There is no Wi-Fi in nature but you will find a better connection.
There is something to be said for leaving behind the chaos and stress of our busy lives. In fact, it could be argued that we have no idea just how much we all need to ‘get away’ from it all and re-connect with nature.
We began our journey into the outdoors arriving 10 minutes late for our briefing at the Ultimate Hikes headquarters in Queenstown. Having no idea that we are about to embark on an adventure like no other, we listened intently to the guide who gave us a run down on what to expect and what to pack; six days without technology, tramping the Greenstone Valley and the more famous Routeburn Track. The thought of a week without any social media or cell phone contact, was initially, a bit nerve wracking. However it did not take us long to appreciate this lack of constant intrusion, and in fact, welcome it. Everything happening back home had to stay there and cope without us; our families, our jobs, our responsibilities. Once we let it go, it was refreshing.
Our fellow trampers looked different to what we had expected – not the latte drinking, pretentious tossers that we had imagined. Just a bunch of good old down to earth, like- minded, Kiwis and Aussies. As a group, we immediately clicked and this camaraderie just continued to grow.
An hour and a half after leaving HQ on our coach, we arrived at the start of the Greenstone Valley Track. With a hearty lunch provided, and full of enthusiasm, 12 hikers and our 3 trusty guides headed off into the wilderness. The morning was brisk, much colder than the humid summer we'd been experiencing in Auckland but luckily we'd followed the advice of Ultimate hikes and packed our layers of clothing, including thermals, gloves and hats. The Ultimate Hikes website provides you with detailed gear list, training regime and what to expect day by day, very thorough and easy to follow.
Denne historien er fra August - September 2016-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra August - September 2016-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Papua New Guinea
Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
The Meaning of Tramping
What does tramping mean to you?
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Adversity at Altitude
The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting 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’.