Spikes First Hut

27 December 2013

Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Team: Mark, Spike, Me

Mark and I decided to have the first part of our summer holiday (Christmas through to nearly New Years Eve) in Nelson this year, catching up with old friends of ours and their new baby, and hopefully doing some walks. We opted for a kitchen cabin at the Richmond Top 10, rather than a tent site, simply because Nelson has a reputation for getting some heavily stormy weather around Christmas, and tenting with a 9 month old in bad weather was not high on our "to do" list.

Mark had really wanted to stay at Tahunanui, as he had a strong connection to it from family holidays there as a child, but it was full up by the time we decided in July that we definitely were going away.

Various forces conspired against us, and instead of the 3 or 4 walks we had originally hoped for when we booked, we only got in one. So we made it a goodie.

Spike was up early, which for once was a blessing. Popping him in the car at exactly the time we wanted to leave for Kaiteriteri, he was asleep almost as soon as we left the campground.



We grabbed tickets to Anchorage from the booth at the carpark, sorted sunscreen on everyone, checked we had everything and boarded our boat. Spike played with another young boy on the boat up to Anchorage, which was lovely, and helped keep him occupied. After dropping off a couple of groups at various lodges along the way, we arrived at Anchorage about 10.15am, just nicely in time to give Spike some morning tea on the deck of the hut before we headed off for a walk.



We decided (since it was basically bang on low tide) to take the low tide track over to Torrent Bay for an early lunch before catching the 1pm water taxi back to Kaiteriteri. The climb up and over the saddle was quick, and walking through the cool water of Torrent Bay estuary was wonderful on a warm, sunny day.



We had lunch on the beach, before heading back again the same way. We debated trying to find the track for Cleopatras Pool from the low-tide crossing (and therefore take a later water taxi back), but opted instead to return as planned before Spike got grumpy at being up and about for so long.

Our water taxi ran late, so we got to spend a good half an hour chilling on the beach at Anchorage, waiting. Shame we had no umbrella as there was no shade! Spike (again) didn't like the sand or the water at the beach, but was happy to be held while we stood in the water cooling off.

Unsuprisingly, he fell asleep as soon as we were back in the car. Highly successful!

Hut Bagged: Anchorage Hut, Abel Tasman Coastal Track. (0 nights). Mark / Spike first visit, Amelia 3rd or 4th (although first time at New New Anchorage Hut)

Meeting Sirocco

30 August 2013
Mark, Myself, about a dozen others
Zealandia Sanctuary

Marks parents were very excited – a double reason to travel to Wellington. A new grandchild and a chance to see Sirocco, a rare Kakapo (giant parrot). Sirocco, in particular, is quite famous after he attempted to mate with a human head during filming for a documentary. Sadly, he’s not considered breeding stock, so instead has become a species ambassador, travelling around the country to visit different sanctuaries.

Mark and I spent a bit of time debating whether we would go. There was always a chance that his visit to Wellington would be a once-off and we might never get another opportunity. When Marks parents volunteered to babysit so we could go different nights, we figured why not. And I’m glad we did. Even though Sirocco has been back to visit in the time since we went, that evening off was lovely.

A talk in the visitor centre, then a guided walk through the valley to the specially constructed habitat, hearing the birds that live at the sanctuary settling in for the night and then getting a chance to spend half an hour or more watching how Sirocco moved and learning more about his life, before walking back to the sound of kiwi calling across the valley. Worth whatever we spent on it, as most of the ticket price went to Kakapo Recovery.

Gourmet Lodge Weekend

9 - 11 August 2013

Whakapapa Village, Tongariro National Park

Team: Mark, Spike, Me, and 29 others

This was a highly unusual trip to the lodgefor us. For starters, Mark and I had a 4 month old with us, second, we were going on a weekend full of other children.

Also, there was the awesome fact of it being a gourmet weekend.

We left Wellington as Spike was due his nap, just on lunchtime. After stopping at Z Mana, and debating McDonalds for lunch there, we decided to keep heading up the road instead since Spike had just fallen asleep.


Eventually we had lunch in Levin, followed by afternoon tea in Taihape, and a very brief stop just south of Waiouru with the sun setting over the mountain looking glorious. The drive west from Waiouru was challenging - straight in to the setting sun at times. We arrived at the lodge about 6pm, just after sunset.



Feed and bed for Spike, then dinner for us before the rest of the families arrived by van at about 9pm.

Saturday morning dawned clear. Dammit. I was in charge of the cooking for dinner during the day, and that was going to take most of the day and I was hoping to have plenty of help - especially with Spike having a cold that was bad enough we considered not going away.

By the time we had finished breakfrast, cloud was coming over the top of Pinnacle Ridge. The snow cover was already awful, and the weather report was average, so Mark agreed to stay in the lodge rather than waste a whole days pass on what looked to be a half days skiing.

Cooking started. By lunchtime we had much of the preparation done. The casserole (Beef, Onion & Guiness) was in the oven already, the pumpkin soup in a pot on the stove, cheesecakes were setting in the fridge and one set of bread was also in the breadmaker for turning into pull-apart garlic breads.

People started to arrive back in the lodge, having given up on skiing because of the weather. Spike was the centre of attention for some of the other kids, with his portacot setup in the lounge for his naps. More people started also helping with the last bits of dinner prep, as I abandoned plans to do potato dumplings and scones, instead simplifying the 5-course dinner ever so slightly.

We started dinner with standard lodge nibbles at about 4pm, followed by pull-apart garlic breads (BAM, and the bread was gone), before serving mains at just on 6pm, and dessert just after 7pm. The food went down a treat, and it was lovely to get so many positive comments.



Mark and I joined a few others for a few rounds of 5-handed 500 (no scoring) once Spike was in bed, before heading off for an early night ourselves. Breakfast in the morning was awesome, mini mushroom and egg pastries, apple danishes, loads of bacon. Even better, it was all cooked before we got up!

The weather was awful, however. So we packed up, and as Spike was due to go down for his nap, we loaded him down to the car and headed home, via After Hours for Spikes wheezy cold.

Menu:
Finger food: As usual for lodge. Carrot and celery sticks, dip, crackers, cheese and pickles.
Entree: Pull apart mini garlic breads
Starter: Curried Pumpkin & Kumara soup with Sourdough bread
Main: Beef, Onion & Guiness casserole with mashed potato and veges
Dessert: White chocolate & berry cheesecake with ice-cream

Still here!

Dont worry, I haven't forgotten this blog!

I've been busy with my now four-month old elf we will (on this blog) call Spike.

In the background, I've been slowly working on some updates to my hut book. We also went for a day walk to Zealandia when I was 38 weeks pregnant and barely able to walk, which was still lovely. Right now we are preparing for Spike's first visit to the snow. Should be fun, and I promise to write it up soon!