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Reflections & tales from a life of adventure faith & Family
My Parents are in town this weekend. They arrived on Thursday this is the first time they have come to visit us in Blenheim so the pressure is on, not really.
On friday we had to leave them to entertain themselves as i had to work with 57 people on a short kayaking trip. This group was so large we brought in reinforcements Aka… Robin to act as a guide and make up #’s. She did brillant. Of course she wanted to go in my group and did but had to paddle a double for the 1st time with her sitting at the back. It all worked out well and she would make a wonderful sea kayak guide. This was considering the weather also. We had a southerly change come through early friday morning and this brought almost gale force winds to the marlborough sounds. While we weren’t paddling in Queen Charlotte Sound, which bore the worst of it, where we were in Kenepuru Sound, it was still really bad. But we mananged and go these people on and off the water pretty safely.
Saturday was the highlight of the weekend. I had arranged with the water taxi company we use to take all 4 of us to the top end of the Queen Charlotte Trail (that i walk so often and know so well) My parents have never done any of it, and robin hasnt seen the top end or in reality any more that a really small section. So we took a 2hr boat ride to complete most of what would be the 1st day for my groups. We hiked for 3.5hrs and my parents did AMAZING. They are not big hikers or outdoor people for whatever reason. And by thay i dont mean they are couch potatoes either. They just haven’t had the same opportunities in life that i have. So this was going to be a real treat for them. It was a wondeful day with lot of our native indigenous birds out in full song. we saw some wonderful original old growth forest and of course the views were amazing. We ended our hike with late lunch at Furneaux Lodge which is where i spend the 1st night of my 5 day hikes. After that we got back on the water taxi and enjoyed a wonderful trip back in the fading afternoon light. I was really proud of my parents for completing this (not that i didn’t think they could) but to be able to share with them some of what i do right now.
Then today… Sunday, Mother’s Day of course. I got up early and left to drive over to Nelson to compete in a race. A off road duathlon of trail running, mountain biking and more running. It was a short race, but really intense and was basically red lining the old heart for about 1.25hrs. These races are hard for different reasons that adventure racing, and while they dont always hurt like adventure racing, they hurt in a different way.
Back home now, and we will celebrate mothers days this evening, and then talk with Robin’s parents tomorrow am which will be Mother’s Day for the USA.
Paul Humphreys Adventures 
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