Flying Solo

Wanaka to Te Anau
Mile 1719 / KM 2768

Audiobook of the week: Still listening to 'Educated' by Tara Westover. I really like it.

Song stuck in my head: ‘Not used’ and 'Omens' by Lola Kirke

I miss: Alex and William <3

Like I’ve said before, sometimes I love to hike solo. I can tune in with my surroundings, have complete control over decision making, and I change the intensity of my speed based on how I’m feeling, even though these outings are emotionally more difficult. With nothing to distract me, my thoughts and my feelings sometimes become deafening. It’s ridiculous how easily I can get out of balance. Being at work and at home I feel like I’ve managed to develop a thick skin, an invisible shield protecting me from all the stuff that gets thrown at me during a day. That shield doesn't seem to exist here. I'm way more vulnerable than I am at home. The longer I hike the more difficult it gets to deal with outside influences, and sometimes I find myself not even wanting to switch off the flight mode on my phone, scared that it’ll throw me off my game.

Despite all that I hiked out of Wanaka alone. The afternoon was hot, but hiking along the lake was gorgeous, and whenever I got too hot I jumped into the lake. Fred had decided to stay in Wanaka for another day to wait for Cami and Alex, but I felt the urge to get out of town. The first 18 km were super easy, but I totally underestimated the last 10km up the hill, so when I reached 'Fern Burn Hut' the sun was setting and the hut was full of day hikers. I got lucky and scored the last bed for the night. In the morning I was the first one up and right after I got over the first peak I ran into a girl who didn't look happy. I asked if she was ok, and she told me she had sprained both of her feet in a river crossing, and was trying to get out of the mountains as fast as possible. She was still able to hike, and insisted she’d be ok to hike out on her own. I had met three doctors at the hut the evening before and realized they would be right behind me, so I knew she’d bump into them soon. I gave her some ibuprofein (the solution for everything it seems) and hiked on.

The sun was beating down on me, and I was glad when I spotted a foresty patch down in the valley aka. my lunch stop. I wasn’t the only one looking for a shady spot, and I met Alan and Mike by the river which was flowing through the valley. Alan reminded me a lot of my dad with his bright blue eyes and his crazy adventure stories. Both brothers had been to Everest Base Camp, and Alan had attempted to climbed to the top of Mt. Cook twice. We kept bumping into each other throughout the afternoon which was a welcome change to my solitude, and their friend Bill who was running the trail caught up with us right before we decended the last hill. We all ended up spending the night at ‚Roses Hut‘ with a bunch of NoBoers where I ate half of a ‘Hazelnut chocolate spread’ tub.

The next day I got a bit sentimental, because I was hiking over what felt like the last big peak of the TA. The trail flattens out quite a bit towards the end which is kind of sad. I got to Arrowtown early, and saw Bill who had taken a different route around the mountain instead of over it. We got talking again and he ended up inviting me to stay at the holiday home they had rented close to Queenstown. I gladly accepted, and a couple of hours later I was showered and eating a green curry and rhubarb cake with a bunch of lovely strangers.

Last week’s storm destroyed some of the trails in the Southland area, one of them being the Greenstone track which I was supposed to go on. When I went to ask the DOC for how much longer it would stay closed, no one was able to give me an answer, so I had to find another way to continue my journey. This close to the end I wasn’t feeling comfortable skipping three days ahead, since that would just get me way too close to the end way too fast. I found a 54km long bike trail which connected back to the TA further south and decided to take that route. After a short ride on a steam boat (!) I ended up at Walter Peak, and stayed overnight at a beautiful campsite with a view of Queenstown. The bike trail had gorgeous views, however it was a dirt road all the way so I got pretty bored after a while. Made it anyways but I'm also sad I missed a cool part of the trail.

Currently I’m in Te Anau with Zilla, and I'll take a double zero because another cyclone is about to hit Southland tomorrow. Hopefully the damage won't be too bad this time. I heard the next section could be very muddy, so not looking forward to that too much. But it is what it is, right? Right! If everything goes as planned, I expect to get to Bluff within the next nine days.

Today I tried to go for a run because I got restless for not hiking, but I had to quit after five minutes because my knees were in too much pain. Then I tried to do some yoga but quit after five minutes because my hand hurt too much. I think I broke a little bone when I fell in the forest not too long ago. What I'm saying is, I'm a mess. But the best kind of mess.

A fresh ingredient is a sign that I just left town.

I found true love. The meaning of life. This stuff is amazing.

Bill showed me how to blow up a pack raft and we took it for a quick spin on the lake.

The Remarkables

Bill, Mike, Lynn, Peter and Alan. Thanks for everything. You guys are the best <3

Queenstown <3

This guy showed a tourist audience how to sheer a sheep.

Ew…

Mmmmm…