This is where we spent Christmas. It's a Dept of Conservation Hut, about 18kms from the road in the rain forest, by some hot pools... The walk up the valley is beautiful with many creeks and streams to cross - some by bolder hopping, others on wee flood bridges and some you just have to wade through, especially if there's been some rain.
And did we get rain? Of course we did. This part of New Zealand gets 5m of rain per year - that's 500cm (200 inches).... For comparison, London gets approx 58cm (22 inches) and Los Angeles gets a measly 38cm (15 inches). So if you go walking, hiking or tramping in New Zealand you stand a very good chance of soggy feet, most of the time!
The hot springs were a treat - the perfect temperature for bathing and with spectacular views of the mountains. We even got a fresh dusting of snow on the peaks - for our very own White Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment