I'm back on the case again, and doing my best to keep this site up to date. It has been an awesome beginning to the year, with 2 weeks at Waihi Beach, and nearly every weekend busy doing something energetic. Two of the most enjoyable trips this year so far have been the Abel Tasman kayak and a weekend white water kayaking on the Rangitikei in the central North Island.
Both Catherine and I have started our 2 weeks training before our Kilimanjaro climb in mid April. We are both up early in the morning before work. Catherine walks around the Botanical Gardens, and I head for a steep 3km climb up Mount Kaukau and back.
I'm currently working on a website for our trip to Africa, and will make the link available as soon as I have completed it. The website will have photos, videos and blog updates, including status on our Kilimanjaro climb, mobile coverage permitting.
Africa 2009
Catherine and I had the most awesome holiday anyone could have. A week in South Africa, 6 days climbing Kilimanjaro Africa's highest mountain and the tallest free standing mountain in the world. We also experienced a 5 day Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro national park, and finished our holiday off with 4 days relaxing at a beach resort on the northern coast of Zanzibar.
The highlight of our trip has got to be our Engagement at the summit of Kilimanjaro :-D
Here is a short video clip from out holiday. There will be more. In the meantime you can check out our Kilimanjaro blog at www.pominnz.com/kilimanjaro
I loaded up my car before work, so that I could get a quick get away at the end of the day. I met Kei and Steven at a car park on the Hutt side of the Haywards Hill road. We strapped on the kayaks and transferred all of their gear into my vehicle and started our journey to a cottage just north of Mangaweka.
Apart from the usual snarl up at Pukerua bay, the journey was traffic jam free. We did however get stuck at both railway crossing just south of Mangaweka, which for the infrequency of rail traffic, is just bad luck.
The directions we were given were ideal
for someone arriving during day light hours, but we struggled, and
ended up driving 5 km past the turn off, even though Alan had spent time putting up signs, and painting logs pointing in the direction of the cottage. We eventually arrived at the
cottage. Kei had already decided to stay at the cottage, but
Steven and I had planned on staying at the Mangaweka camp ground, but
when we arrived at the cottage it did look very inviting, so we
decided to stay.
This weekend was a wet one, but it didn't stop me getting out with my new camcorder and filming Wellington in the rain. I bought an umbrella and went armed with my tripod and camera to the Wellington botanical gardens. Got some really nice shots in the rain.
5 days of excitement, beautiful weather and awesome scenery. Catherine Moss, Catherine Ansley, Fiona Gregson and myself walked and kayaked the coast of the Abel Tasman national park.
Day 1. All of us Kayaked from Marahau up to Anchorage, while our luggage was transferred by AquaTaxi. Catherine A and Fiona hired a freedom kayak and Catherine M and myself went in my sea kayak.We stopped halfway between Marahau and Anchorage for lunch. We arrived in Anchorage with plenty of time to put up our tent and relax on the beach.
Day 2. My kayak, along with our luggage was transferred by Aqua Taxi up
to Bark Bay. The four of us walked from Anchorage to Bark bay, via
Cleopatra's pool. I was the only one to brave the freezing waters of
the Torrent river to experience Cleopatra's pool and it's natural water
shoot. We sat on a wharf in Torrent bay for some lunch and arrived at
Bark bay around 5ish.
