Our snowball fight with Bob's Peak

After almost three weeks in New Zealand, we had actually reached the southernmost point of our trip: Queenstown. Although the city is one of the largest on the entire South Island, it is relatively easy to navigate. There is only one main street where you can find almost everything - from a pharmacy to a supermarket to bars and restaurants. What is not on the main street can be found on the other larger street. With a twenty-minute walk, we had already explored most of Queenstown. But it was not really the city itself that was worth traveling to, but rather the surrounding nature. Surrounded by snow-covered mountain ranges and pine forests, we almost felt like it was the "real" November. Even though it is actually spring here and the temperatures do not necessarily suggest snowfall. But nature is a phenomenon of its own. Another highlight of the city is the so-called Lake Wakatipu, which runs along the main street. With a length of 75 km, a depth of up to 360 m, and a total area of 290 km², it is the longest and third largest lake in the country. The panorama of mountains, forests, lake, and blue sky (yes, the curse of the South Island weather finally came to an end... or took a break... we will see) was simply magnificent. After our glacier adventure in Franz Josef, it was just the right thing! But for the attentive readers of the blog, we would not be us if we did not immediately set off for a hike to enjoy this view from above. We were recommended "Bob's Peak," where the view was supposed to be especially beautiful and for lazier tourists, there was also a gondola. But we are not lazy. At least we decided against the gondola. After five minutes of hiking, this turned out to be a big mistake, but we did not show our embarrassment... just keep walking... climbing... slipping... holding onto a tree... put on jacket, take off jacket... take a break... crawl... walk... climb... it was hell. Whoever declared this path as a hiking trail should be forced to march up and down it constantly. At least we doubted that this someone had ever tried the path themselves. With trembling knees, we finally reached the first viewpoint after almost an hour - and all the exertions of the last few minutes were forgotten in an instant. The birds chirped and danced happily in the sunlight, while the mountains and clouds were mirrored in the crystal-clear lake. The yellow blooming lupins almost made us forget that we had already taken/climbed/crawled the first steps through snow (!!!). After a short orientation with the displayed map, we continued our way to the summit. The snow became higher and denser, but it wasn't particularly cold, which is why more and more haze lay in the air as we climbed higher. It was really adventurous, as our own fog machine accompanied us up the slopes. Eventually, we came across dense pine forests. Although the sun still shone with full force, it was comparatively dark here. The snow that had accumulated overnight was melting away in the midday heat, creating a small river running through the middle. Dewwater also dripped from the treetops. And suddenly: splat! A fat snowpile landed on my head. I looked around in surprise, wondering why Ulli had thrown me at this moment. But it wasn't Ulli, it was the treetops that fired icy cold slushy snow at us. We ducked our heads and increased our walking speed, always seeking cover. The whole ordeal lasted for two minutes during the ascent, then we somehow stopped caring. Let the snow come, it's November after all, and a little taste of home can be enjoyed. After another good hour, we finally caught sight of the light at the end of the forest. Did we actually make it? The voices in the distance made us listen up: Yes, we had finally reached the summit of the mountain! Well, it wasn't really the summit, but on foot we couldn't go any higher, so I claim that it was the summit. And whether it's believable or not, that's up for debate, but this view was priceless and even more beautiful than the first viewpoint. Wow, just wow! The sun illuminated the snow-covered peaks of the mountains and made the lake lie like an infinitely soft blanket next to the city. And yes, the city was actually even smaller from above. But the view over nature was all the more grand. If a hike was ever worth it, it was this one.