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Back to Borland - Part One
A lot of time had passed since my last adventure in the Borland area. Being in the mountains is for me my ‘happy place’,...
Back in the Game (Part Three) - Lake Marian Trek
It is amazing where determination / stubbornness can get you. Simply focusing on the task at hand and not worrying about...
Back in the Game (Part Two) - Lake Marian Trek
Taking steps into the Darran Mountains alone is a way to appreciate how big mountains really are. We (human beings) are...
Back in the Game (Part One) - Lake Marian Trek
It had been a long time since I had last tasted the sweet air of wild Fiordland, thanks to the work of a large fridge do...
Getting the Next Generation Hooked - Deep Cove School Camp
To have a job in tourism is a real privilege with what’s going on in the world today, and to have a very enjoyable job i...
Back to Fiordland - Back to Work
A girl in shiny red shoes said it best “there’s no place like home”. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and being away...
Life Resumes - Back with the Bros
With social media the world is getting smaller, and time apart from family and friends is less of a burden than in days...
While the World Fell Apart (Part Five) - Patea / Doubtful Sound
2020 was a strange year for everyone. No one could imagine how much the world would change and how long it would take fo...
While the World Fell Apart (Part Four) - Patea / Doubtful Sound
A huge benefit to working in remote locations is the lack of phone coverage. This means the real world can wait until yo...
While the World Fell Apart (Part Three) - Patea / Doubtful Sound
Fiordland National Park is one of only a few places left on the planet that has remained untouched by the hands of manki...
While the World Fell Apart (Part Two) - Te Anau / Patea Doubtful Sound
Normally Aotearoa watches the world from afar and usually stays well away from any conflict. Our remote location might b...
While the World Fell Apart (Part One) - Queenstown / Te Anau
I was surprised to learn that Aotearoa had dropped its final Covid restrictions, as I had no idea there were any still i...
Taking Kea of Myself - Grebe Valley Camp
By mid February I was feeling a little bit grumpy. It had been over a month since my accident on the Fiordland Navigator...
The Last Big Mish (Part Three) - Sunny Creek Basin
Strangely, I would suffer my greatest injury on a boat at sea level instead of a fall while climbing high in the mountai...
The Last Big Mish (Part Two) - Sunny Creek Basin
The classic saying of “you never know what will happen tomorrow” is so true, and at least while I could I got to some pr...
The Last Big Mish (Part One) - Sunny Creek Basin
As 2019 turned into 2020 I’m sure no one knew what life was going to throw at them during the year. Along with the rest...
Slippery When Wet (Part Two) - Gertrude Saddle(1410m)
The signage along the Gertrude Saddle Track has increased as time has gone on and unfortunately more accidents have happ...
Slippery When Wet (Part One) - Gertrude Saddle(1410m)
Warning signs are in places for a reason and should be obeyed. However, I can say from experience that sometimes the sig...
Super Cirque Spectacular - Cirque Creek Headwall
I highly recommend being a passenger when travelling on the Milford Road for the first time. The ever changing incredibl...
Snowslides & Sandflies (Part Three) - Tutoko Valley Camp
The thunderous crash of an avalanche is both exciting and terrifying. Huge areas of semi-frozen ice and snow goes on a v...
Snowslides & Sandflies (Part Two) - Tutoko Valley Camp
Most people around the world do their best to stay as far away from avalanches as possible. The mere thought of millions...
Snow Slides and Sandflies (Part One) - Tutoko Valley
The Tutoko Valley is an excellent representation of the expression “Effort is met with reward” as the further up the val...
Lights in the Darkness (Part Three) - Green Lake Hut (Borland Road Route)
There have been a few times where I have misjudged time to a hut or summit and my lack of good judgement has taken me do...
Lights in the Darkness (Part Two) - Green Lake Hut
After several late finishes throughout my mission career, it would be hypocritical for me to make a big deal about someo...