Wrap up for the Mangawhai Walking Weekend 2012
Another memorable weekend is over. 600 people who enrolled in 1300 activities attended. It is a weekend of laughter, conviviality and darn right pleasure for all associated with the event.
Expectations were fulfilled and we have the eighty-five guides to thank for that.
Everyone happily scrubbed their boots and stamped on the disinfectant laden pads to help control kauri die-back. Clean in – clean out, so boots were sprayed exiting the bush.
Almost all walks were full so even though many walks have been on the programme for years there are still people keen to explore unknown parts of Mangawhai. It is with pride and privilege we offer these walks over private and public land. Our thanks go to all those people who provide the opportunities.
Our new walks were quickly fully subscribed ensuring they will be on the programme again. With thirty five walks it is impossible to pick any out for mention as all were worthy of a place on the programme. Two walks proved rather more adventurous than anticipated but that is part of the diversity of tramping. Overcoming these challenges provides a measure of oneself and proof that one can actually do anything – if one is fit enough. Maybe we will never solve the problem of unfit people registering for walks where a modicum of training is required.
The tail-end-guides do a magnificent job of
1 heaving people up slopes,
2 keeping the slow pace required until they lose sight of the main bunch,
3 supporting men who the guide is sure have been enrolled by their wives in order to extinguish all breath from them
4 finding the man who wandered off on his own only to be found 15 minutes later in the next door property totally disorientated and his wife not interested in helping in the search,
5 being surprised at someone thinking the track should be mown,
6 helping the woman who enrolled in the wrong walk because she didn’t listen to her friends
7 sympathising with the kind lady on the photography walk who did not have a camera but who enrolled on the walk to keep her friend company. The friend did not turn up
8 coping with two bossy schoolteachers who forgot I was in charge when they thought they were
9 binding up soles that have come adrift from the uppers. Guides really have to carry duck tape in future.
10 tolerating one person who thought the estuary should be dry.
11 watching dental floss being used after lunch
12 patiently listening to someone complain that the sea was too noisy.
13 recording that there should be a walk for people recovering from surgery
As you can see it is great fun being a guide so there was much shared laughter at the
hamburger night we had for the guides as they went thought their evaluations
All the extra events were all well supported. The Art trail was very popular; Pat Scott
provided a magnificent breakfast; Kristine Robertson, by bringing in the line-dancers,
had people up dancing by 3.30pm and the Olive Grove humming for the afternoon;
Maxine Macdonald and her team ensured the Troubadour Trail ran like clock-work.
These paid professional performers were as diverse and as entertaining as usual.
To really appreciate the happiness and spontaneity and unleashed joy one really has to
be part of the weekend. New friends become old friends. Fond farewells are fueled
with love and promises to meet again next year. Our Auckland visitors with a sprinkling
of local people had a great weekend. Congraulations to the local guides for another
successful year. |