Yep! I knew it! Even though I’d carefully been shaking up my bubbly all the way here, Cookie still managed to get the wrapper off lightening fast and blast me full force in the eyeballs with New Zealand’s finest $10 sparkling wine, before you could scream “Oh my god I’m blinded!”. Not to worry though, I nearly got him point-blank with my cork ;)
This F1-podium-style celebration wasn’t that casual, and drew a little attention from the various families visiting the signpost with their kids. Two smelly English hikers screaming and pouring fake champagne over their heads, probably wasn’t the peaceful afternoon by the seaside they’d had planned ;) But most seemed happy to be the unwitting audience for the show – asking about what we’d done, and shaking our hands. Several even asked if they could have their pictures taken with us, haha! Brilliant :) You often get a variety of responses from people when you tell them about ‘the walk’. From blank confusion, to quiet suspicion and disbelief, to huge smiles and hugs. Overwhelmingly the Kiwi’s we’ve met seem super chuffed that we’d take so much time adventuring through their country, taking in the details, and venturing to the less visited places. We’ve been cheered on all the way by the lovely people we’ve met in huts, in campsites, up mountains, in pubs, and even by the side of the road. What an awesome bunch the Kiwis are, and what an amazing country. Can’t imagine a more interesting country to walk across!
Not quite spontaneous occasion I was hoping for, it was a slightly bizarre stop/start affair, trying to fit in stupid victory dances for camera in-between other people taking pictures and waiting for the sun to come out in order to spray champagne in each others face. Ha ha, we got it all done in the end, but we were at that signpost for hours!
Mixed emotions this afternoon, I’ve been feeling a bit melancholy for a while now, but even more so today. Excited to finish, but not wanting it to end, getting to the end, but then wondering ‘did we really earn it?’ Of course we have, I know that, we’ve tramped through all kinds of terrain and overcome all sorts of difficulties, not least of which getting Nicky fit ;) But in the end it’s bugged the shit out of me not sticking more closely to the official route, we arrived in Bluff by bus for christ’s sake! In retrospect I think we’ve maybe strayed a bit too far a bit too often, even though many of my highlights have been on our detours, they have definitely stollen a bit of thunder from the triumphant finish, like I felt on the CDT. That self-satisfying feeling that you’ve walked across an entire country every step of the way. I wasn’t even keen on the idea of coming down to Bluff at all once we realised there wasn’t time to walk here, I was trying to persuade Nicky to spend our remaining days hiking south of Queenstown then looping back via the Routeburn. But Nicky wanted to see the signpost, so down we came. I’m glad we did now, all that’s forgotten when you have a face full of champagne while spinning around a pole :)
SUPER DUPER AWESOME! Way to go guys, looks like fun! cant wait for our turn!
Hope your tooth doesnt bug you too much Cookie and enjoy your Island holiday!
Awesome meeting you guys, hopefully we will see you again sometime in the not too distant future!
(ps. Southland kinda sucks, rainy England doppleganger! you didnt miss much! (so far anyway!)).
I found your name on the visitersbook at some hut! in Nz!! so nice!! We are in Hanmer springs now.