By Harriet Blundell, 31 July 2026
1: Spend a day snailing along the journey between Wellington and Okahune.
2: Wake up and slog through knee deep snow before enduring a day exposed to wind and whiteout.
3. Learn a thing or maybe two about avalanches.
3. Spend 2 late hours gradually numbing in the Whakapapa carpark alongside a newfound relative.
4. Watch a trail of 30 head torches trickle towards Tararua hut in the middle of the night.
5. Wake up to the serenity of a snowy mountain landscape on a bluebird day.
6. Feel undeservedly cool with crampons attached and ice axe in hand.
7. Acquire a handful of mountaineering skills.
8. Repeatedly throw yourself headfirst down a slope and attempt save yourself with the sporadic flinging of an ice axe.
9. Experience the discomfort of unsolicited snowballs down your back
10. Refine your sledding techniques as the snowy peaks turn pink.
11. Restore circulation with red wine whilst watching the last light fade over Mt Taranaki and Ngaurahoe.
12. Retreat to the comfort of indoors and observe everyone's various evening activities.
13. Wake up immersed in another day’s fine tranquility.
14. Drink your 7th hot chocolate.
15. Try your hand at climbing small crystallised ice walls.
16. Soak up the final moments of alpine sun before returning to assignment deadlines.
17. Compulsory stop at Bulls for kebab's.
18. Successful expansion of your side quest skills resume.