Stepping up for a New Zealand adventure

Rugged terrain in New Zealand’s South Island.

EACH week a group of up 30 enthusiastic walkers meet for a social walk and shmooze over lunch in a tradition that has continued for the past 25 years.

For the walkers, many from Emanuel Synagogue in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra, it has become a way of exploring different parts of Sydney as they strive to find a new walk every time, even if it means driving 50 kilometres for it.

Retiree Bob Trijbetz, 73, who has been walking with the group for about 20 years, said there was an established formula for each walk.

“We usually meet for coffee around 9.30am, then at 10am we start walking for about three hours, stop for lunch and then head home,” he said.

“Everyone takes turns in suggesting and helping to plan a walk that we have never done before.
“These days there is so much loneliness in the community and so many single people craving for company and new friends, so the walking group is a great way of helping people form friendships.”

It was on one of these walks a few months ago that Trijbetz suggested that they venture further afield to New Zealand – and the response was enthusiastic.

In October a party of 14 travelled to Queenstown in New Zealand’s South Island for a week-long trip with numerous walks.

“Before we travelled to New Zealand, one person in the group took charge of car rental there, another took charge of the walks and another handled the accommodation, so everyone helped,” said Trijbetz.

After a three-hour flight to Queenstown, some of the group were housed in a penthouse apartment and the others in a hotel.

The first day of the trip was planned for Bob’s Cove, a 30-minute drive from Queenstown, for a walk around a glacier lake and jetty.

On the second day the group went to Arrowtown, a 20-kilometre drive from Queenstown to explore the historic gold town and walk the one-kilometre Arrowtown River Track. Walkers who wanted a more challenging trek opted for the three-hour loop walk on the Sawpit Gully Track.

The third day started with a walk around the beautiful Queenstown Gardens with coffee at The Bathhouse, then a 20-minute drive to Mount Crichton track which loops six kilometres through native forest.

On the fourth day it was a drive to Mount Aspiring National Park which featured the Blue Pools track, an easy three-kilometre walk through forest to a bridge over glacial water. On the way back to Queenstown there was a stop at Wanaka to explore the shops by the lake and dine at Big Fig.

“Food is an important part of our walks, whether in Sydney or in New Zealand,” said Trijbetz.

“Among the trip highlights were group dinners in the apartment where we all helped prepare the meals. The camaraderie was great.”

Trijbetz said everyone enjoyed the trip and the walks with the backdrop of New Zealand’s spectacular scenery.

For more information about the walks contact Bob Trijbetz on btrijbetz@hotmail.com