This was my first tramp with the club and arriving at the railway station on Saturday morning, I was not exactly sure what I was getting myself into. Was I in for an easy walk through the bush or something a little more challenging? The answer was a little bit of both.
As people showed up and the trip got underway, I was struck by how diverse the group was. Between the seven of us we covered a wide range of ages, experience levels and nationalities. Despite this, conversation flowed easily and almost before I knew it, we had arrived at Paua Hut. Campsite tasks like collecting firewood, boiling water and putting up the flysheet were quickly squared away leaving the afternoon for relaxation and exploration. A few of us went on a fairly casual excursion down the river while others chose to remain behind and take it easy.Returning to camp, our group had been bolstered by the arrival of the family group and it was clear that a decent-sized fire would be required to provide sufficient marshmallow roasting real estate. A collaborative effort ensued with Peter overseeing the operation.
The evening slid pleasantly by; first with a delicious meal prepared with Barbara’s excellent recipes and oversight followed by roasted marshmallows, sparklers and more conversation around the campfire. Before long, it was time to retire for the night.
The following morning, we set off for home with a slightly more 
challenging route planned for the return journey. Most of that challenge consisted of making our way up to Cattle Ridge Track from the campsite below. Frequent breaks at this point were welcome, both for the chance to catch my breath and for the guidance on how to navigate via map and compass.
The day passed quickly and as we returned to the van the conversation moved on to the comforts of home; chief among them hot showers, cold beverages and warm beds. For me, the trip had gone exceptionally smoothly (with the exception of a couple of Tony’s gear shifts in the van) and it was a chance to reflect on the whole experience.
Lessons I learned ranged from the importance of having the right gear (better to be over prepared than under) to an update on which websites are hot or not as confidently explained by a teenage girl (FYI – Instagram is now “lame” but tumblr is not). Most importantly, I learnt that there is plenty of New Zealand out there just waiting to be explored and the tramping club is a great way to do so while hanging out with some interesting 
people along the way.