2016_03_18 ROUTEBURN TROMP DAY 1

Today we start the 3 day Routeburn Tramp, the highlight of the vacation!

Everyone has been looking forward to this as well a being a bit concerned with the backpack weights!

I got up pretty early (5:30) to try and enter my NCAA pool picks but it was after 11:00am back home in the US so Connie and I won't be in this year.  Strange but the entire tournament will be over before we return.  Won't see one game.....

We should have had a little extra time to rest this morning but for my obsession with the blog!  The majority of the trampers will start out in Queenstown around 7:00 or so and be bused to Te Anu where we already are.  They should get here around 9:00 where they can have a tea/coffee break at the trekking office.  Scones are also provided.  We decided to skip a big breakfast for the yogurt and fruit we bought yesterday and have a scone when the bus arrives.

After an hour's ride we will get to the Routeburn Track trailhead and start our 3 day tromp.

No WIFI so this will be the last post until we get back to The Waterfront Apartments in Queenstown after the tramp ends.

I also have not been able to post any images from my iPad.  Left the other computer in storage because of the weight.  We have to carry everything for the three days in our backpacks so we have tried to pare down to the essentials. We are actually sending a few dirty clothes back with one couple who are not doing the tromp.  Paul and Ann Jacobs are taking a duffel back eith them with a few  things from the other trompers.

I have lots of images and will add some to the blog when I can.

Thst's it for a while.  Looking forward to the tramp!

Positively optimistic outlook drowned out by constant rain!

From the second we started to the end it was RAIN.

Walked for 6 hours and 24 minutes and eventially reached Lake Mackenzie and Lake Mackenzie Lodge.  That was the only good thing  about the day!

Below are images of all of us at the the Routeburn Trail trailhead!

Harvey Johnson, Connie Ellis

Laraine Shore-Suslowitz, Bobi and Richie Steingart

Gayle and Rich Rediker

Laraine and Paul Shore-Suslowitz

Mardy and Peter Shapland

Connie and I at the base of a 173 meter high waterfall

FINALLY reached Lake Mackenzie Lodge.  We were so glad!
The BEST part of the whole day!

2016_03_16 Doubtful Sound/Te Anu

Slept with Paul and Ann Jacobs in a shared room last night.  2 double bunk beds each.  Not much room above my top bunk.  We were told that the boat would start moving at 6:00 but we would not have to be up until 7:30 for breakfast.  Good thing as I got up when the boat did but went back to sleep until exactly 7:30!  Went down for a bit of the scrambled eggs with lobster from last night.  Josh made a bunch of sausage and bacon to go with it.  All really good but I wasn't too hungry.  Took turns stripping down the beds as it was crowded in the room.  Decided to let the Jacobs do their thing first and then Connie and I went in to change, etc.

Here's our shared room bunk beds.

The group on the back of the boat on Doubtful Sound

Gorgeous scenery

Back to get on the bus at the end of Doubtful Sound.  All the boats docked here, coming and going.

By the time we got downstairs the boat had already traveled over to Crooked Arm Cove and was heading back to the main Doubtful Sound channel.  We took a bunch of pictures of the sunrise and the Sound as we headed back to the western end of Doubtful Sound.  We departed the boat for good around 10:30 and did the reverse bus ride back over the Wilmot Pass to the Manapouri Power Station.  One more ferry boat ride back to Manapouri and we were ready to be transported to Te Anu.
Our friend Denis was there again and he gave us a tour of Te Anu before dropping us off the The Anchorage Motor Hotel.  This place reminded Connie and I of many places we stayed in the last time we were in New Zealand!  We checked in a got to our room.  Internet functioned and I attempted to catch up a bit on the blog.

Walked around Te Anu and Connie and I had a couple of pies at a local shop.  There are pie shops everywhere in New Zealand, serving up something like a smaller version of a pot pie.  Easily picked up and delicious.  We had a Thai and a Satay version and they were quite tasty!  

We also went to a supermarket to get some yougurt, meuseli and a couple of bananas for breakfast tomorrow before the tromp.  It eas there that we realized how expensive the lobsters Josh got for us fresh from the sound were.  A 2 kilo lobster was about $200 NZ.  That's around $140 US!  Each of us had 1/2 of a 2 kilo lobster.  Their boat is becoming famous because of Josh's ability to scuba for the lobsters.  I guess so!  The blue cod that Richie Steingart caught was also really expensive prepared.  At dinner a blue cod plate was about $25 and his fish gave all 12 of us a plate.  

After we cleaned up a bit we walked over to Lake Te Anu and took a 30 minute ferry ride to the Te Anu Glow worm cave.  Pretty amazing cave that is still being shaped by a raging underground river.  We got to see a whole bunch of glow worms with their firefly like lights.  The glow worms spin out "lines" of sticky stuff which capture insects drawn to them by the lights in the worm's butt!  Once we were pretty far up into the cave we went in a small boat that was pulled along from a line overhead by our guide.  The channel was very narrow there and in total darkness we saw probably millions of the glowing lights.  Much larger of an operation that Connie and I saw on the North Island before.  Sadly, no photos allowed.  

Returned to Te Anu and walked to dinner at The Kepler Family Restaurant.  Lots of Keplers around Te Anu going way back to when the first white settlers came to New Zealand.  There is Kepler this and Kepler that including this restaurant.  The meal was pretty slow but quite tasty.  Connie and I each had a soup and shared a seafood casserole.  I think everyone liked their dinners.

Time for a good night's sleep in a real bed to prepare for tomorrow's start of the tromp.

2016_03_16 DOUBTFUL SOUND

Early this morning (7:00) we went outside The Waterfront Apartments and found a small bus with a trailer for out backpacks.  The driver Danis, informend us the we would have a two hour(ish) drive to the start of out overnight boat trip on Doubtful Sound.  If anyone needed a bathroom break we should just let him know.  After about an hour we took advantage of a short break to get rid of the beverages we had drunk so far.  We stopped in a little town called Garson population 109 and allegedly the most inland village.  

A bit later we arrived at Lake Manapouri at the visitors center where we met up with our tour group leader Mandy.  We took a 50 minute ride on a ferry to the Manapouri Power Station where we took a bus ride with Chris over the Wilmot Pass road to (finally) Doubtful Sound.  The Wilmot road cost $80 per square meter to build.  Very expensive but described a money well spent.

 High above the Doubtful Sound at Wilmot Pass

Boarded the Tutoko II and met our pilot (Sean) and first mate Josh.  Pretty cool dudes to say the least - Josh especially.  More later.

We found our berths, stowed the backpacks and set sail.  Amazing scenery, simply amazing.  I thought I was in a Lord of the Rings movie!  

Closeup of kayaks and life ring on Tutoko II.

Dolphins in a bay

Heading back to Doubtful Sound from The Tasman Sea

Some sea lions on the Nee Islands

We went all the way to the end of Doubtful Sound and entered the Tasman Sea.  It's actually the Pacific Ocean but the entire west coast of the South Island is the Tasman Sea.  Since the seas were so calm we got to go past the Shelter Islands and finally even further out the Nee Islands.  These outlying islands help to keep the rough ocean waves from pounding Doubtful Sound.  There was a colony of Sea Lions on the Nee Islands and we got real close to them.  

Turned around and headed back up the Sound to a place where Josh went scuba diving for lobsters and we were fishing for dinner.  Josh brought enough lobsters that each of us had 1/2 a lobster each.   Richie Steingart caught a really big Blue Cod and it too fed the group for dinner.  

Josh scuba dove and got us a bunch of lobsters!

Our pilot Sean at the helm

Kayakers heading out in Precipice Cove.

We then went to Precipice Cove where a few went kayaking.  We were later joined by 2 huge yachts also came into Precipice Cove - one had TWO helicopters on it!

Around the dinner table

Josh is a trained chef and at one point was on a New Zealand food show.  Needless to say the meals were quite delicious!  He is really a pastry chef and he whipped up a angel food cake with merangue frosting.  Really good. 

After a great dinner we went to sleep for the night.

2016_03_15 QUEENSTOWN

We arrived in Queenstown this afternoon about 30 minutes early and got to The Waterfront Apartment in time to check in before the Trek briefing.  Dropped off our bags in our rooms and walked over to The Station where our trek company Ultimate Hikes of New Zealand gave us the poop about the trek.

I decided to use their 40 liter backpack (a real nice one) instead of the one I brought with us.  Mine was only 30 liter and theirs a bit better pack as well.

We are ready to walk down the street to My Thai Restaurant for dinner in a few.  Rich Rediker is back in his comfort zone food wise.

Dinner was pretty great!  We have been trying to do some laundry in the apartment starting this afternoon. The dryer in our unit doesn't work so we have been trying the one in the next apartment.  So far we almost have 2 loads done.  Our communal dark load should be done in about 15 minutes or so.

Backpacks are almost fully ready for tomorrow as well as the suitcases we will be leaving in storage until we return here in five days.

Tomorrow morning we will be transported to Doubtful Sound where we will start our overnight cruise on a private boat.  Upon return from the short cruise we stay one night in Te Anu.  The next three days we will be walking the Routeburn Track staying at lodges each night.  It might be rainy on day two.  Hoping for the best.

View from The Waterfront Apartment balcony

We're up on the top floor!

2013_03_14 SYDNEY BRIDGE CLIMB AND SYDNEY HARBOR CRUISE

WOW!

Here is a image of the image they took of us as high as we went this morning on the Sydney Bridge Climb!  Simply amazing views from on high.  Perfectly safe, never was the slightest bit uncomfortable!  The Sydney Opera House is right there in the background.

This day is finally over (in a good way).  Long day started with the Sydney Bridge Climb.  We had our buffet breakfast at The Four Seasons and walked about ten minutes to the bridge climb office.  

Here we are outside the Bridge Climb starting point.

At 9:10 (almost exactly) we were briefed about the bridge climb.  First off, no phones or cameras allowed.  Since you are walking above 8 lanes of traffic and two train lines the chance of dropping something is pretty good.  First off a breathalyzer test to make sure you were sober.  Our guide then handed out jump suits and we went thru a metal detector to make sure nothing was being snuck in.  If the detector beeped you were wanded.  Then into another room where a belt was slipped over your head and cinched up.  This belt had a tether on it that attached to a cable that was not disconnected until the end of the climb.  

We started upwards for a bit and then started walking under the bridge platform where the cars were driving.  We were on narrow catwalks that gave you a sense of security.  You walked towards the harbor itself (half way across the bridge) and then progressively higher on the bridge structure.  Our guide was pretty informative and dryly humorous.  

At the highest point we walked across to the other side of the bridge where the group photo (above) was taken.  So basically we went to one level under the highest point on the bridge and only about halfway through the bridge.  We went back to where we had started on the other side of the bridge to where we started.

We took off the belt and jumpsuits and collected our group photo which was included in the ticket.  You got to keep a Bridge Climb cap as well.

We were in a bit of a hurry and waiting outside for us in a small bus was Andrew the owner of Sydney Harbour Cruises.  He took us to Rose Bay where our day long harbor cruise was to start.  Andrew has a job as a policeman and takes people on harbor cruises when he is off duty.  Nice guy - really accommodated our group as we started the cruise about an hour later due to the bridge climb.

Here's Andrew telling us one of his many stories.

Along the way Andrew showed us a bunch of celebs' homes.  This is Russell Crowe's penthouse (the entire first floor). 

A row of Australian naval ships are lined up right next to Russell Crowe's house.

Headed over towards the Sydney Bridge and the Opera House.

Close up of the tiles that make up the Opera House roof.

We stopped for a lunch - Fish and chips a salad and a drink and then headed over to Manley.

A surfer at Manley Beach.  Way over in the left part of the frame.
Back in the boat to a remote beach that we only stayed at a short  there as there was a brush fire (controlled burn) directly above the beach.  Really smokey there so we went to yet another beach where some swam a bit.  

Headed to another stop where we walked up to the top of some cliffs.  It began to rain a bit so we headed back to a pub on the beach for a libation.  Nice view back towards downtown Sydney and the bridge.

Returned quickly to Rose Bay where we were all taken back to our hotels at the end of a wonderful day.

After dinner tonight we took a short walk to see the Bridge and Opera House lit up at night.

Time for sleep!  Up early tomorrow.  Taking train to Sydney International Terminal for 3 hour flight to Queenstown, New Zealand!  On to Kiwi Land!

2016_03_13 SYDNEY

Arrived in Sydney 8:35 their time

Bondi Beach, Here we come!

Took a 6 person from the airport to The Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Sydney.  Rooms were not ready s we showered up a bit (felt great) in the spa area locker rooms.  Just before we were ready to leave 2 rooms became available and we moved all luggage up to those rooms.  

Here are Bobi Steingart and Connie outside the Four Seasons as we waited to check in.

Shortly after we started our way towards Bondi Beach.  A Sydney iconic spot a great example of a urban beach.  The water was clean and clear and we had a ball.

First look at Bondi Beach!  Some of us over there on the right.

Where's Harvey?  I'm in there in the water for a bit.  At least waded for a bit.  Water was pretty cold to me.

The other end of Bondi Beach.

Stopped for some iced drinks right on Bondi Beach.  Bobi Steingart, Gayle Rediker and Connie waiting for the drinks to appear.   Iced coffee's had ice cream in them.  Delicious.

Pool at club called Bondi Icebergs.  The waves from the ocean crash right over and into the pool.

Check out the name of this Bay!  Connie and I especially liked it.

We walked around for most of the afternoon on a portion of the National Geographic Sydney walking tour.  We walked the portion from Bondi to Bronte Beaches on the Coast Walk.  Eventually made it back to the Four Seasons by bus and train.  Showered up and headed to Farmhouse Kings Crossing for a nice salmon, trout, lamb dinner with mashed potatoes, grilled veggies and two desserts!  Locally sourced food at a communal table for 20 some.  People to the left were from Sydney.  People to the right of us were from Malaysia, Japan and Shanghai.  Interesting conversation and the food was amazing!

Here is most of the group (except for the cameraman (me) at the table tonight.

Trout - delicious

Lamb plate with veggie plate and some condiments to share.

Really tired, time to go to bed.

2016_03_11 TIME TO GO!

WELL, IT'S FINALLY HERE!

Been waiting for quite a while and today is the day!  Later today we will head to O'Hare for our first flight of the day.  United #617 departing 5:20pm for Los Angeles.  After a 3 hour layover in the United Club Lounge we get ready for the    L   O   N   G     one, United #839 a 15 hour 5 minute (don't forget those final 5 minutes) flight to Sydney, Australia!  We eventually arrive in Sydney at 8:45am Sunday morning.

The Rediker's and Steingart's are departing from New York for their first flight to Seoul, Korea.  After their layover they will arrive about 20 minutes before us in Sydney.  Pretty amazing that we arrive so close to each other.  I would say great planning but that's just how it worked out.  We hope to meet up after clearing customs, get some Australian $ and head over to our hotel by cab. The 6 of us will be together for the entire trip.  Others are joining in at various times and then leaving us.  

Pretty excited!   I actually slept until almost 6:00 this morning.  Been getting up around 4 or 4:30 thinking about the trip.  Probably a good thing to be tired for the long trip ahead.  Maybe I'll sleep better on the plane.  Still hoping for last minute business class mileage award to open up but not looking good.  Done with last minute stuff - waiting now for 2:50 when taxi guy is scheduled to pick us up.  

9:40 PST and we landed in Los Angeles.  Went to the United Club awaiting our flight to Sydney.  So far, so good.  

Connie looking happy to not be in an airline seat!  United Club L.A.

NEXT STOP SYDNEY!