Lynsey's blog post #8: Two (more) hikes, three homestays, and a Kiwi bird!
30 December 2025
I stayed at a hotel in Bluff last night (there weren't very many options in the small town), and breakfast was provided there before I headed to catch the ferry from the port across the street. I left two small bags behind the check-in counter before leaving, so I could carry less on the upcoming three-day hike, and it was free to store at the hotel. Originally in my research for this hike I thought I would leave the extra stuff at the DOC office in Oban, the only town on Stewart Island with a population of 400 people, but it seemed silly to lug it to the island for no reason except to pay the DOC to keep it safely in a locker. The sea was very rough when we left, and there were at least a dozen passengers who were physically sick on the boat during the one hour ferry ride. I felt fine but was given a cold cloth anyway by one of the boat crew to put on the back of my next. When the ferry arrived in Oban, I grabbed my backpack from the luggage storage bin and headed straight to the DOC office where I rented a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and spoke with one of the rangers. The PLB is exactly what it sounds like, so I could send a signal for help in case of a medical emergency or getting lost. I filled out official paperwork, including when I would be back from the trail, that way if I didn't show up by 10am on the date after that, there would be a rescue team assembled and sent out to search for me. As I was unsure how busy the trail would be with other hikers, this made me feel safer. She shared a lot of great information and really helped boost my confidence for my first solo overnight hike in New Zealand.
Ready to set off for Day 1 of the Rakiura Trail on Stewart Island. The small thing attached to my bag is the PLB, in case of emergency.
This hike is a 32.1 km (just under 20 miles) loop which I planned to complete in three days. Leaving directly from the DOC office, I set off to walk out of town 5 km (about 3 miles) to Lee Bay. Fortunately for me, about 30 minutes into my walk, a family driving past stopped to ask if I would like a ride. I gladly accepted and was saved about an hour of walking to the trailhead. I made it to the Port William Campsite after about 4 hours of walking. I even chose to take an uphill walk on the Garden Mound sidetrack, since it was recommended by the family who gave me a ride (which took me an hour to walk up and back to the main trail). I took a short lunch break at Maori Beach, but it was quite windy, and I didn't appreciate eating the sand that was blowing around.
Yes, white caps amidst the beautiful scenery along the trail.
It was still quite windy at the campsite, so I set up my tent in the woods. Thank goodness for the 2-person hiker tent I was borrowing from my friend Jodi, which was very sturdy, even in the strong winds. There were about ten other people at the campsite.
My tent setup the first night, snuggled in the woods in an attempt to get out of the wind. 31 December 2025
By 9am I had eaten breakfast and packed up all my gear. At the same time, a German traveler, a 21 year old named Tom, was about to leave for the trail, so we planned to be trail buddies to the next campsite. About three hours into walking, we came upon a kiwi bird right on the trail! This is rare, as it is typically a nocturnal animal. The bird started walking toward us, foraging, and then ran off the trail once it noticed us standing there. Neither of us had our camera ready, so although there isn't photographic evidence, it was definitely an answered prayer. Since I booked the trip to Stewart Island, I had been telling people that all I wanted was to spend New Year's Eve with a kiwi bird. I thought I was joking but it turns out God made it happen! Nobody else I met in the three days I spent on the trail on Stewart Island had seen a kiwi bird, not to mention that many locals have never even seen one.
Full disclosure, this is not a picture I took. This is similar to the kiwi bird I saw along the trail. So cute and fluffy with such a long beak!
After that, Tom and I were so excited we had actually gotten to see the kiwi that we didn't even mind the deep mud on the trail. It wasn't a surprise, as that part of the trail is known for being ridiculously muddy. There were, however, plenty of ways around or alongside the muddy parts, so I barely even got mud on my shoes.
At one point, we followed a side trail to avoid the deep mud. Welp, it turns out it wasn't the actual trail, which we did realize after about ten minutes but the trail was walkable and we thought maybe it would connect again with the actual trail eventually. After about a half hour of being off the trail, and crossing a river, "Mom Lynsey" insisted on turning around to get back to the real trail, using my AllTrails app to retrace our steps. Up until that point it had been an entertaining adventure and felt relatively safe, until the river. We each had map apps on our phones that were downloaded, so we could track where we were, and i had my trusty PLB in case something serious happened. At one point, Tom said "My mom would kill me if she saw me doing this!" I responded, "My mom would kill you too!" After a ninety minute detour, we made it back to the exact same place on the trail where we had initially detoured. When we finally showed up at the next campsite, the handful of people who had been with me at the campsite the previous night were hanging out under to cooking shelter playing a card game of 500 ...yes, I didn't know it was an international game either! They were also wondering how they got there before us. 😂
One of the girls from Dunedin, New Zealand brought fairy lights (a.k.a. white Christmas lights). We spent the evening sitting at a picnic table under the fairy lights in the shelter. We played a couple of games of a card game called Up the River Down the River, which I remember learning from aunt Helen and Uncle Jerry when I was growing up! 🥰 We took a short break to wander down the dark trails nearby to attempt to spot a kiwi bird with our headlamps. No such luck, and by 11pm I was asleep. It had been a delightful day full of adventure, so I didn't stay up to ring in the New Year.
1 January 2026
'Twas a bit chilly, even as I stood on the shore to capture the moment for them.
After a morning New Year's Day swim...not me but a few of the other ladies from the campsite, I was all packed up and ready to go by 10am. An American girl named Mikala was ready to head out on the trail at the same time, so we walked together and chatted for the first few hours until she took a lunch break. I was on a slightly stricter schedule to get back to Oban by 3pm to catch the afternoon ferry back to Bluff, so I continued walking on my own.
Yes, Kiwi do, in fact, live here...I saw one!
I made it back to Oban with plenty of time to return the PLB to the DOC office and even get a snack and cold fizzy drink from the small supermarket. Not long after I sat outside the supermarket to enjoy my drink, I saw the small group of people I had met and hung out with at the campsites along the trail. I sat with them and drank a hot espresso at the restaurant where they were eating dinner until it was time to check in for the ferry. The ferry ride was much smoother this time around! I had prearranged a shuttle to take me to Invercargill for the night. Once I made it to the hostel, it felt glorious to take a shower and relax indoors.
2-3 January 2026
I took the Intercity bus from Invercargill to Christchurch, where I spent the night. I met a German solo female traveler who recommended the Queen Charlotte Track once she found out I was heading to the northern part of the South Island. I kept that thought tucked in the back of my brain, since I wasn't ready to plan a hike at that moment. I absolutely love those kinds of connections, though, with people while I am traveling. I never know who God will put in my path along the way, and that's exciting!
4 - 12 January 2026
I took the bus from Christchurch to Blenheim where my friend lives with her family. I got to stay with her outside of town, near Rarangi Beach, in a small cabin in the backyard.
The Rarangi Beach private cabin I stayed in where I could hear the ocean waves crashing on the beach. It was spectacular.
The view of the backyard and ocean from the second story loft of their home.
I helped my friend restart and get into a routine of making gluten free sourdough bread daily. They bonus was that I took some of the starter with me when I left, so I've been able to continue making bread (and crumpets)! We used a simple recipe using buckwheat flour, which she wanted to use from book called The Homemade Table by Nicola Galloway (who is from New Zealand). We made one loaf each evening and most, if not all, of it was gone by lunch time the next day.
One of the loaves of homemade gluten free sourdough bread cooling off.
My friend has seven kids ranging from ages 2 months to fourteen years old, so she has plenty keeping her busy. The oldest was on school break staying with a friend's famimy, so I didn't get to meet him. I helped out wherever I could jump in, without taking away the kids' established responsibilities and routines. I spent a lot of time playing with my friend's 2 year old son which was not a surprise to me, since that's the age group I enjoyed serving with at MillCity Church back in Wisconsin. We walked across the street a few times so the kids could play in the tennis court area, playing tennis, rollerblading, biking, or even just me pushing the 2 year old around in his stroller while watching his siblings. We also played with other toys, including a small tricycle, blew bubbles, and he lured me to the garden next to the house to pick the ripe peas and open the pod so he could eat them immediately. At night, as bedtime got closer, he even brought books over to me so I could read to him. It was adorable!
The 2 year old was a big fan of playing (his version) of Candy Land that had been a recent Christmas gift.
I taught the 12 year old daughter how to care for the sourdough starter and make the bread before I left. She was excited to take over the task.
I spent time with the eight year old girl helping her make homemade ice cream...which we all happily devoured after waiting patiently for it to harden/set.
During my time I also enjoyed making cookies and a snack they called 'Slice' which was basically a Bliss Ball (a.k.a. no-bake protein ball) spread into a pan and cut into small bars.
The 2 year old and I especially enjoyed the flavor variety that was covered in melted dark chocolate.
I spent most of the mornings waking up a few hours before the kids, preparing the first step of the sourdough. Then I would read, journal, or chat with my friend while drinking coffee. This time with my friend was so powerful, as she and I shared God stories and testimonies with each other. She had many theological questions that I would never have thought I was capable of answering, but I was able to share so much wisdom and encouragement...praise God! The closer and deeper my relationship with Jesus has gotten, especially over the past few years, I have become even more of an ambassador for God's kingdom. Once again, God has provided amazing opportunities throughout my travels to share and connect with others.
I can always use a little Biblical inspiration...even near the toilet paper roll. 😂
On a sidenote, I felt my first earthquake while here! 😲
It sounded to me like loud footsteps (kids running around) in the loft of the house, except I knew all the kids were still asleep and definitely not in the loft. I looked over to my friend, who was not reacting at all, and asked her what had happened. She pointed to the small hanging light fixture that was slightly swinging and calmly responded, "Just an earthquake." So I looked up the details later that day online, which is where the screenshot above came from. When I shared the details with my friend, she told me that even though the magnitude seems high, the depth is an important factor in how strong the earthquake feels. Since this was over 100 kilometers (over 66 miles) deep, it was barely felt on the surface.
The rest of the day usually involved cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids, and repeat. One of the days, we drove 20 minutes into town for grocery shopping and to run a few errands. Another day, we went to the local beach area (different than the beach out their back door 😁) to celebrate one of the daughter's birthday. Still another day we drove about 45 minutes to visit a friend for the day and have a play date and change of scenery for the kids. I got to attend church with my friend and her family on Sunday. And a second time for a later evening service with the three older kids when my friend took the eight year old into urgent care in town. She had been so excited to swim with her dad and siblings that she hit her face/nose on something in the backyard as she was running to the house to put on her togs (a.k.a swimsuit). Thankfully she was fine, no broken nose, but the check with the doctor made everyone feel better.
12 - 19 January 2026
From the beach to the Wairau Valley, still near the city of Blenheim. This is the view from the house of a woman I met through an online community called School of Traditional Skills. The first friend I stayed with also used to attend church with her in Blenheim, so they knew each other. It was a fun, unexpected connection!
Quite the change of scenery from the beach to the valley!
They have orchards, gardens, chickens, sheep, and pigs. They also raise cattle, including two cows they milk daily and two heifers that are ready to have calves. Aroha is one of the milking cows, she has a heart shape on both sides, and aroha is the Maori word for love. She is a Belted Galloway/Angus/Friesian mixed breed.Blossom is the other milking cow who is an Angus/Friesian mix. The two heifers, Stella and Nova, are full Fresian. They hope to start milking after they have their calves. They were mated with a full Jersey bull and we hope for heifers which could become milking cows in the future (but it would be 2.5 to 3 years before they had their first calves). I love the relatable farming things I learned!
That's the same type of milking machine we had in the barn at my dad's farm when I was growing up. Of course I had to have a go!
I found this surprise when I opened a lower cupboard looking for a plate!
I helped pick blueberries and strawberries which were happily eaten with homemade yogurt for breakfast.
I spent many hours inside making plans for my next hike and also working my way through an online course I had signed up for through Light University. It was called Spiritual and Mental Health First Aid. I found it super interesting and insightful, so I signed up for the subsequent course for the first steps of Mental Health Coach training. I really do love learning! 📖
19 January 2026
I took the Intercity bus from Blenheim to Picton (if that city sounds familiar from a previous blog post, it is where the large ferry comes from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island). I stayed overnight amd chatted with the ladies in my dorm room for a couple of hours, one of whom was a woman on her way to the Ed Sheeran concert to celebrate her 50th birthday gift from her husband. 🥳
Before going to sleep, I repacked my large backpack in preparation of my hike on the Queen Charlotte Track. I also had it lined on the inside with a large black trash bag, and my tent that is strapped to the outside is inside another trash bag.
20 January 2026
I took a water taxi in the morning to the start of the trail at Ship Cove.
The most appealing part of this hike, besides the highly recommended ridgeline views, was that the water taxi can transport luggage between each resort or campsite each day. So, even though I started walking from Ship Cove, my large backpack was waiting for me at Ferneaux Lodge when I arrived 17 km (10.5 miles), about four and a half hours later. I carried my smaller backpack with rain gear, snacks, and water. I was upgraded from a shared dorm room to a single cabin. I still had a shared bathroom, but I was grateful for a hot shower. Little did I realize, at that time, how much that would get me through the next few cold, rainy days!
21 January 2026
It was raining when I woke up, so I took my time drinking coffee and making my own breakfast in my room. The lodge has a restaurant where I'd eaten dinner the night before, and I ended up sitting in there after I checked out, waiting for the rain to stop. At 2pm, I finally gave up waiting and started walking in the rain. I only had 12 km (just under 7.5 miles) to go until the campsite I had booked, so I knew I should be able to walk there in less than 4 hours.
It rained the entire day and the trail had gotten a bit muddy and slick in some spots, so I walked carefully, taking my time. When I arrived at Camp Bay Campsite and set up my tent in the rain, I ate dinner, chatted with an American girl and a local New Zealand guy. They each were just starting to walk the Te Araroa long walk. This is a 3000 km walk from Cape Reigna on the North Island all the way to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. It can take someone 4 to 6 months to walk the entire length, and this trail is a part of the walk. Definitely not something I would be interested in partaking in, but plenty of people come to New Zealand for that sole purpose.
22 January 2026
It proceeded to rain the entire night, so this was a picture I took when I woke up in the morning and realized it was still raining. I was stalling, I mean making a plan, 😁 for when I got out of my tent.
I had a 23.5 km (14.6 miles) day of walking ahead of me, which took me about eight hours total...but with views like this!
The rain let up around noon, but I still walked carefully on the muddy trail. I sat down for an afternoon snack and cup of tea with a couple of people who I had been walking with along the trail. What a view we had!
I got to Cowshed Bay Campsite around 5:30pm amd proceeded to lay out most of my gear in the sunshine, including my tent, to dry out. Then I had to keep watch so the few weka birds didn't try to steal anything and drag it into the woods.
23 January 2026
I knew I had another long distance (20.5 km/12.7 miles)and needed to finish before the 4pm water taxi left from the end of the trail. I was packed up, had eaten breakfast, and was headed out of the campsite by 7:15am. It was a 30 minute walk to drop off my large backpack at the pickup point, so it would be taken all the way back to Picton.
Today's hike had the best weather and views, as I hiked along the ridgeline of the Queen Charlotte (a.k.a. Totaranui) and Kenepuru Sounds.
I made it to the end of the trail with plenty of time to spare, which I am happy with (instead of stressing and feeling rushed on the trail)!
23 - 25 January 2026
I stayed overnight in Picton and then took the bus to Christchurch the next day, where I stayed overnight once again. On the 25th, I took the Intercity bus to Fairlie, where I had plans to stay with another friend!
25 January to 16 February 2026!
Here are a few pictures of what I've been up to. 😄
I also spent a couple of sunny days pulling weeds around the house, while inadvertently pulling up some potatoes that were intertwined in the root systems. Now they're in a bucket ready to be used (the potatoes, not the weeds)!
Looked at the southern hemisphere stars (that's the church in Tekapo in the background).
Just a little bit of yoga. Clearly after a hard day's work of walking around outside barefoot...the true kiwi way! 😂
I've been making a loaf of gluten free sourdough each week.
I helped move my friend's horse back to her house. No riding involved, just loading into a float (a.k.a. horse trailer).
My friend's mom, who is visiting from the States, and I put an escaped sheep back into the paddock. We also rigged this board to deter future attempts. Despite what may seem clever at first glance, I have learned firsthand that sheep are really quite stupid. 🐑
Lynsey, you are amazing! Love you girl
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