautiful waterfalls not to mention the view on the bottom left hand corner how on earth did that happen I ask you????????
There was a path to the top of the falls
There is a very feint hint of a rainbow here…hence the name of the falls!!!
My guide book told me it was possible to scramble behind these falls but it was very tricky and slippy…. did not stop these guys
45 years ago that would have been me!!!!
It was a great hike and I reckon about 14km and back home to relax in the garden with a cuppa tea and my book a nice change not to drive today……
I cooked a lovely simple dinner got cleaned up and watched a movie on TV….
So I had booked here for two nights and was happy they could put me up for another night….Tomorrow I have a driving route planned to see some local sights and then Friday morning I leave to drive to Auckland where I have an airbnb place booked for three nights.
The plan for next week is exciting I am doing what is described as one of the top ten hikes in the world……5 days and nights on the Milford Track!!!!
This track can only be done two ways on your own carry everything staying in huts with basic needs or going with a hiking company I still carry my own bag but food and good lodging and showers and drying rooms are provided……I earned my keep last year walking 535 miles in 35 days so I opted for the luxurious crossing here is my Itinerary!!!
The red symbols are self explanatory and of course no communication or Internet for 5 days…should be the walk of dreams!!!
So Monday afternoon l say goodbye to Mellow Yellow at Auckland Airport and fly to Queenstown on the south Island…I arrive at 3.45pm and have to be at a hotel down town for a pre hike briefing and after that I have to find my way to my airbnb place for the night and then Tuesday morning back downtown for 8.30am for the commencement of the hike…that means three taxi trips at around 45 dollars each so I did some research and came up with a plan.
When I get off the plane I am going to hire a car and drive myself to the hotel briefing and then out to my accommodation and the next morning I can drop the car off down town at 8am and it is two minutes to the hotel so it all works out and the car is costing me 40 dollars!!!!
The place where I am staying before the hike as allowed me to leave all my stuff there and when I finish the hike they drop me off at the airport where I have a care hired for 7 weeks so I pick it up and stay the night at the same place before leaving to explore the South Island.
I have tried to get the photos of my Nexus onto my computer and cannot seem to be able to do it yet so these photos are ones from the cruise that I did manage to transfer they are in no order but I will continue to try…
This is sailing into the Millford Sound at 6am …magical!!!!
This was a natural bridge on the day I hired a car with June and Becky in Tasmania!!!
This was where I spent 20 minutes every afternoon after completing my Deck 3 laps!!!!
I enjoyed standing at the rear(sorry all you sailors out there) of the ship and watching the waves and listening to the sound of those powerful engines!!
One of the glorious sunsets!!!
and another!!
The last few days of the trip we picked up a buddy here is the Princess in Millford Sound….
This last one is my favourite…..this was taken the night that I heard of the passing of my wonderful and courageous friend Rita……June asked me what was wrong with me that day and I told her and that evening she told me to meet her on deck 3 the outside deck and I did….she had with her the Lei that she was wearing in the photo up above and she asked me about Rita and I told her of our friendship and how special she was to me and June gave me the Lei and with a prayer and a wish I tossed it into the ocean…..Bless you Rita I miss you and thanks June, you are special also!!!
Told you it was a long post……have a great evening or day whatever it is where ever you are!!!
Hot of the press when i finished the hike and walked home I noticed that the house next door had a sign outside advertising massage so i stopped in but the lady told me she was booked for the next two days but asked me where i was staying and i told her next door….I thought she may call and Sally just handed me the phone and I have a massage booked for tomorrow at 5.30pm……Sally said it is really good!!!!
Yashi kochi!!!
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