Pouakai Hut

One of the cool things about the mountains here is that a lot of them have huts. This means for those hard-core trampers who plan more than a single day adventure, there is a place to stay that is not a campground. They are a bit rugged, but have beds with mattresses, minimal kitchen facilities, and fresh water. One of the locals one is the Pouakai Hut on one side of Mt. Taranaki. So a sunny weekend not long ago I thought I would venture up to see the hut and enjoy a new side of the mountain.

The start of the track is out past the edge of town, so I enjoyed a lovely country drive to get to my destination. The walk up to the hut is the first leg of the Pouakai circuit, which is a 25 kilometer (15.5 miles) hike which takes 2-3 days. The trail goes through forest, alpine areas, and a swamp, with some of the best views around of our dear mountain.

Now, I had been warned that the portion up to the hut was not for the faint of heart, as it consisted mostly of stairs. When I say mostly, I mean pretty much entirely, as in at least 98%. But of course I like a challenge and though "sure, it's Saturday morning, I can climb a few stairs." Man was I questioning that decision after an hour! The signs posted recommended allowing 2 or more hours to reach the hut, so naturally I decided I had to do better than that. I set off at a brisk pace and managed to reach the top in 90 min. However, I would not advise 90 minutes of stair climbing no matter how gorgeous the view unless you are really up to a challenge! Suffice it to say I was feeling a bit worn out by the time I got there!

However, the view was totally worth it. I continued on just a bit past the hit to get a feel for what was next, to entice me back another day :) I will for sure go back because the views were stunning. Even the climb was lovely  because I think mountainous forest and scenic views beats stair-master at the gym any day!

So far so good on the stairs :)

Unfortunately I did not see any kiwis (although it is unlikely
since they are nocturnal birds)

I never tire of the amazing trees

Things are getting serious now...

The biggest step of the whole trip!

Don't look down...

First site of the hut

HMNZS Endeavour

About a month ago, it was announced that the New Zealand Navy ship, Endeavour, was to be decommissioned. Taranki was the ship's home port, so prior to the decommissioning it sailed home one last time. The Navy band put on a concert, there was a civic parade through town, and there was a ship open day at the port when any member of the public could tour the ship.

The Endeavour was a replenishment tanker used to re-fuel ships at sea. It operated throughout the Pacific and South East Asia since 1988, re-fueling ships for New Zealand  and other Navies. The ship had four tanks which could carry a combined total of 5,500 tons. It could also carry cargo for support missions and re-fuel helicopters.

Follow this link for additional information on the ship: http://navy.mil.nz/mtf/endeavour/default.htm

The open day to tour the ship was a lovely spring day, although a bit windy to be climbing to the top of a ship! Shuttles took us from the port entrance to where the ship was docked. There was a good turn-out so it took a bit of time to go through the whole ship, but that also meant time to fully take in the surroundings. The crew were informative and helpful and proud to show off their ship, although it was probably a bit bittersweet for them as they would be on their way to new assignments.

It was hard to get photos that would really show the ship, but here are some of the better ones :)

Sunny day at the port

View from the ship

Christmas Parade

I moved here in 2013 and have spent 3 of 4 Christmases here, but a summer Christmas still feels strange. Warm weather, fireworks for Guy Fawkes, and cooking outside on the BBQ all feel more reminiscent of the 4th of July than Christmas. But there is a noticeable presence of lights, Santas, and other festive cheer. So this weekend, we decided to participate in the season and headed into town for the annual Lions Club Christmas Parade.

This was the first parade I attended in New Zealand, and only the second in a foreign country (the first was for a major holiday in Japan, although I cannot recall which holiday...). For a parade put on with likely minimal sponsorship and largely volunteer efforts, it did not disappoint. I think my favorites were the bagpipes, the marching New Plymouth Brass, and the classic cars :)

Taranaki Bulls won the Ranfurly Shield this year!

Wearable Arts creations

I found Rudolph!

Apparently Harold the Giraffe has his own TV show....

New Plymouth Brass