river gorges and horse trekking

I escape my rather, um, pungent dorm room (5 boys, complete with damp post-hike clothing hanging about to dry) and walk the river track behind the hostel. It's a fantastic hike, following a track through a massive river gorge, towering walls of rock rising on either side of the rainforest, following rather-tiny-in-comparison river for most of the route. I've got it mostly to myself so early in the morning, which is great, giving me plenty of leeway to stop and gaz in a stupidly awestruck way at the scenery every two minutes.

I've treated myself to a horse trek today, and another English lady from my hostel is joining me. At the stables I, being the only experienced rider in the group, get put on the 'grumpy' horse , Jazz, who is irritable with other horses but thankfully ok with people! The ride goes through the Punakaiki river valley, and I get to break off from the main group with a french guide, Marie, so we can have some trots and canters along the riverside! We meet the others at a tramping hut for tea and biscuits, then head off on our own again, criss-crossing the river, before meeting the others at the beach. Here me and Marie get a canter down the beach, which is brilliant - though Jazz starts 'pacing' at first, a weird Icelandic horse gait, which is really uncomfortable before she settles into a proper canter!

The evening is pretty low-key, but me and June, an English lady living in France, who was also on the ride and at my hostel, crack open a bottle of wine or two, and then get talking to a couple of Dutch guys who are camping in the hostel garden, and two German girls. We also get to catch a pretty sweet West coast sunset over the sea from the hostel balcony... a pretty great day all-in-all :).

written by

LizIsHere on February 26, 2010 from Punakaiki, New Zealand

from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

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