Most Inspirational Moment
So many great days, so many great moments. Camping on the beach at Able Tasman and watching seals playing in the evening surf. All sitting on a rock in silence watching the sun go down on the volcano tops in the Tongariro Park. But when your birthday falls on the day that you have a dramatic flight by helicopter to the Siberia Valley that has to come tops. How they managed to smuggle cake into the hut to surprise me I can’t guess. The walk up to Lake Crucible later was hard work, perhaps it was the cake. Must mention the bird life, be quiet and still and you will be amazed how tame they are.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both the leaders were fantastic but differant in their own ways. Great but real people who brought their own personalities to the job. Very hard working and if you do go on this trip please chip in with the household jobs. You will enjoy the trip more as the team builds.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Sand Fly deterrent is not optional it is a must. Also you will want to stock up on itch relief. Long sleeves and long trousers are also needed to help keep the evil things off you. They bite and it hurts, try to not scratch because it make them flare up again. Get the local snake oil from the first chemist you find, don’t bother with the stuff you can find in Boots in the UK. The walks to the huts are hard work due to the weight of gear that has to be taken along. As well as all your own gear there are the shared items which add up. Everybody has to help and it only works if the team all pull together. It was not clear that there was a short hop from the North to South by a tiny one prop plane. Great trip as it does not get high and the view is stunning. But there is a strict 20Kg limit on all luggage. That includes hand luggage of which there is none because it can’t fit inside. So that’s everything has to add up to 20Kg maximum. Wash and wear is the way to go and many of the motels have laundrettes but getting it done when you arrive late and have an early start is not easy. I will not go into my experiments with microwaves and hairdryers due to health and safety.