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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 Wadsworth2006-09-04 18:22:45
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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.
The Maori story goes, Taranaki once lived with the other mountains of the central North Island - Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe (Doom). Unfortunately, Taranaki fell in love with a pretty hill called Pihanga - who happened to be the wife of Tongariro. After a fiery battle with Tongariro which he lost, the tall and handsome Taranaki, headed west. His falling tears at being banished are said to have created the Wanganui that's the result.River as he gouged a path to the western coast of the North Island, where he now lives.
5 days to kayak 150kms through Wanganui National Park, from 160m to 29m above sea level, through 197 grade I & II rapids, by myself - in a 2-man Canadian Canoe. As usual, I threw myself in at the proverbial deep-end. One instructor even came up to me on the river "by yourself?", "yep..just me." "Wow you must be good." Haha, if only she knew of my total 3 days experience in Canada; I replied "I will be in 5 days". Through rapids I would go, hitting rocks and logs left, right and centre, my heart skipping a beat when I heard a *thud* on the canoe. But I eventually felt I got the hang of it (which of course, had nothing to do with the rapids diminishing in size downstream).
The first 3 days
...
See photographs from:
New Zealand Gallery
