St. James Walkway and Hanmer Springs

The St. James Walkway after a snowfall. This is on the way up to Anne Saddle.

I am at Hanmer Springs for the weekend. It's a resort town that kiwis and visitors alike come to for some hot springs soaking and relaxation. I still haven't jumped into the hot pools yet, but will this evening! I just got off a hike up to Mt. Isobel, the mountain behind the town, for panoramic views of the Southern Alps and the green plains of Canterbury. Fantastic. On the summit, I met a Kiwi who had spent time in Colorado and Alaska, so we had things to talk about. The entire walk back down, we talked about life, specifically about the pursuit of happiness - how to live in the present, what inspires and motivates us in that pursuit...so fascinating to meet a total stranger and find that really we're not that different, though we're different ages, sex, nationality, culture, skin color, etc, etc. We concluded that what life gives us is what we expect to receive, in most cases, because it's mostly our mental outlook or approach in situations that determines our happiness or contentment. What do you think?

I came to Hanmer Springs from the St. James Walkway, a five day tramp around nearby Lewis Pass. Highlights included the Kiwis I met at the huts, and a snow storm that blew in halfway into the walk. All the mountains and forest were covered in white and it was absolutely gorgeous. Luckily the storm occurred over the night. I was so excited to wake up to this magical landscape. I kept thinking "White Christmas", or, "winter's coming"! But instead it's just a late spring storm and really, summer's coming. I'm almost disappointed by it! The walking wasn't bad as it was only a few inches, and with the sun it melted fast. The St. James is a very laid back walk, mostly in subalpine river valleys and beech forests with just two low saddles to traverse. Most days were 4-5 hrs of hiking. I would usually arrive at the hut around early afternoon, have a warm lunch, and then read and write in the warm hut with a wood stove going until dinnertime. I finished The Hunchback of Notre Dame!

I love hearing from folks back home so if you have some time for an update, I'd really appreciate it!

St. James sunny and blue before the snow.

A tiny historic hut next to Anne Hut, where I stayed for a night and woke up to a world of white.

Hanmer Springs and Canterbury from Mt. Isobel.

Touring the South Island

Mt Cook NP: peaks in the Hooker Glacier Valley. Beautiful lateral moraines.

The Catlins - a misty evening. South Coast between Dunedin and Invercargill.

A windy day en route to Milford Sound.

Key Summit

Cross country hiking in tussocks near Queenstown.

Fisherman at Blue River, near Haast Pass. A clear blue pool with enormous trout! You can see one if you look closely...

Beautiful evening somewhere in NZ...:)

From Pleasant Flats campground looking downstream near Haast Pass.

A kea, NZ alpine parrot.

On the track up to Brewster Hut, looking back down to Haast Pass.

Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast.

Sunset at a lake north of Franz Josef...a home for the night.

And finally...sea kayaking at Abel Tasman!