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The Wanganui River, once known as the Rhîne of the South Sea, winds its way through the heart of NZ's North Island, starting off where I had finished the Tongariro Track (if you agree to ignore the 200km trip I annoyingly had to take down to Wellington 1st). I decided to get away from the stress of travelling for a few days - yes, it's a hard life: even travelling can be stressful. However, I would hedge a bet that everyone at some point has, for a moment, wanted to completely immerse themselves in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of booming noises, catfood adverts, road-rage, George Bush's antics and general fast-forward panic of the western world, even if you weren't a hippy. Well, this was my moment.

Indiana Jones and the Quest of the Bridge To Nowhere

Simon Wadsworth
2006-09-04 18:22:45

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paddled hard upstream and into the tributary. The 3 others joined me.

Coming across some rock rapids, the others were giving up, but I spurred them on by carrying my canoe over them and into the next pool. "You realise we would follow you if you decide to go on", they kindly announced. Naive people, little did they know what they were letting themselves in for. We ended up ditching our canoes and decided to continue on foot. What followed was a 2 hour slog going deeper and deeper in the gorge - 4 stupid guys, in sandals, with no food or water, no one knowing where we were, and there's a thunderstorm brewing - ah, but it's ok, because we are carrying big sticks! Nothing can harm us. Don't fret Mum, it's not as bad as it sounds. Over rocks, through bush, up to our necks in murky black/orange water that you can't see the bottom of, Martian-style bugs attaching themselves to you, step after struggling step, we strode on.

We nearly decided to turn back when we finally saw a glimpse of the bridge towering above us, a relic ghost from a forgotten era, nearly hidden from view by vegetation, and we eventually stood underneath it, a sight I doubt many others have seen. Before, it was just a bridge, but now, it was so much more. It was a concrete bridge. It represented all our hardwork, determination, teamwork and other adjectives for a CV. It was a gloriously stupid goal and the never-forgotten purpose of the 'Indiana Jones and the Quest of the Bridge To Nowhere". Now all that was left was to turn back and get out before the storm hit and the river became a little flashy. We eventually reached the hut with smiles on our faces, nearly 5 hours after we originally intended, but full of pride and a new taste for life, and enjoyed a good meal of, yep, more supernoodles, but this time washed down with a beer - a kind treat from Heiko and Volker, by a fire, warm once more.

The final morning's canoe was somewhat of a letdown from the adventure the day before, but a good steady paddle through more gorges and past more waterfalls, and to the end. Countless more photos were taken, and I would go as far as saying this was some of the best 5 days of my trip so far.

Now back in Wellington once more, just missing out seeing Peter Jackson on the King Kong red-carpet parade 100m from my hostel by 1 hour! Grrr... Off to the South Island this weekend, where the hills are bigger and the sandflies more vicious. Still awesome to hear from everyone, thanks for all your comments and emails. And a special hello to Sam and congratulations on his new job (Sam will now be happy that his longing at being mentioned in these blogs has been
now rest, my friend). Take care everyone else. Simon x