Banks Day 2

Shower shack with wood for the hot bath

Tree Shower!

That is the wood plank that literally saves your ass!

That pillar used to be attached as a bridge to the mainland but fell during the earthquake 2yrs ago.

If you could hear us, we would be singing the Sound of Music soundtrack

After our first day of hiking we spent the night at Stony Bay. It was one of the coolest places we have ever explored. It was quirky, historic, and beyond fascinating. The huts were furnished with homemade furniture dating back to the 1800’s. We learned how to use a real wood iron stove to heat our hut and try to dry out our boots. The shower was in a small hut built around a tree. The tree plus the fact that it was our first shower in 5 days made it one of the best showers of our lives. They also had a hot bath in another outdoor building- you were to fill the tub, light a fire underneath to heat the water, and then sit on a wood plank so that your butt wouldn’t burn from the fire underneath. The interesting facts of this place could go on and on but it was by far a high-light of the trek.

Day 2 of Banks was nearly as beautiful as the first. After waking up and having a quick power breakfast we hit the trail and immediately climbed a large bluff. The cliff overlooked the ocean and we got magnificent views of the sheer cliffs, ocean below us, and of rolling sheep pastures behind us. We descended down into a valley and started walking up a valley with our backs to the ocean. This began a grueling two hour and 2,500 foot climb, almost straight up. The climb took us to the top of a ridge that overlooked Akaroa, the sleepy French Colonial town that we had left behind a couple of days before. With our shoulders and knees aching we walked down the mountain and returned the carpark where we left beloved Ace. Our backs are officially destroyed but that’s the mark of a true backpacker right?

Now its time to grab a real dinner (trading in cup of noodles for some real pasta), and then we are headed directly south. We are headed to Stewart’s Island, which is at the southern point of New Zealand. It is home to the first Great Walk we will be doing, the Raikura Track. Hopefully we will be recovered enough to start this 3 day trek by February 18^th.