Upon arriving at Blue Mountain Adventure Center the group was challenged with team building activities that forced us to grow both independently and together. Our leaders for the week Paddy and Sally outfitted us in the best gear for our high mountain tramp through Mordor. We set out for five days and four nights in the wilderness with a backdrop of sweeping views of the snowcapped Mount Doom (for those Lord of the Ring fans out there). After two days we nearly reached the summit of Mount Tongariro, while the the weather was less than ideal morale was high! Then came another day of tramping and abseiling down a waterfall. Midweek the sun came out as we downhill mountain biked on Fishers Track through the endlessly green sheep pastures and winding country roads. We finished off our week on the Whakapapa River, rafting through untouched scenic landscapes and even jumping/falling in, haha.
After a long week of tramping, biking, abseiling and rafting in the high mountains of New Zealand the group is ready to settle down on the one and only Hart Family Farm! Where Rachel and Greg Hart, our hosts, having been teaching us about milk production, sustainable farming and most importantly slow food.
ā~ Sidnee and Katherine