Lots of movement and nature in Otago

Hey guys 😊

After working in Clinton for 1.5 weeks, I wanted to do a bit of traveling before starting my next job in Methven. I wanted to focus on two places that I had already visited, but hadn't seen as much as I would have liked: Wanaka and the Mount Cook Village. Since there is no direct bus connection to Wanaka, I made a one-day stop in Queenstown, where I unfortunately arrived in the evening. On a beautiful sunny day, I spent the rest of the day at Lake Wakatipu and in the Queenstown Gardens, which I really liked with its various plants and colors, like all botanical gardens. I also couldn't resist getting ice cream at Patagonia again, which is, as I mentioned in December, the best ice cream parlor in the country 😋

Sunday, February 19th

The next morning, I headed to Wanaka bright and early. I had been there on Christmas Day, so all the shops were closed. Plus, I had only spent a few hours there in daylight, so I hadn't seen much of this beautifully located small town. On my first day, I had to stop by the pharmacy because something at my work in Palmerston had had a harmful effect on my hands, which were covered in brown spots, blisters, and scars 😭 In Wanaka, I got a cream and an oil to apply to my hands. Fortunately, the medicine seems to be working well, though not everything is completely healed yet. But back to the interesting stuff 😉 On a beautiful day, I walked along the lake and got a first impression of the busy main street that runs parallel to the shore. After a quick shopping trip and checking into my hostel, I headed to the summit of Roy's Peak. It's one of the most popular hikes in New Zealand and for good reason. After walking for about an hour to the start of the ascent, I then went several kilometers almost continuously uphill. After almost exactly 1.5 hours, I reached the summit, from where I could enjoy a view that fully compensated me for the sweaty and exhausting climb. In front of me lay the huge Lake Wanaka, the city along a small section of the shore, and in the background, the New Zealand Alps. All under an almost cloudless sky. Absolutely dreamy 😍 I stayed there for a while and then headed back towards Wanaka, where I arrived after about two hours. It was evening by then, so it was soon dark. However, I decided to go back to the lake once more to enjoy the amazing starry sky. Unfortunately, my phone doesn't have the quality to take good photos of it 😕 When I wanted to make my way back to the hostel, I ran into two old acquaintances: Yannik, who went to the same school as me and whom I had met in Auckland at the beginning of my trip, and Torben, whom I had met at a party in Rotorua. The two of them found each other on the internet and are currently traveling together. Quite a funny coincidence 😆

Monday, February 20th

The next day, I wanted to do a tour to the Rob Roy Glacier, which is supposed to have a really good hiking trail. So I rented a bike. According to Google Maps, Raspberry Creek, the starting point of the hike, was 37 km away from Wanaka. Long, but doable, I thought. However, I would never make it that far. But let me start from the beginning. After 10 km, I first reached a beautiful viewpoint on Lake Wanaka, from where you have a great view of Mt Aspiring, the highest mountain in the area. After another stop at the Diamond Lakes, which I didn't find as spectacular, the road suddenly turned into a gravel road after about 21 km. I thought, 'Oh great. 16 km on gravel. But there's no other choice.' But after driving those 16 km, I had to realize that the gravel road continued for quite a bit longer 😨 Even from a huge distance, I could still see cars on the road. So I decided - too bad about the beautiful hike - to turn around and get back to Wanaka as quickly as possible, especially since I had to be back before dark, as the bike didn't have lights. The longer I was on the way back, the more exhausted I became. At one point, I even got cramps in both legs. After a rest break at a campsite, it got better again and in the evening, after a 74 km ride, I reached my destination. It didn't go exactly as planned and I would have liked to see the glacier hiking trail, but it turned into a pure bike tour, with some nice views along the way. I just should have double-checked beforehand how long the path really is and if the road is completely paved 😅 It was actually 54 km. In the end, it would have been better to go to Istmus Peak, from where you can see Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea and which is much closer. But hindsight is always 20/20 😉 Refreshed with a cold drink by the lakeshore, I briefly went to the harbor and then to a viewpoint near the hostel, from where I could admire the sunset, which was impressive with the mountains and the lake. That was my last adventure in Wanaka for now, but since I really like it there, I might go back again.

Tuesday, February 21st

Early in the morning, I once again took the Stray bus to Queenstown. The bus was nice and empty and the ride was pleasant. Of course, we made another stop at the Kawarau Bridge to watch the bungee jumpers. We also went to a big fruit market near Cromwell. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't quite as good on this day, but at least it was dry. So I sat down by Lake Wakatipu once again and then watched two performers do their shows. The first one was a swords swallower and escapologist. As for the second one, Sven from Sweden, I was even chosen to assist him, in front of probably 200 people. But I didn't have to do anything difficult, just throw his Viking helmet to him, which was, of course, built so that the horns were only loosely attached, making it look like I had damaged it, hold his swords, put pink slippers on him, get a plate out of the microwave, and hand him the swords so he could juggle with them. All of this on a tower made of Ikea furniture 😃 As a reward, I got a lollipop 😋 It was two great and successful performances and a fun evening 😊

You will soon see and find out how my second visit to Mount Cook, the 'Roof of New Zealand', went. Look forward to it, it's worth it 🏔👌

See you soon,

Your Max