Tramping Kiwi Style

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TRAMPING KIWI STYLE Gordon Seals I've gathered all my tramping gear and stuffed it in my pack. The load is nearly forty K's So half the gear goes back. I'm dressed in layers, from poly-pro, To lightweight wool, to pile, I'm off to meet the Tongue and Meats, For tramping kiwi style. They'll be at the railway station, The Waterloo Quay (harbour) side. Seven pm for Tararua trips, Six if its a longer ride. Some play cards in the back of the truck - Others talk, or snooze for a while. But the Duchess keeps going into the night For tramping kiwi style. Arriving in the pitch black night To an obscure sort of place, We hoist our packs and take a track At a fairly rapid pace. Soon, eyes have adjusted to the night, So, torchless, and in single file, We move on up the winding path - I'm tramping kiwi style. Early up to catch the sunrise Before we begin the climb That takes at least three hours Until we reach bushline. The views will be spectacular To nearly a hundred miles. But once again the clouds move in - This is tramping kiwi style. We head down from the ridgeline Into the bush once more, And make our way through muddy bogs With tree-roots by the score. The track is deeply rutted Which is tiresome for a while, But climbing down from root to root Is tramping kiwi style.

Back down into the valley We leave the track behind, To make our way along the flats And save a bit of time. There are heaps of river crossings With each and every mile. I no longer take off my boots for them 'cause I'm tramping kiwi style. Our camp is set in the grassy flats Not far from the riverbed. We dine around a blazing fire While wax bombs dance overhead. Off in the distance, high on a ridge, Faint lights blink once in a while. The FE's are moving into the night, Tramping kiwi style. The Duchess meets the various groups On Sunday about mid-day. Tales are swapped and food is shared As the trip fares are being paid. Then back at the railway station, a While waiting for my ride, I'm thinking about the next club trip And tramping kiwi style. Now I've climbed with Rex and Lyndsay And tramped with many more, From Fiordland in the South to the islands of the North. I've gone home to Atlanta, Georgia, That's about ten thousand miles But I'll never forget the things I've learned About tramping kiwi style.