The Perfect Climb
Trip Start
Nov 16, 2007
1
14
40
Trip End
Aug 2008
Wellington,
New Zealand
Monday, December 31, 2007
After a few hours of speeding along straight roads, the first signs of New Zealand's wilderness. A scenic park takes up much of the space on the west coast and the reason is more geographical than planned. Great plunging ravines, littered with greenness, dive from the peaks to the rivers below. The road is forced to follow these contours, and writhes for miles through the lush forest.
Emerging from this flowing wilderness, we return to the sea, this time raging against cliffs as opposed to Auckland's harbour
Yacht on Auckland Harbour
. The coastal road winds its way past hidden coves and wide sandy beaches, with shorecasters practicing their art. The cliffs slowly lose their size and the calmer waters that lie around New Plymouth's harbour take hold. In the distance, the perfect form of Taranaki looms over the region, still capped in snows from the winter.New Plymouth is an elegant seaside city that has acted as a North Island retreat for many years. It contains many manicured parks and wide avenues, lined with shops and restaurants for the tourists that patrol its streets. The hostel has styled itself as an 'Eco-lodge' with tents on the lawn and eels in the creek at the bottom of the grounds. The nightly Egmont cake brings guests together; a mix of young and old. On arrival, I inquire about traveling to Taranaki the next day and duly book a ride.
Setting off early the next morning, Taranaki stands large ahead, unshrouded by its normal veil of cloud. The driver warns of recent snowfall and making the right choices, something lost a little on the other guy in the car, Andreas from Germany, who like me has expressed an interest in tackling the summit. We agree to climb together and begin the climb from the North Egmont visitors centre, first signing our intent in the book in case of trouble
Mount Taranaki
.The first leg is an hour hike up to the transmitter station and lodge at 'Hen and Chickens'. Steep in places, but nothing troubling, walking through tree-lined valleys. Next, steep steps take us up for half an hour, through the thin layer of cloud that has formed. Andreas admits he doesn't do much exercise and is rapidly passing through shades of red when we reach the next test. Known as 'the Puffer', a steep slope of loose light stones stretches up to the final ascent and the crater. Volcanic scoria is strength sapping with the sun beating down. An hour of climbing and slipping leads to 'the Lizard'.
At this point, many people have stopped and turned back, with a smaller trickle continuing up the thin snake of rock between snowflows. Andreas' legs have stopped and he insists on me continuing without him. So on I go, the face steepening as one approaches the final pass into the crater. A thin ledge, still covered in broken ice leads into a massive expanse of snow with peaks on three sides. The crater and heart of Taranaki. I stop for half an hour, eating lunch and wandering round taking photos. Then back the way I had come to meet Andreas and the ride back. From 700m to 2500m and back in a day.
Mount Taranaki
In the evening, I head slowly into town for a dinner of sushi and then over to the largest of New Plymouth's parks, Pukekara. There is a large festival of lights here every year, and bands play on one of the lawns. Tonight is an Irish band, with families gathered in the small space between the trees. The highlight of the park for me is the Taranaki State cricket ground. A beautiful pitch surrounded by steep terraces carved out of the hill, with views of the Tasman Sea. With weary legs, I head back to the hostel for a sleep.
The next day is restful, laundry and a quick wander into town for dinner. In the evening, I get chatting with a father, daughter and boyfriend group called Mel, Miranda and Matt. They are traveling to South America next so we talk about the places to go. Then Miranda, Matt and me team up to play three French guys at football. 6-2 to England the final score.
An early start and off on the bus to Wellington, Taranaki sleeping late in its quilt of clouds. A return to the manicured land of the north, flowing through one street towns and the two larger towns of Bulls and Palmerston North. Only in the last short burst do we see the Tasman Sea again, and the hilly backdrop to New Zealand's capital
Mount Taranaki
.The air in Wellington is notably different to that of Auckland, a strong wind clearing debris normally found in a city this size. Known as the Chicago of the South, it was in a howling mood when I stepped off the bus and walked the kilometre or so to the hostel. But, after a shower and some food, this wind had died to nothing, preparing for the New Year festivities that evening. I made my way down to the civic centre in the middle of town, where a concert venue had been setup. A large crowd of locals enjoyed various homegrown bands before midnight approached. On the strike of 12, fireworks and the everyone headed off to their beds or other venues for more excitement.
With the next day being a Bank Holiday, exploring Wellington is a pleasure. Tall skyscrapers lie empty and the streets are deserted with the exception of a few locals. I wander down through the central business district, ride up the funicular 'cable car' which is still running and gives brilliant views of the rippling harbour below. Wandering down through the botanical gardens and then back towards the hostel takes me past the modern parliament building, the 'Beehive', and the older gothic offices. For a city that contains all these key elements of government, it feels very small and homely
Mount Taranaki
.Back at the hostel for some calls and then out for dinner and the cinema. The Darjeeling Limited, Wes Andersen's new film, and it's not a let down from his previous work. A story of brothers handling the grief of losing their father and refinding their trust in each other.
Up again in the sunny morning of Wellington's bay. This time writing postcards, a time consuming pursuit. Then off to the national museum called 'Te Papa'. Spread over four floors, this museum attempts to bring together all strands of Kiwi history and society, from nature and the land, through Maori society, to European colonisation and modern design. It is a grand building which was completed in 1997 specifically for the purpose of telling this story. It follows through logically without giving too much emphasis to one part. The highlight is probably the Maori meeting room, or Maerae, which dominates a large room overlooking the harbour.
More wandering and a jaunt up Mount Victoria which gives a fantastic view over the harbour and the surrounding valleys and bays. The layout of Wellington becomes clear, a small area for the port and the city, surrounded by leafy steep valleys that house the majority of the workers and their families. I head back down and take in another film I missed in Europe, Beowulf. A much less rewarding attempt than the previous day's entertainment.
I finish off the first visit to Wellington watching the product that put it on the map. Lord of the Rings fans have occupied the TV lounge and are watching all three in a row. I watch half the first and all the second before bed calls. An early start tomorrow for the ferry to the South.
Comments
Happy new year...!!!
Sat here with Liz going through the latest pics. They look great and somewhat less grey than in the UK right now. Enjoy the next leg of your trip and a really happy new year...