Sometimes We Ride On Your Horses, Sometimes We Walk Alone

5 days - 71 km - all on foot

This is the goal of those who choose to walk the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds. Since we are not the most experienced at this sort of thing, we decided to do it in the pampered way.

Our goods would be transported each day by water taxi to the next luxury resort. Our meals would all be included with wine and gourmet menu. The accommodations would be 5 star.

All we would have to do is walk from one place to the other, about 12 miles a day, up over and through the bush on a fairly good trail.

There were only 4 hikers who would go the full way with us and Jeremy, one great Kiwi guide.

On the boat ride over to Ship Cove, an old harbor where Captain Cook landed, we saw the Hector Dolphin, the smallest in the world and found only in New Zealand.

On the hikes, we saw pigs, llamas, horses, cows, sheep, birds, stingrays, jellyfish...very few humans. The rooms had no phone or TV. No Internet. We were the last to know about the scuffle at Virginia Tech.

After 3 days, we got a resting day where we opted to kayak 15km. Very hard and we needed a hat spa tub to relax the muscles.

This was the hardest and most rewarding thing we have ever done. This was why we came here. We have stories and pictures, but the part we cannot explain is the experience.

During the hours of hiking, Kimberly and I played a mental game of "Survivor". I was the 3rd person to be voted off. She stayed till the end and lost to Jeremy.

We also discovered the value of a good walking stick...one is a good aid, two are better. These will be our next purchase.

There are 9 great walking trails in New Zealand and most are on the South Island.

We plan to walk them all as long as they have a pamper option.