A Great Walk Re-walking the Honeymoon Phase

Last time I walked the Kepler Track I was on a honeymoon. It was not my honeymoon but our friends’, who asked us to join them. While it might seem strange now, centuries ago honeymooners’ bridal tours were often taken with friends in order to visit those who were not able to attend the wedding. So in part, we were keeping up with that tradition. That trip was a lot of fun with the inevitable quirky moments of joining a newly married couple. I remember the huts being full, the tops being outstanding and the forests of the valley floor being just mystical.

Some 20 years have passed since that trip and before heading out on it again I wondered whether it would be as good as I remembered – especially as it was also the ‘honeymoon’ period with regard to my first back-country walks – or whether my recent expeditions on other NZ Great Walks and Rides would overshadow its grandeur. I was about to find out!

I arrive in Te Anau in mid-October after a few false starts. The spring trip is later than I would have