Tramping The Milford in 2003
Excited and apprehensive, after all ex-Marine and I were 19 years older, our entire group along with most of the 44 other trekkers boarded the bus to Te Anau Downs, stopping for lunch at the Lakeside village of Te Anau. We were Group #140 of this trekking year and met up with the rest of our trekkers for the infamous group photo. The group size was almost double that of Group #34 in 1984.
The weather was bright and sunny but this time we were anticipating the worst, not expecting the best. On the launch once again to the head of Lake Te Anau and the short walk to Glade House, only 8/10ths of a mile. An easy beginning but I was really afraid to get my hopes up. The first Glade House was washed away by a flood in 1924, and then destroyed by fire in 1928. Most of the other accommodations on Milford were also destroyed and rebuilt many times throughout the years.
Everyone welcomed to Glade House by our guides and hosts and asked to sign this year's log under Group #140. ex-Marine and I told the hosts that this was a repeat for us and perchance did they still have the logs from 1984? They had ALL the logs from every year right there! We eagerly looked through and there were our names. A big thrill to re-read the comments and pass this log around to our Active New Zealand group. Now they knew we hadn't exaggerated and started feeling a little apprehensive themselves about the possibility of torrential downpours.
A short exploration of the area, dinner and the almost 50 people were asked to stand, give our names and country, then divided into country groups and asked to sing a song to introduce ourselves. Primarily Australians, Kiwis and Americans, and our song (just one stanza) was "This is my land...this is your land...from California, to the New York Island......." a song everyone actually knew the words to.
The huts had changed tremendously. Much more luxurious, and spacious. It was almost difficult to recognize it as the same place and starting off the next morning on a BRIGHT, SUNNY DAY, we didn't recognize the trail as being the same one we tramped so long ago.
One thing that hadn't changed were those long, shaky suspension bridges/swinging bridges, and we immediately crossed the first of NINE , and the longest, over the Clinton River not far from Glade House. I don't care what you call them...they swing like crazy and it's difficult to keep your footing...
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