Mr. Wonderful and I set off today for 10 days in New Zealand:

On a hippie trail, head full of zombie

Part 1: Hike the Routeburn Track, one of the Classic Hikes of the World, out of Queenstown, South Island. The 3-day hike is either 45 K or 32 K, according to the Classic Hikes Book or the NZ Gov’t site, respectively. It passes through Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. We will be staying in huts along the way.

The Routeburn Track is…a hike of rich variety and complex beauty that whets the appetite for more. This historic alpine route penetrates the glacier-carved landscapes of New Zealand’s Southern Alps–rain forests, high basins, and mountain peaks. From classic U-shaped glacial valleys to snowy passes, the Routeburn traverses strikingly diverse mountain terrain while delivering botanical surprise, exotic bird song, and scenic payoff on a big scale, (Potterfield, p204)

six-foot-four and full of muscles

Part 2: Auckland (where Mr. Wonderful will be occupied with business meetings) I don’t have plans. My usual pattern is to wander a new city, admiring/criticizing the city planning and browsing bookstores, until I can’t feel my feet anymore. However, after a 28-mile hike, I may chose to take it easy. Maybe I’ll rent a bike.

I’ll most likely have internet connection Thursday, when we arrive in Auckland. Until then, here is your moment of zen————->

Tags: Auckland, New Zealand, Routeburn Track, Wanderlust