Innholdsfortegnelse for February - March 2021 i Adventure Magazine

"The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin'." Bob Dylan wrote this song in 1964, a year of seeming new beginnings, and hope. The world was intrigued by space travel, which was growing fast; civil rights in America were under scrutiny as race riots gripped big cities across the US; the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law; Boxer, Cassius Clay, became Muhammad Ali and the heavyweight champion of the world; then President Lyndon Johnson cast a dark shadow over the year by escalating the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. There was a lot going on. 2020 was our 1964, a year of change,…

In the heart of the Southern Alps of New Zealand lies one of the absolute transalpine classic trekking routes; the 3 Passes. It is revered by many as one of the great backcountry hikes the country has on offer. Its remoteness and reliance on perfect conditions means many a trip is sent back due to high water and wild weather. This January we set out to experience one of the classics. It was nothing out of the ordinary for this part of the country, but the visibility was minimal as we pulled off SH73. The windscreen wipers were raging against the barrelling rain as we stared out of the windscreen up the somewhat wet and stormy looking valley of the Waimakariri River. Barely able to make out our route in…

Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world-record by summitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’. On January 16, 2021, at 5pm local time the former Gurkha and UK Special Forces operative and his team, along with Team Mingma G and one mountaineer from Team SST, officially became the first mountaineers to ever summit K2 in winter. A huge feat for the Nepalese climbing community. The whole team waited and then stepped onto the summit together while singing the Nepalese national anthem. The mountaineers climbed the Abruzzi route. Purja said: “What a journey. I’m humbled to…

Officially opened in 2012, the Queenstown Bike Trail is one of New Zealands’ 22 Great Rides. With a network of over 130km of off-road trails, it provides a safe and sustainable way to explore the Wakatipu Basin from Queenstown, through Arrowtown and out to the vineyards of Gibbston Valley. The beauty of the trail is its diversity, you will find something to suit every level of experience and fitness and it really showcases the beauty of the region. Regardless of the trail you choose you will experience stunning mountain vistas, turquoise lakes, rivers and swing bridges. With so many riding options to choose from we relied on the experts from Around the Basin to help us out. Based in Queenstown, their team know the trails well and were able to…

"Let's search for that pot of gold" I used to repeatedly plead to my parents as a kid whilst meandering through the green valleys of New Zealand. There is no shortage of rainbows in Aotearoa - being the land of the long white cloud and those hazy days of rain. These were the beacons of light urging me to travel to all these different destinations, but will I ever make it to the rainbows end? I became fixated on finding out the answers. As you can imagine I was devastated to learn I would never physically reach that destination via travelling, until I did. Travelling between New Zealand and Australia, I can visually tell you I have travelled to all colours of the Rainbow. Travelling via van cuts the cost…

"Anyone who has walked the Routeburn would know the absolute wonder of those places, usually only accessible by foot, yet here we were, hovering a few hundred feet above them and being able to share them with Steve from the air." I’m not a fan of helicopters. I have a real sense of vulnerability being miles up in the air surrounded only by a metal casing large enough to house the few inhabitants. However, what causes my fear is also the thing that makes helicopter rides so incredibly exciting. We left the base of The Helicoper Line at Queenstown airport and headed straight towards the West Coast. Our final destination was to be Milford Sound, however as they often say, it’s all about the journey. I have a couple of…

“If you’ve got any sprint left in you, go for it.” Steph and I were 1500m from the Glade Wharf, the head of Lake Te Anau, and she was imploring me to leave her behind. We'd run some 60 km in the last nine hours, including 1800m of elevation, and we were late for the last boat leaving the wharf for civilisation. But it was Christmas Day. Would there be some Christmas magic in the air? Would the boat captain—knowing of two runners on their way—decide to wait for us? I was utterly exhausted, but I "sprinted" across the pristine grounds of Glade House, a private lodge. A slight uphill as the trail reentered the forest triggered a flurry of heaving and guttural grunting. I cried out at the first…

Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel: Perched on the edge of Lake Rotorua, this boutique hotel offers a luxurious, tranquil getaway with park-like gardens, complete with pool and spa pools overlooking the lake. Named after the black swans that you can hand feed from their jetty, this is somewhere that oozes intimate luxury. Owned and hosted by Arthur, his attention to service and detail is second to none. The restaurant on the upper level of the hotel offers fine dining and panoramic views of the lake. www.blackswanhotel.co.nz Regent of Rotorua This chic urban accommodation has a prime position in the heart of Rotorua on the corner of the popular “Eat Streat”. Offering 35 rooms, a swimming pool and an award winning restaurant. www.regentrotorua.co.nz Terrace Kitchen Situated opposite the marina you’ll find…

Like a ‘perfect storm’, we have seen a dramatic growth and development in online stores over the past 5 years. Now as we are made to keep our ‘distance’, online, ecommerce takes on a whole new meaning and value. We are dedicating these pages to our client’s online stores; some you will be able to buy from, some you will be able drool over. Buy, compare, research and prepare, these online stores are a great way to feed your adventure addiction while you are still at home. Never have a dead phone again! Because now you can charge straight from the Sun with SunSaver. Perfect for that week-long hike, day at the beach, or back-up for any emergency. Check us out at: www.sunsaver.co.nz The ultimate sandals with core concepts like…

Amongst all the off-road cycle trails in New Zealand none can offer the unique spectacle of the West Coast’s native forests, rivers, and lakes, bordered on one side by the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea on the other. After spending five days on the Adventure South West Coast Cycling Tour, I am hooked on the hassle-free cycle touring that a guide can offer. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful part of New Zealand, and the expertise and experience of Adventure South made it easy to do plenty in five days. We completed the 133 km Wilderness Trail plus an extra 100km was added because, to quote our guide “we pick the best bits (of the trail) and add other great bits”. Apart from the…

What can you possibly say about 2020 which does not involve a lot of expletives? It was certainly a year to remember. It is a known fact that the mere prospect of change does not sit well with many people and causes stress and anxiety, but 2020 saw us all change in many ways. We had to quickly adapt to a ‘new normal’, changing the way that we worked, socialised, travelled and engaged with people on a daily basis. It was also a year that made us reflect. It made us all sit down and think about what was truly important in life. It was more about family, friends and health and much less about material things. It was more about being ok and less about what we owned. Minimalism…

We were somewhere in the dense bush of New Zealand’s wild West Coast; battling the unrelenting undergrowth, sweaty, bleeding and tired… but stoked. Despite knowing where we were geographically, we felt lost in the wilderness. The countless dead ends encountered as we searched for a route amongst the bluffed-out ridges, landslips or cliffs. This emulated the description of type 2 fun, a challenge that seemed to be never ending. It was tough going We crashed through the forest, our pace slowed to a mere 0.5km/ hr. It’s brutal. We’re dehydrated and hungry, but we’re out here in our element getting amongst the very best of what New Zealand has on offer as part of our ‘Extreme Tramping’ trip. 7 days earlier, in a rush of logistics and gear we’d set…

At 3033m, Mt Aspiring is New Zealand’s highest peak outside of the Aoraki/Mount Cook region. It is often called the Matterhorn of the South, and it is an intimidating mountain of soaring rock and ice. Six months ago, Patrick posed the question. Somewhat naively, I said yes. It took months for the reality of this commitment to bite. Without much heavy walking or climbing in decades, it was obvious that a significant amount of training was required. Fear became my friend. Over four months, we set about more serious training with the support of friends and our wives, Sonya and Susan. At age 61, gym work, physio and massage became essential. Finally, it was time for the ascent. We meet James and Will from Aspiring Guides, based in Wanaka. They…

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