-Chapter 41- Wanaka & Roys Peak Hike

Living as cheaply as possible also comes with its challenges. We had decided to earn back everything we spent. I think we were pretty much the only ones who saw it that way. Rather, we felt that all the other backpackers just worked for a few weeks so that they didn't buy their working holiday visa for nothing. We met several people our age who were in New Zealand for six months just to travel. A six-month trip at 19? Why not... Even if we had had enough money for something like that, we would probably have felt so guilty that we would have worked just out of principle. I think in such things, it shows that Celina and I are not cut out for the life of a backpacker. We just think too much and can't switch it off. (I also immediately feel guilty when we scrounge somewhere, for example, when we don't put enough money in honesty boxes or something). But when Flori came, we became a bit more relaxed about it in the relationship.

Before we set off for Wanaka, we stocked up on supplies in Queenstown for the last week of travel. We hadn't spent enough money that day. When we arrived in Wanaka, we visited the Wanaka Tree, the most photographed tree in the world. We couldn't quite understand the hype about the little tree, even though the tree in the water with the surrounding landscape looked pretty cool. When we were there at sunset, about 30 people squeezed onto the shore equipped with cell phones and tripods just to get a photo of it.

Roy's Peak

Actually, Celina and I had vowed that we would not do another proper hike after Tongariro. The Tongariro was really the highlight of our time in New Zealand, and we certainly don't regret it, but we realized that we simply aren't fit enough.

Two months later, we did it again. This time with Flori, this time on the South Island, and this time in the heat of Wanaka instead of freezing temperatures on the Alpine Crossing.

The alarm clock rang at half past five. Despite the darkness and emergency lighting in the kitchen, there was already a lot going on there. Half past seven, at the same time as sunrise, our hike started.

We stormed the first 200 meters enthusiastically in one go, jumped over shortcuts, and set a reasonable pace. However, that did not last long. Soon we became slower, until we couldn't go on anymore. So after half an hour of strenuous ascent, we took our first long break. The first hikers passed us, including a group of four young men, among whom an older man had mixed in, who looked like Taika Waititi, the director of Jojo Rabbit.

We continued upwards, and only upwards. Because there is not a single flat meter on the entire trail. In the first meters of altitude, we were still excited about our progress, the parking lot was already so far below. But after the first two hours, it felt like we weren't moving anymore, and the top of the mountain seemed to move further and further away. We took several long breaks, were overtaken hundreds of times (There were really a lot of hikers), and sometimes split up so that everyone could walk at their own pace.

With the sun getting higher, it also got warmer, and we were very glad that we didn't start in the midday heat. Comfortingly, more and more other hikers took breaks with us. By the way, we were already passed by joggers from above at 8 a.m. Apparently, it is common to start at three o'clock in the morning so that you can experience the first sunrise on the mountain peak. Luckily, we didn't do that, because it would have been in vain. Instead of 3 hours, it took us four and a half hours to get to the top. Flori went the last kilometer to the peak alone, only occasionally waving to us and then waiting for us at the top. Celina and I dragged ourselves up the rest of the way, with Taika Waititi coming towards us again. He was apparently a bit faster than us. (And he recognized us too).

After many breaks and 20 meters per minute, we reached Roys Peak, but hey, at least we made it. The view was incredible. There was a panoramic view of Lake Wanaka, the town, and the surrounding mountains, even snow-covered peaks in the distance. It wasn't that crowded. We climbed a few more meters to find a place for lunch. We spent an hour there. We decided not to leave until we had the Roy's Peak photo in the bag. That was a bit difficult because really no one was allowed to be in the way, but with the help of a few German girls, we finally made it.

Fortunately, we only needed half the time to go down. On the way, Celina and I watched a paraglider start a few meters in front of us. (Flori ran down because the descent was really tough on the calf muscles.) When we arrived at the car, we were really sweaty and dehydrated. Nevertheless, the feeling of having completed a long hike is simply amazing.

-> To be continued