Aorangi: Putangirua to Washpool Creek via Surf (741m)

Looking back through past blogs, it seems we have developed a habit of long tramps around the solstices. Last year we tramped the Black Hills in June, then the Orongorongo in December (both summer); then earlier this year we climbed Holdsworth around Matariki. This summer, barring the end of the world as foretold by the Myan calendar, I decided to do a solo hike in the Aorangi Range, a compact (but daunting, it turns out) set of hills tucked in the remote Cape Palliser.

Before heading up, I first decided to greet some stinky friends at the seal colony on the rocks near the lighthouse. Here I found lots of pups wailing for mum, and some of those mums howling at me when I got too close. The little ones like to climb higher up than the adults for their naps, and you practically step on them before they announce themselves.

The remnants of cyclone Evan, which had battered Samoa and Fiji, were passing through, but the menacing squalls produced little in the way of rain, and by the following morning the sky was dense with mist, but utterly still and warm.

I had not tramped in the Aorangi Ranges before, and aside from a rather die-hard cohort of pig hunters, it seems neither has anyone else. From the Pinnacles, the first 4k is an old 4WD track that passes through beech, then scrub bush--and a lot of gorse! Thereafter, it's little more than a pig track (and plenty rooted up by the buggers) through very dense--and on this day, wet--bush.
In the end, these "afterthought" hills turned out to be a formidable day hike. I covered the 20k and 1600m total altitude gain/loss in just over 9 hours, and in the process became intimately familiar with the tree nettle (I still have paresthisias in my hands and shins a day later). Needless to say, I'll be going back to bag Mt Ross (982m) some other day. Merry Christmas!

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Avalanche Peak (1833m)

Took advantage of a rare cloudless and windless day at Arthur's Pass to climb Avalanche Peak. Was rewarded at the top by the presence of a Kea, the only alpine parrot in the world.

Te Kinga (1204m)

 Te Kinga is a moderate day hike east of Greymouth, adjacent to Lake Brunner.

 View of Lake Brunner from the first viewing platform. 

 Summit of Te Kinga looking south toward the Southern Alps.

Summit of Te Kinga looking west over Lake Brunner to the Pacific Ocean. 

Hobbit Red Carpet

 

Just me and 100,000 mates greeting Peter, Bilbo and the dwarves for an Opening Night stroll along Courtney Place (Embassy Theatre is at the left side of the panorama).

Kapakapanui (1102m)

Clouds at the top mean no pic, but still logging it: just under 12k circuit with 3100-plus feet of altitude gain in 4 1/2 hours. The knees are a bit sore.

Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit

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Prague and Vienna

With the World Psychiatric Association annual conference being held in Prague this year, we braved the 21+ hours of flying time and headed to Bohemia.

Owen, a friend of ours, lived here for several years while doing his medical training, and gave us a great "to do" list, from lunch at Vaclav Havel's favorite restaurant to musical performances at the iconic Obecni Dun (Town Hall). Given the density of great music here, it was incredibly easy to pick up same-day tickets for top-notch performances: Vivaldi, Smetana, Dvorak and many others. The highlight, however, had to be seeing La Boheme at the Prague State Theatre, an ornate hall with an intimate scale and excellent acoustics.

Other highlights included a visit to the Botanical Gardens, Prague Castle and the surrounding hills of Petrin Park to enjoy the Fall colors--especially appreciated as the only seasons in Wellington are Early Spring and Late Spring (it's always windy season). Of course, there were the obligatory strolls through Old Town, Lesser Town, New Town and along the Vltava River; all of which were facilitated by the city's magnificent (and well-used) transit system (I.P. Pavlova!)

After the conference, we took the train to Vienna, where we undertook a whirlwind tour of the Ringstrasse and stopped by Freud's flat on Bergasse. Hey, that frau in the waiting room looks familiar!

Although we didn't take a lot of pictures, here are a few we liked:

 Fall colors along the Vltava

 The reflected Belvedere in Vienna

The art-deco Kavarna in the Obecni Dun

The Astronomical Clock Tower in Prague's Old Town Square

The pattern in the ceiling of Prague's Opera House