Love at First Sight: the Magic of New Zealand

Photo By: Judy Shane Silenced by the roar of cascading waterfalls, we will walk through native plants found nowhere else on earth but New Zealand.

Falling in love was something I was not opposed to when I first bicycled solo through New Zealand in 1989. The quirky thing was that I fell in love with the country - a love affair that is still going strong for 20 years.

As I cycled nearly 1,500 miles from Auckland to Queenstown, my senses were filled with breathtaking scenes. I pedaled along craggy coastlines glimpsing a violent ocean. Some days, I spent hours riding through moss-laden rain forests serenaded by birds; other days I labored up high mountain passes through snow-capped alpine mountains, squinting at the blue glare from glaciers at the base of the Southern Alps. In the evening, I attended concerts or Maori cultural performances. When I rolled into whatever town was next on my cycling map, it seemed that the whole town would argue over the best campground or hostel for me. I felt carried by friendly faces and the kindness of a people, who accepted me without reservation.

When I returned after this long holiday, I couldn't get New Zealand out of my mind. I asked myself, What would I want to do if I had just one year to live? The answer was easy. Spend more time in New Zealand. After six months of pondering, I moved there, expecting to try it out for one year. I ended up getting a great job and lived there for nearly 9 years. In a short time, I transitioned from biking to hiking and experienced many of the world-famous treks that New Zealand boosts.

My greatest joy, since I moved back to America, is leading hiking trips to New Zealand. I have changed the itinerary somewhat on each trip, but I always include five or six of the day hikes that I feel are quintessential New Zealand. Bringing my hiking friends to New Zealand has also served to bring my two worlds together. Now, my friends in the South Bay who have traveled with me have met my Kiwi friends.

Trip leader Judy Shane makes her way across another raging river via a swinging bridge common to hiking in New Zealand.

My co-leader, Linda Werk, and I are pleased to say our next Sierra Club trip (March 11-25, 2010) will take us from Auckland to Queenstown (my '89 bicycle route) and feature spectacular hikes and other adventures. The trip price is $3,236 and includes round-trip airfare from LAX-Auckland; shared motel room w/bath; some meals; all transport within NZ; and group hikes. You can reserve by sending 2 SASEs and a $500 check payable to PVSB Sierra Club to co-leader: Linda Werk, 15218 Cranbrook Ave., El Camino Village, CA 90260. 310-676-6171, lwerk@berliner-ip.com. For an itinerary, contact me at judyshane@aol.com or 310-379-1111.