New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Kranswurm]

Which, of course, obviously, leads to a good [emoji846]

 

DOC mountain huts. They're all over the place, cheap or free, generally well maintained (by you, when you stay there) and you don't have to leave someone awake to stop having your boots stolen by the Suth's.

 

Where I was last w/e when I heard about this lockdown... free.

 

Somebody in the hut book had been coming here for 40 years.

 

A bad/good: they get to build their history with a place, we get to start ours.

 

We have our fair share if hiking trails.The best in the world I believe.Here is a sample of Swellies on the third day.Protea Valley and hut,which is typical of a twelve sleeper found on many of our hiking trails

[davetapson]

We have our fair share if hiking trails.The best in the world I believe.Here is a sample of Swellies on the third day.Protea Valley and hut,which is typical of a twelve sleeper found on many of our hiking trails

SA has exceptional hiking trails - one of the annoyances I had with living there was that could not use them with a sense of security.  Fantastic resource, can't feel safe using them.

 

[davetapson]

Here is something you don't have to deal with in SA... (btw I slept right through the earthquakes, my wife says she felt them.)

We were camping when the quakes hit Rotarua end Jan - lying on the ground during an earthquake provides a pretty visceral experience!

https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/?fbclid=IwAR0DF_6KuugimAYXr5ykQXjizO0S6HW6pw7FJJ76MUXEuCOEdW61C_eTJsQ

[arabsandals]

SA has exceptional hiking trails - one of the annoyances I had with living there was that could not use them with a sense of security.  Fantastic resource, can't feel safe using them.

 

We used to do the Blyde Canyon as a child. Start at God's window and then end up at Bourke's luck. Absolutely amazing experiences. I think parts of it are now closed because of various incidents. One German tourist had his hand cut off for failing to deliver his watch with the appropriate alacrity. It is terrible. Here is Aussie there are lots of hikes though , but as someone else has commented, you miss the broader variety of wildlife. You will never come across a troupe of baboons, or startle some buck.

[GrahamS2]

We used to do the Blyde Canyon as a child. Start at God's window and then end up at Bourke's luck. Absolutely amazing experiences. I think parts of it are now closed because of various incidents. One German tourist had his hand cut off for failing to deliver his watch with the appropriate alacrity. It is terrible. Here is Aussie there are lots of hikes though , but as someone else has commented, you miss the broader variety of wildlife. You will never come across a troupe of baboons, or startle some buck.

I'll take the safety over the wildlife every single time. I used to to a lot of hiking in the 'berg, but stopped after some security incidents with Basutho drug traffickers in Ndedema Gorge. Amazing part of the world, but if you can't use it safely it's wasted...

[davetapson]

Aussie bush confuses the hell out of me - always expecting a kudu to step out but then some weird hopping thing bounces out instead!

NZ bush is just too different to confuse.  Looks more cretaceous.  Expect dinosaurs instead...    

[Wayne Potgieter]

RSA Bush:  pretty + deadly people = no go

Aussie Bush: Pretty + deadly everything else = no go

NZ Bush: Pretty + Safe = Magical experience

 

I did the math, it checks out.

[mazambaan]

RSA Bush:  pretty + deadly people = no go

Aussie Bush: Pretty + deadly everything else = no go

NZ Bush: Pretty + Safe = Magical experience

 

I did the math, it checks out.

 

Absolutely; my ex riding partner in NZ tells me that he is now scared of getting hurt on the trails as they are so lonely (a mate of his had a long wait with a broken leg).  Garmin or Spot Tracker needed.

[Rocket-Boy]

SA has exceptional hiking trails - one of the annoyances I had with living there was that could not use them with a sense of security.  Fantastic resource, can't feel safe using them.

 

Pretty much the same thing I tell people when they talk about all of the beauty of Africa.

Its pointless if you cant safely enjoy it.

[Slowbee]

We used to do the Blyde Canyon as a child. Start at God's window and then end up at Bourke's luck. Absolutely amazing experiences. I think parts of it are now closed because of various incidents. One German tourist had his hand cut off for failing to deliver his watch with the appropriate alacrity. It is terrible. Here is Aussie there are lots of hikes though , but as someone else has commented, you miss the broader variety of wildlife. You will never come across a troupe of baboons, or startle some buck.

They closed that trail. Formed part of the larger Fanie Botha Trail. Linked with mac mac falls and into pilgrims rest as well.

 

The safety aspect has been taken away significantly. Many are still safe - but have locks of doors and you need to collect keys etc.

 

Wild Coast hike still works, the otter, 'kamma hike, swellendam, etc. But the number of them is getting smaller. Or the cost gets higher as you start to slack pack and have "guided" walks.

 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

They closed that trail. Formed part of the larger Fanie Botha Trail. Linked with mac mac falls and into pilgrims rest as well.

 

The safety aspect has been taken away significantly. Many are still safe - but have locks of doors and you need to collect keys etc.

 

Wild Coast hike still works, the otter, 'kamma hike, swellendam, etc. But the number of them is getting smaller. Or the cost gets higher as you start to slack pack and have "guided" walks.

 

 

I really enjoyed the Alexander trail hike. Maybe because it was the last with my late wife but walking for hours over the dunes to get to the beach, finding Nautilus shells, the beautiful cabin. It was magical.

Also enjoyed the Harkerville hiking routes, again beautiful views and cabins were always neat and clean.

[Chris_]

..

 

Wonder how those hits to their body impacted their relatively early demise? Similar to boxing I would imagine.

 

Whatever he was ingesting at Pirates every night was far worse I reckon. The dude was a sad mess.

[Shebeen]

godzone chapter 9, rotorua just kicked off

 

https://www.godzoneadventure.com/live/tracking/?fbclid=IwAR3cUckmWqzED5yFhEAyohV8jGBo0nTsg1zUf5xwbUBAJ07OaNGgd_immaA#

 

pretty amazing to get it all off the ground with the auckland mess throwing serious curveballs

[Rocket-Boy]

I really enjoyed the Alexander trail hike. Maybe because it was the last with my late wife but walking for hours over the dunes to get to the beach, finding Nautilus shells, the beautiful cabin. It was magical.

Also enjoyed the Harkerville hiking routes, again beautiful views and cabins were always neat and clean.

Those Alexandria trails are amazing.

Most years I do the trail run which is really the 2 day hiking trail.

There is something really special about those sandstone cliffs and its quite a fun climb up to the overnight stop.

[Kranswurm]

They closed that trail. Formed part of the larger Fanie Botha Trail. Linked with mac mac falls and into pilgrims rest as well.

 

The safety aspect has been taken away significantly. Many are still safe - but have locks of doors and you need to collect keys etc.

 

Wild Coast hike still works, the otter, 'kamma hike, swellendam, etc. But the number of them is getting smaller. Or the cost gets higher as you start to slack pack and have "guided" walks.

 

Actually you are incorrect.They are opening new trails on a regular basis.A lot of them are wilderness type of trails and tough and SAFE.

To one of the other comments regarding Ndedema,the smugglers have been using that route down to the valley for decades.We have never been troubled even when staying in Schoongezight where the pass hits the river.

BTW if anyone is interested,the Ndedema Valley holds some of the best examples of San art and it is worth your while to book a guide.

NZ has some magnificent long trails.Here is something to compete.

http://rimofafrica.co.za/#top

Edited March 6, 2021 by Kranswurm

[Kranswurm]

RSA Bush:  pretty + deadly people = no go

Aussie Bush: Pretty + deadly everything else = no go

NZ Bush: Pretty + Safe = Magical experience

 

I did the math, it checks out.

You never paid attention in class