LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT
Eastern Cape, South Africa: Storms River region.
'LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HIKE-ABOUT?'
Hike-about is an adventure that commenced June 2010. After storing our household movables, ridding ourselves of a house but retaining our 'home' together, we set off with the purpose of hiking in different parts of the world, not forgetting the home country, the USA.
Our primary focus is hiking to mountain peaks but any challenging hike will do just fine. Extended stays enable us to enjoy and experience living in various places amongst differing cultures. Hike-about has evolved into a way of life. It's also a process of discovery, both the world and ourselves.
We work and live 'on the road' but return to the city in which our grandchildren reside, every couple of months. This provides us the wonderful opportunity to be with them as well as a child or two, even three and of course, friends.
By the end of 2023, the blog contained over 1,560 hikes (less than that actually undertaken), each a set of pictures with stories and anecdotes from the trails. An index to the right allows the viewer to identify earlier experiences.
Finally, we are often asked about the journey's end. Our reply, as accurate as we can state, is: "When we are either forced to cease through health issues or the enjoyment level no longer reaches our aspirations, we will hang up the boots."
"A Life Experience As No Other: Dare to Seize the Day Together", published by Fulton Books, depicts our life on the road and mountains until the beginning of 2017. It has developed 'exponentially' since then.
Jenni and Jeffrey Lazarow
Whereas we continue to update the blog regularly, we circulate email notifications infrequently.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Hike 33: Belmont Trig, Wellington, (North Island)
Downtown Wellington to the right (sharpness lacking with cameras/photographers)
Mountain view in suburbs, bay to the right
We have always traveled between the two islands of New Zealand by plane. For this trip, we decided to hold-on to the car for the full period. In order to cross Cook Strait, a car is inadequate. Instead, we used the ferry from Picton in the south to the capital, Wellington in the north, a three-and-a-half hours crossing. We drove to Picton from Kaikoura, a journey of spectacular views of an incredible coastline, ocean colors that include all shades of turquoise, fascinating mountains, rolling hills, valleys, flora…is anything else necessary? If anyone should seek to suggest that we are biased, we will refute that statement outright. We might add that Jenni’s husband ‘loves this country’.
Breaking the tree line
The crossing was not limited to humans and cars only. While below deck, we smelled the cattle and viewed them housed in the trucks. We are becoming quite used to knowing when animals are around. Jen wishes she had the same warning system for bears and snakes, which New Zealand has yet to import. Nevertheless, we wondered what the cows thought of it all. Then again, we wondered whether they think at all.
We sat near a young American couple who we learned are with the diplomatic corp. They were returning to Wellington, the seat of the embassy, of course. Jenni wondered what their functions were. We were behaving in a diplomatic manner so did not seek to inquire. We did mention they could even be ‘spooks’, CIA operatives. It turns out that they work for the Defence Department. We were close. We tactfully refused to discuss further our true feelings of their ultimate boss.
Half-way down from peak
Tree-covered hills and mountains
It was great to be back on the trails. Wellington, the windy city, which is not surprising because after all, it is the capital. Although we understand Washington, USA is not windy literally, we might consider it the leader in the field of ‘hot air’, figuratively. We were in the forest for a while which is protected. Once we broke the tree line, an amazing place with stunning views, we were ‘hounded’ by the wind continuously. We don’t think we have ever experienced such gusts for a relatively mild day. It was a pity because like the South Island, Wellington is gorgeous. The views of some neighborhoods overlooking multi-layered mountains surrounding the bay and near the ocean make La Jolla look quite ordinary. (That comment might cost us dearly.)
A cascading falls deep in the forest
We wondered about the wind. Bear in mind, this was even before we reached “Baked Bean Bend”, we kid you not, which was a ‘gas’. Some of the names in this country are fascinating. A hike we thought would be real tough is called ‘something’ puke. Of course, it should be pronounced ‘pukay’—a little ignorance goes a long way. We sometimes get sidetracked easily so back to the wind. We could understand how a person could be blown off the edge of the mountain. The wind was that strong. It caused us to ponder deeply:
If one is blown over the edge, could one honestly say that the hike was completed. Surely, it requires the person to hike both ‘up and back down’ to obtain the ‘boasting rights’. Of course, our editor never enters into the spirit of a meaningful discussion of this nature. “Don’t you realize a person would be killed should he/she be blown over the edge,” she contributed. We hate it when she gets so practical. Of course, we realize how precious life is, but that’s not the issue. We are trying to obtain the correct definition of a completed hike or outing. It’s something she just doesn’t get no matter how much we try to explain it.
Keeping the hat on in Wellington
We met a few locals on the trail who, like many others, are easy and pleasant with which to converse. It usually ends up being informative in a jovial manner. Back to the track. With the ‘ups and downs, we estimate undergoing an accumulated elevation gain of 2,400 feet or more over eight miles. The scenery was marvelous, the forest was jungle like with a good path; we crossed numerous streams by ‘walking the plank’ and stepping on stones, rocks and tree-trunks. Eventually, it became too difficult and dangerous and so we waded into the water instead. Remove the wind and the day would have been near perfect. It was really good to be out again; our first footing back on the North Island but we sure miss the South.
Let me set out the options for you, My Love...none are dry
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
Approaching the ferry in Picton
Somewhere on Cook Strait
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