New Zealand - Banks Track

We traveled from Tahiti to New Zealand last week. Upon landing in New Zealand, we could not get over the friendliness of the people. Everywhere we went (including the customs office) it seemed like people were jumping up to help us. That has continued into this week. We spent a morning in Christchurch exploring the Riverside Market and the Botanical Garden. We all felt like we would have liked to stay longer, however the Banks Track was waiting for us. We stocked up on treats for the hike (keeping the French Polynesian philosophy of never being without a baguette or two) and drove to Akaroa.  There we met up with the eight other people (seven Kiwis and one from Wales) who would be walking the Banks Track over three days. We were delivered to the first homestead, Onuku. 

Each of the sleeping accommodations on the trail is an old homestead with its own character and quirks. Our gear was transported for us daily, we only carried clothing layers, water, and food. The trail was so varied with high cliffs, blue penguins, ridge lines, sheep, deep dark forest, tree ferns, waterfalls, seals. Some sections were very steep and rugged, more than we expected.  I think everyone felt excited each morning to get on the trail, even though we were a bit sore from the prior day. Quillian's legs were shorter than anyone else's we encountered on the trail and she was a trooper, no complaints, chatter-boxing her way along at nearly the same pace as I would naturally hike. We are inspired to plan more overnight hikes. 

The trip was very photogenic and it is hard to choose just a few photos. Here are a bunch. 

Day one hikers

Quillian is pointing to our first night homestead. 

The well-tended fences have these custom steps for trampers where they intersect the trail.

The highest point on the Banks Track

After the high point, the trail descends steeply into a forest preserve.

Spirits were high

Night two accommodations at Flea Bay

We started our tramping early in the mornings, leaving afternoons for relaxing.

When not in forest preserve, we were frequently flanked by sheep. This breed was kept close to the Flea Bay homestead, the Valais Blacknose, "reckoned to be the cutest sheep in the world".

The proprietor at Flea Bay helps to protect a colony of white flippered penguins, a variant of the little blue penguin found only in this area of New Zealand. 

Two white flippered penguin chicks, about ready to leave the nest

The hiking on day two could not have been more scenic.

Perfect weather

A shelter designed to for windier and wetter weather

The pool table at the Stoney Bay homestay (night 3)

The bath house at Stoney Bay

The final day of hiking was a long, fairly steep uphill through wet forest of tree ferns and beach trees.

Good spirits even after a long, foggy, uphill hike

We ate the best bag of chips (chippies in New Zealand) of our life at final shelter at the high point on our final day of hiking, vinegar and salt (not the other way around). 

Easy cruising down the final stretch into Akaroa