Entries about backpacking

We just got back yesterday from our 5 day hike of the Milford Track in New Zealand. We will do a blog entry with a written explanation of the hike but here are some photos.

Before we left for the hike we took the gondola ride in Queenstown. Here I am at the top. My niece Sofie may recognize this thing I'm holding. She made it and gave it to me before we left so I thought I'd take it around the world with us and get some photos of it in some amazing places.

This is the view going up the gondola

Couldn't believe this tree. Wow.

Here's Lynette as we are about to get on the two and a half hour bus ride to the ferry for our Milford Track hike.

This is us on the ferry ride. It took us to our first lodging of the hike.

Our first lodge, the Glade House.

You can actually drink from the rivers here! The water is so clear and pure, from the melting snow in the mountains above.

About to begin the first day of actually hiking, or as they call it here "tramping"

Lots of great swing bridges along the way.

Lots of amazing waterfalls.

Second day of hiking was very wet and cold. Here's Lynette about to enjoy a warm hot chocolate, or as they call it here "Milo" at our lunch stop.

Lots of wet hikers trying to get warm in the lunch hut.

Sutherland Falls, the 5th highest falls in the world.

We saw some amazing birds including this kind, the Weka, which can not fly.

We finally finished!

What a great view we had from our hotel on the last night.

Back in Queenstown last night we went to a local burger place called Fergburger which has the best burgers we've ever had. Here's Lynette snuggling up to one.