vadouvansaucefindsitsmatchintheHerzogpinot
noir,allballastedbysourdoughfromanoutdoor
woodfireoven.
AtsomepointwhileinMarlborough,it becomes
necessarytofindtheyangtothewinelover’syin.
TheSoundsmayhavebeendesignedexplicitly
forthispurpose.GeologistssaytheSoundsarea
seriesofdrownedrivervalleys,althoughtheMaori
explanationthatit wascreatedina battlebetween
MaorinavigatorKupeanda giantoctopusseems
justasplausible.Thissinuous network of coves,
peninsulasandislands
comprisesa fifthof
NewZealand’scoastline,
withbracingcoastalwalks
fringedbynativeforest,and
on-wateradventuressuch
askayakingandsailing.
TheQueenCharlotte
Trackis thejewelinitscrown.
Itsfull 70 kilometresis abouta
four-daywalk,butwesetoffon
a farlessambitious10-kilometre
walkfromResolutionBayto
FurneauxLodge,withdaypacks,
lunchandmoralsupportfromstaffat Wilderness
Guides.TheBeachcomberferrytothehike’sstarting
pointis partoftheadventure.Thedolphinsaretoo
shytorevealthemselves,butthedriverpausesat
a rockshelfwherea youngmalefur seal lolls about
with only terns for company.Ourfellowhikerscovertheextremesof
preparedness:twowomenwithbulgingdaypacks
andNordicwalkingpolesareplanninga two-hour
walk;a wild-hairedmanwitha supermarketshopping
baginhishandandrubberthongsonhisfeetsets
offalone,ignoringtheconcernsoftheferrystaff
thathe’swoefullyill-equipped.
Thetracklivesuptoitsmightyreputation.Any
timethegradientinducespuffingit compensateswith
jaw-droppingviewsofblue-greenwateranddeserted
coves throughunexpectedgapsinthebush.It loops
gracefullyaroundthecoastline,
wideandeasy,althoughwalkingat
speedthroughtheoccasionalmuddy
quagmireis anactoffaith.Clusters
ofbachesstarttoappear,thehumble
(andmorerecentlynot-so-humble)
beachshacksthatplaya centralrole
inclassicNewZealandholidaying.
(Theshopping-bagmanreappears
whenwereachthelawnand
woodenhutsofFurneauxLodge.)
WeheadoutofEndeavourInlet
ona watertaxiandzipacrossQueen
CharlotteSoundtoPicton,from
whereit’sa 20-minutedrivetoRapaura,luredby
thesirensongofTheMarlboroughLodge.Boots
off,I climbthepolishedkauri-pinestaircaseand
I’mhappilybackintheMotherSuperior’sroom.
It requirespatiencetofillthedeepbathtoa good
soaking level – all the better to wash away my sins.●Anytimethegradient
inducespuffingit
compensateswith
jaw-dropping views
ofblue-greenwater
and desertedcoves
throughunexpected
gaps in the bush.136 GOURMET TRAVELLER