It has been an active week and a half for me in Europe! At IAU there is a week break after midterms and this is the time when most people go out and travel as much as possible. There are an infinite amount of options and I have friends who were able to hit four countries while only spending $350 in travel and stay. Personally, I took an even cheaper option and went to a few spots with my parents. Although I at first thought I would feel like I was missing out on what my friends were doing, I loved having them come and see where I live. It was also particularly exciting because it was their first time out of the country.
We started our vacation in Paris and saw all the main tourist attractions. We went to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and many other must-see spots. We stayed a little bit outside of central Paris, but I have this app(that I strongly recommend getting) called “Transit”. It shows you all public transportation routes to where ever you want to go. For us, a 4-day metro pass was well worth it and got us all over the city. A fun activity we did was a boat tour on the river. We did this at night which was an interesting perspective of this beautiful city. Seeing the tower glimmer on the river was a unique experience. My parents also put a lock on the famous bridge of love in front of the tower which was once-in-a-lifetime for them.
Next stop, we went to Rome for a few days. Again, their metro system was super easy and takes you to every tourist spot. My dad’s personal favorite from this trip was the Colosseum and Roman Ruins. It was fascinating to see such an old structure and how it had changed over time. There was so much history to take in and the views were wonderful! We also went to the Vatican and Spanish Steps. These were beautiful places as well. I wish we had spent more time in Rome!
After this, we returned to Aix so they could see where I live. My parents enjoyed the market with fresh produce and cheap clothing one street over! We also visited Avignon for the day to see le Palais de Pape, and just like that, they had to go back home. My favorite part of this whole break was watching a slight culture shock come from my parents. There were a lot of things that they did not expect from Europe or Europeans. They were constantly asking questions and pondering why certain things are the way they are. Fortunately, I was more prepped for certain culture differences so it was fun to watch and explain to my parents the “why” and the “how”. Feeling more like a “local” was a cool experience and I am glad my parents got to share an experience like this with me!
Sorry for not writing for such a long time, I think I have hit a point in my travels where I feel severely unbalanced in the time that I apply to school, friends, interests, and most importantly myself.
I wanted this post to be fun, but I think it’s important to talk about some more “real” things — mainly how to travel and not feel disconnected from yourself and the struggles of navigating a society different than your own (JUST BRIEFLY).
I would like to start by saying that I love Japan, the people here are very kind, very helpful, and there’s a certain comfort knowing that no one really cares about what you’re doing — with over 30 million people living in one area, it’s hard to think longer than 30 seconds about other people and their actions. With that, it’s also important to note that I have a pass because I am obviously a foreigner. I have friends that are Taiwanese, Korean, and Chinese and just because their nationality isn’t starkly obvious, their experience with some Japanese people have been harsher and much more stressful for them to experience. I can’t directly speak to this because I do not live and experience this, but I would just keep that in mind if you come to Japan. I am also trying to unpack how I feel about being on the outside (and the excuses you have because of it) and the truth that you will never be truly allowed in.
Self care wise, I am trying to put into practice saying no — this is the opposite of my original plan because I want to experience a lot of things, but it’s taking a toll on me and therefore I need to cut back on some things . I acknowledge that I am hypocritical because this is my main issue — but I’m trying to do one thing that is JUST for me, once a day. My dad says “find a garden” when ever I am stressed but that’s a bit hard when you’re in a city packed with buildings (haha). Since I am hyper-extroverted, the best I can do now is to take time by myself. I try to commute to school by myself so I can listen to music and read a bit before I throw myself into the lives of other people.
OKAY! THAT WAS IT! NOW THAT WE’VE CLEARED THAT UP — LET’S TALK ABOUT FUN THINGS
ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, SO. Since I’ve last updated I have experienced a trip to see Mt. Fuji, a typhoon, a copious amount of classes, a shopping spree, and a temple — you ready for the briggity break down?
“Leggo” — Alexander Hamilton
MY TRIP TO MT. FUJI
This is Yamanashi — it’s a much older town full of rice fields 🙂
Super fun! I went to Yamanashi Prefecture, which is roughly a two-hour drive from Tokyo (my friend Emi drove), and it is BEAUTIFUL — I needed to see some nature and you bet I got my fix. It’s very cool because Tokyo is just buildings but you get 30 minutes outside of the city (by car) and it’s just mountains and trees — so extremely green <3.
The downside of the trip was that we went on a cloudy day so we didn’t actually get to see the mountain (we’re dumb we know) — we still had a blast, we went and ate houda — a udon-esqe noodle that is famous within Yamanashi. The best part of this dish is that IT ONLY HAS VEGETABLES IN IT! WOOHOO! GO ME! GO YAMANASHI!! GO VEGGIE-BASED DISHES! FINALLYYYYYY!!!
Image is original, not taken from Google Images (copyrighted to Isis Hatcher haha)
Afterwards we went to a lake (where you can see the mountain) but conveniently for us and our overcast weather, got to hang out on the lake and look at everything else other than the mountain. In our pursuit of some sick views, we went to a shine/lookout for Mt. Fuji (the one that you have most likely seen on every google search for Japan).
Woot! Woot! If you have kept up with our current trend, we didn’t see the mountain but got a pretty great view of the city.
To make the trip worth it, we went to an onsen: a Japanese bathhouse that was on top of a mountain, where you can look out and see all of the city lights — it was seriously one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen (the entire city laid out against a mountain; the lights looked like extremely bright stars in the sky) I would have taken a picture but obviously cameras are not allowed in a bathhouse. Also if you were unaware Japanese onsen are primarily anti-tattoo, and requires you to be naked, so if you feel uncomfortable, that’s something to consider.
Briefly on onsen’s, most are divided into male and female sections and then there are some that are meant for couples so both men and women can go, but that has a reputation of quite a few pervy men so attend with that in mind (yikes).
*** FUN FACT*** If I can be 100% honest, I totally forgot that I had tattoos until I was already in the water and my friend and I were freaking out that I’d be kicked out but we managed to attend one that is tattoo friendly without even checking 🙂 what great timing 🙂
THE TYPHOON was a little more concerning, we got the largest typhoon of the year a few weeks ago, and it was my first time prepping for a natural disaster so I made sure I had water and non-perishable food for three days. I also moved my bed away from my window because the wind was so strong a newspaper would’ve shattered it. In actuality I thought the typhoon was anticlimactic, I spent a lot of time playing mahjong, and taking naps, eating food and watching movies, until the next day when I found out that within my prefecture 15 people died, and several others died outside of my prefecture, with heavy amounts of flooding, but based off of where my building was located, I had no major issues with the storm. If you have a Japanese phone number you would’ve received alerts of the storm, where flooding has occurred , who needs to evacuate, etc. I do not have a Japanese phone number, so I found information on tv, they have specific apps to alert you, and the internet is always a good source (the internet doesn’t lie right?)
THE TEMPLE on the other hand, was really quite lovely. My friends and I went a few days after the typhoon since the weather after a typhoon is always extremely sunny (I don’t know why that is but it’s been very consistent so far). The temple was situated within a very quite part of town, semi-large apartment buildings, a vending machine directly outside, and a 7-11 down the street — you enter into an older, silent, more peaceful world when you cross into the temple. When you first enter, it is customary to wash your hands and mouth, to purify your body before you enter a holy space. Although it was primarily Shinto, it maintained a significant amount of Buddhist influences and the marriage between the two faiths was beautiful. Although I was not allowed to take photos of the inside of the temple, and I don’t consider myself to be religious, there was still this overwhelming amount of comfort that settled on me when I entered. I felt like I was able to receive some clarity, could see myself and the world around me a bit better — what I needed to do and what I needed to do specifically for me and my health. I’m sure my experience is not the same as everyone else’s, but if you ever have a chance, I recommend going, sitting quietly, and taking some time to listen to what the earth wants to tell you. It’s extremely rewarding.
Alrighty folks, that’s all I got for ya this time around! I’ll write more soon I promise 🙂
When I first got my finals schedule I thought there was no way it was accurate. Finals at Otago last an entire month! Most people have 3-4 finals within that time frame and have a decent amount of time in between. This allows for lots of last-minute traveling and hanging out with friends. I’ve fit in a trip to Milford Sound, another trip to the Catlins, and lots of beach days taking advantage of the warmth before I head home to another winter.
My favorite paper this semester was Pacific Health. We learned about Pacific cultures and customs and the history of their migration to New Zealand. The last lecture for this paper was bittersweet saying goodbye to the lecturers that I’ve come to know enjoy. We had a talanoa, a talk, about what we enjoyed through the paper and what we would recommend for next semester, we ate Sapa sui, a traditional Pacific meal, and created a facebook page for the class to stay in touch for the future.
Pacific Health class members and lecturers!
Finals at Otago are very different than at Linfield! My first final was Environmental History of New Zealand, consisting of two essay questions. There was one overall question relating to the entire course objectives and the other question was more specific about one of the main learning outcomes. My exam started at 2:30 pm, so everyone was expected to show up at 2. At 2:15 the proctors opened the door and gave you a number indicating where you must sit. All bags had to be left at the front of the room and you weren’t allowed to wear a watch, have any electronics on you, or have anything at your place other than your student ID and two pencils. The front page of the exam had a place to bubble in your student ID and write your name and at 2:30 you were allowed to begin with two hours to complete the exam. No one could leave within the first hour and no one could leave within the last 15 minutes. After the 2 hours, the proctors picked up your exam, checked your student ID and were very strict about no talking. The atmosphere for the exams is much more stressful and formal than exams at Linfield, adding, I believe, more pressure on the situation.
My second exam was Maori Society and a different format than my first one. This exam had 40 multiple-choice questions about lecture content and then 30 multiple-choice questions about two provided readings. The first 40 questions were only .25 points each and the other questions were worth 1 point each. The readings were also given to us before the exam so we could read and interpret them. My final exam is a combination of the first two, consisting of multiple-choice questions and two essays. All of the exams are also worth a lot of your final grade. My first one was worth 60%, the second 40%, and my last 50%. This made me very stressed considering I don’t always test well and the exam score could make or break my final overall grade in the paper.
On a more exciting note, I finally got to see Milford Sound! We had tried to do a cruise on the sound before but it got canceled due to weather, and many other people also had their cruises canceled due to weather. We went to Te Anau the night before, stayed in a hostel, and left early the next morning for our 12 o’clock cruise. The cruise we did was 2 and a half hours long and described as the best one there is. It definitely didn’t disappoint! The weather wasn’t the best that day so there weren’t too many people on the boat making it more comfortable to move around and enjoy the scenery. As we were leaving the harbor a couple of dolphins came up and swam next to us for about 30 minutes. This is probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen while being here! The tour guide said there were one male and two females and they usually don’t come into the harbor as they did. They were much larger than I was expecting and I loved watching them play in the water doing jumps and just gliding along. They eventually swam off and I finally took in the scenery around me. I felt so tiny on the boat surrounded by huge snow-capped mountains on both sides of the sound that looked never-ending with the fog. Pictures don’t do justice to how big the mountains actually were! The cruise went along both edges of the sound going right up to the waterfalls. The first waterfall we stopped at was one of the “smaller” ones and the boat went right under it! We stayed on the upper level and got a little wet from the mist, but the people on the lower level got soaked. They also put out cups that got filled from the waterfall and we got to drink the water! It was some of the most refreshing water I’ve had! We then went to the end of the sound and the came back along the other edge. On this side, we saw baby seals and went under the biggest waterfall. We stayed on the upper edge again but we all got soaking wet! I wore jeans that got soaked through and all of our hair was dripping wet. It was so worth it though, it was so much fun! After the cruise, we stopped at Te Anau for dinner and dessert and then made our way back to Dunedin.
Milford Sound from the DockView from the front of the boatThe mountains were huge and the fog added to the effect!
Another trip I’ve gotten in is to the Catlins with my flatmates. We left in the morning and made our way to Nugget Point. We hiked up the hill overlooking the lighthouse and took in the views. After Nugget Point we stopped at a cafe to eat lunch where I got fish and chips. Our next stop was Purakaunui Falls and after that, we went back to Matai and Horseshoe falls. During the car ride, we played games and listened to good music.
Nugget Point
Another quick trip was to Queenstown. Victoria and I boarded the bus, which only cost 20 USD, at 8 am and got to Queenstown at 1 o’clock. We ate the best Mexican food I’ve had in New Zealand and then walked around looking for souvenirs and taking in the scenery. We also made a stop at Patagonia Ice Cream since the line wasn’t as long as it usually is. The next day we studied in our hostel and at a Cafe then boarded the bus back to Dunedin at 4 pm.
I really love Dunedin itself so I’ve also spent lots of time just walking around and trying to take it all in before I leave. One of the things I really enjoyed was renting bikes and riding around the peninsula. It cost 30 NZD for 4 hours, so we went at sunset and enjoyed the beauty of the city.
Bike riding the Otago PeninsulaPatti’s and Cream ice cream at St. Clair!
St. Clair Beach is the closest beach to Dunedin so we’ve spent lots of time there the past couple days with the nice weather. Some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had is from Patti’s and Cream ice cream truck! Their truck is usually at St. Clair and the best part of going to the beach. We also celebrated a couple of early birthdays at the beach the other night with all of our friends. Many of them are leaving soon so it was probably one of the last things we’ll get to do together. We brought burgers from ReBurger and ate it on the beach while watching the sunset, playing games, and hanging out with fun people!
Sunset at St. ClairCelebrating early birthdays at the beach!
Kara and I decided to take a night train to Venice, Italy. The night train seemed like a good idea since we would leave Thursday night and arrive the next morning.
Kara and I
What we failed to realize was that our tickets were for the Sitzplatz, not a Schalwagen. This meant that we had to sit and sleep on a seat for nine hours instead of sleeping on a bed on the train. It was definitely an experience, but we made the most of it.
We were both expecting a crowded and tourist-filled place. Venice is the place to visit and the weather was still nice enough to expect tourists to be roaming around (I talk as if we’re not tourists too.)
The sunset lighting was amazing
But we ended up arriving to an almost empty city. Even walking around, there were not as many tourists as we originally thought there would be. This, however, was a huge blessing. We got to explore Venice and take in all its beauty.
Boats were the main form of transportation
The most interesting thing about Venice was its public transportation. All of it was all by boat! It was great to not only get around the city but also see it from the water too.
If you study in Vienna or even in a surrounding country. I highly recommend Venice.
Is time moving as fast for you as it is for me? It is already MIDTERMS here at IAU! How did that happen so fast?!
Since my last post, I feel like I made some big strides in the right direction and I am excited to share them with you… A few weeks ago, I travelled to Nice and watched the sunrise from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Last weekend, I spent three days in Bordeaux where I got to see the new wine museum, Cite de Vin, go wine tasting at a beautiful vineyard in St. Emilion, and indulge in some of the most delicious pastries in the world while sitting next to the Garonne river.
I have been learning more and more French every day, and finally know enough to hold (rather short) conversations with my French host family. I go to the market and find fresh vegetables, meats, and cheeses to use for dinner, I go into wine shops and buy wines that I have never heard of, and I’ve been baking cakes and cookies with my host mom, converting every “cup,” “pound,” and “teaspoon” into grams. Needless to say, I am learning so much!
Delicious Pastries in BordeauxCite de Vin Wine Museum in Bordeaux
Speaking of learning, I have been wanting to write about the Wine Studies Certificate and overall wine education I am receiving here for some time now. For those of you who do not know, Linfield’s Wine Studies department has partnered with IAU to provide an opportunity for students to travel to Aix-en-Provence, France for one semester to study wine. At the end of the semester, the student emerges with a Global Wine Studies Certificate. Ergo, “Hello from Aix!” ?
My curriculum consists of a Biochemistry and Chemistry of Wine course, a Wine Marketing course, a Food and Wine Pairing for the Sommelier course, and a French language class that, oddly enough, is kind of like a wine course in its practical application when I go to the local wine shop and speak with the French wine steward!
French Class Having Picnic from Market
Other classes that IAU offers for the certificate are an International Wine Trade course, an Overview of Wine course, and a course on Major Wine Regions and Economics.
Overall, the education here is wonderful. Why? Because the topic at hand is an integral part of the French culture and way of life. It is everywhere, inside and outside of the classroom, and therefore it is truly an immersive field of study. If you are a wine studies student who has taken the 200 level wine courses from Linfield and is planning on travelling to Aix to obtain the Global Wine Studies Certificate, you will most likely find that there is a considerable amount of overlap on the information shared when you get to IAU. However, I believe that this is nothing but a testament to Linfield’s wine education – it is thorough, relevant, and comprehensive on a global scale. It makes me feel good knowing that the information we are receiving in the classrooms in McMinnville, Oregon is the same as the information they share some 5,600 miles away in Provence, France.
Overall, if you are considering this program, would like to learn more about wine from a global perspective, or are looking to solidify your foundational knowledge of wine, I recommend this program. However, if you are looking for something more intense and challenging, I might recommend considering other options. The course work here has been straightforward and the homework is minimal (knock on wood…)! This allows for ample time to explore, reflect, and enjoy where you are for three short months of your life.
I hope you are well, I will check back in after midterms are over!
This past weekend was eventful, to say the least. My roommates and I wanted to see Venice before we left, but staying there was too expensive. In the long run, it was cheaper to stay in Milan and take a three-hour train to Venice. We flew into Milan on a Friday and hit the ground running. My friends and I went straight to our ADORABLE Airbnb and went to the Duomo in central Milan. This building is insane. The Duomo is a cathedral church with extensive details both on the inside and out. I could stand there for hours and find something new to look at every few seconds. Milan is not a place I thought of going, but I am glad I did. There is a lot of architecture, kind people, and great food.
Courtyard of our AirbnbMy roommates and I in front of the Duomo
We took a train early Saturday to Venice. I had a general idea of what Venice would be like, but it beat my expectations. My roommates and I stepped off the train and our jaws quite literally dropped. The canals had a unique blue color with colorful buildings surrounding it. The city was busy, but there were sections of the city less explored that were equally as beautiful. When trying to find the location of our gondola reservations, the GPS took us off the beaten path. We found a really good, small gelato shop and were able to look at the canals with less population. Concerning the gondola ride, my roommates and I originally were not going to do this because it is so expensive but then we found one for $30 instead of $85+ per person. The only thing with this is that the gondola is filled with 6 people. I personally did not mind a few strangers in the same boat as me, I found the experience outweighed the addition of a few extra people. Another section of Venice that was stunning was Saint Marco Square. This building was also beautiful in a unique way. It had peaks of gold and a unique structure. If you find yourself in Venice, do not miss out on seeing this!
Gelato infront of Venice canalsView on gondola rideSaint Marx SquareMy roommates and I on a gondola in Venice.
Something I would suggest before going anywhere is to learn basic phrases in the native language such as “hello”, “thank you”, etc. Even though 9 out of 10 times a person knows English, natives appreciate the effort. Another pro tip, triple check the departure time of your transportation! My roommates and I were having a nice dinner in Venice and thought our train left at 8:30 pm when in reality it left at 8:00 pm. We thought we were so prepared being at the station over 30 minutes early when suddenly it hit us. When I saw the big clock say 8, the connection was finally made. We RAN to the platform and, like a scene of a movie, saw the tail lights of the train slowly leaving. We got lucky because another train was going back to Milan 15 minutes after that, but if there was not, we would have had to sleep in the train station or pay for an expensive room. Long story short, always triple check and never be too sure. Luck was in our favor, but that will not always be the case!
Last week was the beginning of our fall break. It’s crazy to believe we are already in October and only two months away from being back in the United States.
Like with any free time we have had, the four of us took this opportunity to travel. But this time, we all went our separate ways.
Dane and Kara started their break in Munich for Oktoberfest; Dane then went to meet up with a friend in Copenhagen while Kara went to Rome and Naples. Delaine spent her fall break with some family friends in Paris and I spent my break in Madrid and London.
Budget airlines, like Wizz Air, are our friends
The plane ride to Madrid was more nerve-racking than any other plane ride; it was my first time traveling to a foreign country all by myself.
There’s something comforting about having a person you know by your side when you travel and I was sad to leave my Linfield friends behind to start my own travels in Madrid and London.
When I got to Madrid, I ended up buying a MetroCard for way longer than needed. It wasn’t until later that I realized I could’ve paid per trip (the cheaper option) instead of by day. But I was so nervous that this thought never crossed my mind.
Madrid itself was a familiar place, mainly because of the language and friendliness. Spanish was my first language, so getting around was no issue, though there were multiple times where the difference between Spain Spanish and Mexican Spanish got in the way.
Buildings of MadridThe sunset in Madrid was amazing
The streets of Madrid were filled with color and life, and each plaza had its own appeal.
In London, I had to go through passport control since they are not under the Schengen Agreement of the European Union. However, it was quite easy because I went through an automatic passport machine that scanned my passport, making sure it matched my face. That was my first time seeing one of those machines work in real life.
Similar to in Madrid, the difference between British English and American English was prevalent in conversation, but it never became a real issue.
What surprised me the most about London was its diversity in people and languages. It was amazing to see so many nationalities and ethnicities living together in one city.
St. Paul’s CathedralGloomy London
One of the things I was most excited to try was fish and chips. It’s one of my favorite dishes and I was not disappointed in London.
Fish and Chips!
Even though I enjoyed my fall break, towards the end I felt myself missing Vienna more and more, and this feeling was mutual among other Linfield students too.
So with two months left in our study abroad program, I will try my best to preserve my memories here in Vienna.
The wish I made on my 6th birthday came true last weekend: I climbed the tower of a medieval castle. The only difference was that I wasn’t wearing a Cinderella dress as I’d thought I would be at 6, but the view from the tower more than made up for it. I could see every red tile rooftop in Trujillo as well as the surrounding farmland. For a second, I really felt like a medieval princess until I saw a supermarket and gas station at the edge of the city.
Castillo de Trujillo
In addition to Trujillo, we also visited Merida and Cáceres–two other medieval cities in Extremadura, Spain. While exploring the medieval neighborhood in Cáceres, we stumbled upon a jazz concert. Our professor, who was our tour guide for the weekend, was less than impressed with it and hurriedly guided us to a different area. We were then stopped by a crowd watching a medieval reenactment, so we had to return to jazz concert, much to our professor’s dismay. As we wandered through the neighborhood the sun began to set, reflecting pink and gold light on the walls of the stone buildings. We stopped to listen to a band that I can best describe as a combination of a traditional flamenco group and an early 2000’s boy band. Nonetheless, our professor approved of it better than she did the jazz concert.
Medieval neighborhood in Cáceres
“Do you ever feel like we’re in a movie or something?” a friend from my program asked me last week. We were walking home along the Guadalquivir River at sunset, the palm trees and outlines of cathedrals silhouetted against the sky. It’s true–sometimes living in Sevilla doesn’t feel like real life. We’re surrounded by palaces and cathedrals, and my host family lives blocks away from where the Spanish Inquisition began. Although we’ve been here over a month, it still feels a bit surreal.
Plaza de España
But it is real life, and there are always little reminders of that. Sevilla has a bike rental program that some of my friends and I have started using. It’s convenient and it’s not. The first time I tried it, I got hopelessly lost in a maze of twisty cobblestone streets with identical balconies and flower boxes. While I love walking down these streets, the rental bikes don’t work great on cobblestones. They’re heavy and don’t absorb the impact of rough surfaces well, so it was a bit of an uncomfortable ride. Now that I know the area a bit better, I don’t get lost very often but there are still lots of obstacles to avoid. Seville is a very pedestrian-friendly city, so the sidewalks are always full of people, dogs, cats, kids…everything. And the bike paths are on the sidewalk, so dodging everything and everyone can be a little tricky.
I also began my integrated course at the University of Seville a couple weeks ago. Going to class in the old royal tobacco factory (Real Fábrica de Tobacos Sevilla) is pretty exciting–it reminds me of my favorite ballet, Carmen, and it holds a strong resemblance to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I feel a little like a squib there–the professor talks extremely fast and I miss some words here and there, but I’m surviving. Luckily, I think it’s easier for an exchange student to survive an art history course in Spanish than it is for a squib to learn magic at Hogwarts.
Last weekend my friends and I went to Brewster Hut and had the best time! Brewster Hut is located in Mt Aspiring Nation Park, the same park as my trip with the tramping club. I was so excited to go back because the area was so beautiful! This tramp, however, was very different than my one with the tramping club. The 6 of us squeezed into our friend’s van and Juliet had to sit in the back seat surrounded by all our packs. We were originally going to camp Friday night close to the trailhead but it was raining pretty hard so we instead stayed at a hostel in Wanaka.
When we got to Wanaka we went to Red Star Burger again and then to get groceries. At the grocery store, we ran into another group from Otago who was also going to Brewster Hut. However, their group alone consisted of 15 people and the hut only has 12 beds. They also rented crampons and we did not. We got a little worried even though the DOC said the conditions should be safe. The DOC is a great source to use, similar to the Forest Service. Their job is to know the tracks and advice you on the conditions. If you ever have any questions about safety and knowledge of the track, don’t hesitate to call the DOC! We tried to find a rental shop for crampons the next morning just in case, but when we couldn’t find any we decided we would just asses the situation when there and if it was dangerous we would turn around.
The next morning we left Wanaka and drove another hour to the trailhead car park. We parked, strapped our packs on, and headed out! The first part of the tramp entailed a river crossing past our knees. None of us wanted to hike 4 more hours with wet clothes so we took our pants off and crossed in our boots and underwear! It was definitely a bonding experience for all of us! After crossing the river, we put dry clothes on and climbed up this huge rock to actually get to the trail. We immediately realized this hike would be very difficult and a steep climb. For 2 1/2 hours, we were climbing up the beach forested mountain over tree roots and rocks. Many times we had to use roots and shrubs to help hoist ourselves up. The track was also slippery and very muddy. We had sunshine, rain, snow, and very strong winds in those couple hours. I was definitely losing motivation after a while and ready for a change of scenery when we finally broke through the tree line. The view was worth it as you realized you were tramping surrounded by mountain peaks! The track continued to climb up a ridge with lots of rocks and eventually got to the snow line. Luckily you could walk to the side of the snow and wasn’t dangerous at all. When I finally reached the top of the last hump I was so grateful to see the hut! It was a beautiful location, with this bright red hut surrounded by snowy mountain peaks.
The trail was made of tree roots!View of everyone tramping and using the forest to help climb!Brewster Hut and the surrounding mountain peaks.
There ended up being 30 plus people trying to stay in the 12 bunk hut. It was very crowded! When we got to the hut we warmed up inside, played cards, and then explored around the hut outside. During the off-season, winter, there is no gas provided in the huts so we brought our own stove burner and gas can. During the off-season, there is still water provided outside the hut collected from the roof, an outhouse that doesn’t stock toilet paper, and a first-come-first-serve standard. Since its first-come-first-serve, you do not have to book a bed but the DOC still suggests paying $10 NZD to help keep the facilities up to standard. To be safe the water should also be boiled before using. Some of the people at the hut used the water and were fine, but one of our members drank the water without boiling it and felt sick to her stomach when we got back.
For dinner, we boiled water and made gnocchi with tomato sauce. After dinner, everyone at the hut grabbed their sleeping bags and sat on the deck watching the sunset. It was so much fun to talk and laugh with everyone as we watched the sunset and the stars appear while being surrounded by native Kea Birds!
Making dinner with a view of Mount Brewster from the hut window.Only alpine parrot, the New Zealand native Kea.Snuggled up for the sunset!Juliet, Hannah and I in front of the sunset!
The next morning I woke up for sunrise, which wasn’t as good as sunset but still amazing!
SunriseAll 6 of us ready to head down the mountain!Hiking down the ridge in the morning.
In the morning, the outside water facet was frozen so we collected snow and boiled it to make oatmeal. The tramp down was much harder than the way up! It was really hard on our knees, hips, and muscles because it was so steep and uneven. It took a little less time to get down, but everyone’s legs were so tired at the bottom and we were so ready for lunch! We ate lunch in Wanaka and then made the long journey back to Dunedin. We all slept amazing that night and woke up the next morning barely able to move because of sore muscles!
