Here are two very exciting links of two places I have always wanted to see.

Now I can do it with no effort - though there is nothing quite like the real thing!

www.nzine.co.nz/views/milford_track_new_zealand.html

www.nzine.co.nz/features/stewart_island2.html

If you go into www.nzine.co.nz
and search for anything New Zealand - birds etc you will find some great sites.
Happy hunting!

Thanks Zita, I really enjoyed those links. I have always wanted to do the Milford Sound walk. Maybe, someday??

Mikk, call in and stay on your way through. I can give you a slide evening on Milford so you know what to look for!

Today I celebrated having my cast removed from my broken wrist, by taking a hike in the bush. I was able to follow down the mountain bike tracks carefully to the floor of the valley, and then climb back up with the aid of a good stick.
It was wonderful to be back, listening to the birds, just 'being' there.
I noticed an improvement in my knee already, which has really suffered from the lack of climbing hills.
A long way to go yet with therapy, but it was a great start.

I have been exploring new tracks.

I noticed a sign put up by the Council warning walkers that the new Mountain Bike track was too strenous. Well, that was a challenge for me which I met Sunday morning. I made sure I was on it before the mountain bikers came roaring downhill.

It was no worse than anything I have down before, and the track took me past a 5 tiered waterfall.
I decided to take a shortcut across a valley via the sheep trails which I really enjoyed.

The trouble was when I reached the top the wind had not died down, but increased! It took me all my time to consentrate on staying on my feet.!

I thought that when I had dropped down half way the wind would drop too, but no, it stayed just as boistrous even on the floor of the valley. Most unusual, and very grateful for my Angel's protection in such a fierce wind.

One of my dogs was sick, so it gave me opportunity to go out on a track I hadn't been for a year. It takes you the length of the harbour on the lower track and back through the bushline. From what I remembered, I would do it in 3 hours.
I hadn't been on it an hour, when I fell, but seemingly unhurt, I picked myself up and carried on. All the while wondering why my boots felt too big and thinking they should have lasted longer than this.
My hike took me right up to the top where I turned back on the higher ridge. It was there that I realized the trip was a 4 hour one, and I had had no breakfast! and wouldn't get back to my car till 10am, all the while wondering why my boots felt too big!
I was able to take a short cut down the hill on sheeptracks and save myself 20 min. fortunately I had some water in the car which kept me going till I arrived home starving!

It was the next day that I discovered I had worn my old boots which are identical, only lost their grip, worn down at the heals and stretched.

It's not been a good week backwise as the result!
I doubt that I will ever make that mistake again!

The view of the harbour, the bird life on the way, the hike through the bush on the way back made it all worth while.
Peace and serenity fills my soul when I am up high.

On a recent friday morning, I took my 2 dogs to one of my very favourite hiking sites called Bowenvale.
In there are many hiking tracks, mountain bike tracks, bush or grass hillside opposite almost bereft of any trees.
Over 100 tracks inter linking with each other, the choices are almost endless.

Being one jump ahead in my preparations for Sabbath, I knew I could spend some extra time up in the bush, and so we headed for the cave where I have my morning devotions.
Leaving the car behind in the car park at the bottom we enjoyed the climb up through the bush, I knew exactly the tracks I was taking this day, as I wasn't taking a water bottle, using the water fountains that are up there.

Leaving the cave, and the beautiful bellbirds, I headed for the top, had my drink, then headed to the back of the park for the next drink, stopping to talk to the ranger about the newly crerated gardens around the visitors centre.

Having my 2nd drink, I headed down a mountain bike track which would eventually lead me to the carpark which was 2 mile away.
I came to a fork on the track and noticed on dog heading down, so called him back and carried on. Five min later I realized I had only one dog with me. I stopped and called, expecting him to appear, but all the calling and whistling in the world produced nothing! My heart sank.
As I had lost the 2 of them a couple of years ago, and it took me 3 hours to find them that time, I knew the devil was trying to spoil my friday plans. So I stood there and rebuked him.

But where to go? I realized he must have been ahead and gone down the track that I called Zac back from, so headed down there calling and whistling. No response, no sign of him.

There was nothing for it but to climb back up to the top and alert the Ranger.By this time I was feeling like breakfast and my energy levels were rapidly depleating!Searching for an hour, I finally headed down to the car, asking God to send my dog back to the car. Now this was 2 mile away, and hundreds of tracks that he could go on. Of course, my dogs know all the tracks like the back of their paw, but I still felt it was a tall order. But believing in the God of the impossible, I asked anyway.

As I crunched along the final drive to the carpark, used by the local farmer, doubts filled my mind that he would be there! So stupid of me to even expect him to be there! I would have to waste hours and petrol looking for him and the rest of my preparations would not happen.
It was just at that moment that Nebby appeared from behind the flax bush, having heard my footsteps on the gravel. He stopped and looked in total disbelief, as I did back to him!
"Is that really you mum" look on his face, while I exclaimed "You did it Lord, You did it"!!

Oh yea of little faith, why do you doubt????

He had found his way back to the car by himself?
I think not.
God takes care of our animals.

He got the biggest bone when we got home too!

[ April 29, 2002: Message edited by: Zita ]

Thanks Zita. Its good to be reminded that God looks after even our animals.

It is also good to know that you are definitely an outdoors person.

I need to spend more time outdoors myself.

My son is always telling me I was born in a tent!

I guess I like the door open for the fresh air, even 1st thing! also, it helps me t oescape outside quicker!
I would far rather be outside doing jobs than inside. fortunately I have a wonderful husband who doesn't mind accommodating my lifestyle.

When you come to think of it, when God went looking for Adam and Eve, he found them in the garden.

We wern't made to live in houses with central heating ( very necessary in colder countries). We were made for the garden!

I guess being brought up from a baby in Grandma's 1/2 acre garden, then moving to a country house for the first 11 years of my life well established my love for outdoors.My own prayerhut was in the bush as a child.

Now, it is the length and breadth of the Port Hills which span our city as a backdrop.

God is in the stillness of the morning.
Out in nature He waits for us to speak to Him.

My lesson this morning was stopping on the track up in the hills, taking time to say 'Be Still, my Soul' when suddenly a rabbit flees for it's life across my path.

I timely reminder that in the stillnes of our day, a storm can erupt when we least expect it.