Week 3 – Queenstown to Wanaka

Queenstown was busy. Being in the quiet bush for a solid week, it was a bit much to come out to. Though the place is beautiful by Lake Wakatipu. I woke up at my hostel feeling quite rusty – had I really drunk that much last night? The NOBOs all got together and went out for dinner and drinks. My wallet, unfortunately, fell out of my bag while we were walking around Queenstown. It had all my cash and cards, so I was pretty gutted. At least NZ is pretty good with paywave mostly everywhere.

Day 17 – rest day

While Philipp and Pierre walked the road to Arrowtown, I decided to skip this stretch as I had too much admin to sort with a lost wallet and all. I tried my luck at a police station and nothing. I went to a cafe to journal but all I ended up doing was planning my next stretch. The trail requires a lot of planning and organisation – I happen to be good at both. My parents also decided to randomly visit me from Christchurch. I got a hitch with a Tesla to Frankton to check out the Bivouac store there to buy hiking pants, then met up with my parents. We ate out at a Vietnemese restaurant in Queenstown, staying at a motel with them in Arrowtown.

My dad too doesn’t like big crowds. We briefly walked around Queenstown before he’d had enough of the busy streets.

Day 18 – Arrowtown to Macetown
via Motatapu Track

I had the best night of sleep at the motel. Pitch black and a comfortable bed, that’ll do it. I had a lazy morning eating breakfast with my parents. I think I ate about 5 kiwi fruit on this day. (My dad raves about fiber for your gut microbiomes). We checked out Arrowtown’s Chinese village from the Gold Mine days. I said goodbye to my parents and met up with Philipp to start our hike for the day. It was a hot day with no breeze, and we had a 600m climb under the hot lunchtime sun. I told myself this is the last time I’m starting any hikes at noon. Today’s walk to Macetown wasn’t anything to rave about. The name is very misleading I must add – Macetown wasn’t town-like at all, but in fact a ruin from back in the gold mining days when there was a village here.

The highlight of my day was arriving at our campsite and spotting a familiar tent. Paul and Esther had somehow beaten us on the trail and we’ve been reunited once again…! Each time you say goodbye to this couple, you never know when they’ll randomly pop up again. Their company’s a delight and I was stoked to see them again.

Day 19 – Macetown to Highland Creek Hut

I had no idea what this day would become in the morning.

Sandfly in the morning was the worst I’ve seen on TA (I know I said Telford campsite was, but it was pretty bad here). They follow you even as you walk around so our only solution was to pack up our things and leave asap. The first 2 hours on the track were wading through a river upstream. My tendon was hurting quite badly underwater with uneven rocks. Esther commented on how my left foot wobbles each step and it’s almost like I have no support. I do think she’s right and possibly hiking boots would suit me better with my condition.

We started our first climb of the day up and down to Roses Hut where we had lunch there. Long drop there was more of a short drop. Paul and Esther were staying the night here, so we sadly said goodbye and continued onto Highland Creek Hut. I felt nervous during lunch as I knew I still had quite an ascend and descent to go. The hill I just did felt tough enough, I had to do another 2 of those. Philipp and I are always in good spirits though. It helped that I had some support.

Also, I heard from the grapevine that the farmland around this area is owned by Shania Twain, so I couldn’t stop listening to her songs.

The track here has never heard of switchbacks clearly, as it takes you almost vertically up the slope, taking you down just the same. It looked ridiculous how steep it was, and I was lucky I had dry ground for my shoes to grip on. I couldn’t have done this without my poles descending down. I lost all my motor for the last hill and accepted that today’s hike was a 12-hour day if not 13. I allowed my body to zombie out. I blanked out my brain, just focusing on my steps and breathing. My trail name is already ‘Turtle’ by Philipp. I miraculously reached the top of the last summit, but I was just as slow on the descent too. I felt it all on my knees. The pain in my left foot’s tendon came and went randomly, but I noticed a trend on which ground it hurt the most. It was on the spongy, mossy, tussocky ground where the surface was uneven and my ankle wobbled the most. My left foot also rolls and twists a lot, making me tumble down every now and then. With no trust in what your foot’s going to do with each step created anxiety, slowing me down even more. I spotted the hut from afar but it was still another 30 mins to reach it. 30 mins still of rolling and twisting ankles, falling over on the ground every 5 minutes. This is not normal Sarah, I thought.

12.5 hour day. I reached the hut. Longest day I’ve done so far.

Highland Creek Hut was full, there were 11 of us TA hikers. Some of the SOBOs were unfortunately a loud/rude bunch which was the last kind of company I needed after a strenuous day.

Day 20 – Highland Creek Hut to Glendhu Bay

Today was a ‘shorter’ day but my body was exhausted from the day before. I took a heavy dose of melatonin last night so I was able to sleep. Once I reached Fern Burn Hut, where I had lunch, I was out of the ridgeline and back into the forest. We must have started to enter the SOBO bubble as I walked past about 14 hikers on this day (stopping to chat with almost all of them didn’t help with today’s pace). I heard that there are 2 SOBO Japanese hikers ahead, which made me excited to meet them as they tend to be rare on the trail. Unfortunately, I somehow missed both of them while I was in Wanaka, I would have loved to talk to them!

After finishing up on Motatapu Track, which was absolutely beautiful, I walked on a gravel road until I reached Glendhu Bay Holiday Park. Many cars stopped by to offer a ride but I declined as I was in the mood to walk every bit of the trail today. I caught up with Pierre and Philipp at the Holiday Park and we all had a swim in the lake. I turned on my reception and received a heavenly text from the police that my wallet had been found and handed to the station. Life is good! Faith in humanity is restored!

Day 21 – Glendhu Bay to Wanaka!

Philipp called this day a Nero (near zero), but 15km is not near zero enough for me. The trail was on Glendhu Bay Track which was a lovely track with many cheery cyclists.
“How’s it goin”, “Good day for it”, and “How are ya” they’d greet, with bright smiles while they paddle effortlessly uphill without any panting. Cyclists are a different breed, I swear. I also love New Zealand’s etiquette of asking how’s it going without any intention of hearing the answer.

The trail takes you past the famous Wanaka tree which is usually in water. And just like that – I arrived in Wanaka!

I love this hippy town, I’ve been here once with my sisters on our South Island road trip. The busyness is nothing like Queenstown’s, and the place is really scenic. In addition to my luck with my wallet, Pierre was headed toward Queenstown to buy new pairs of shoes so he retrieved it for me. It all worked out so well, my cash was untouched and everything.

Day 22 – Rest day in Wanaka

We caught up with Lauren who announced she’ll be taking 10 days off before getting back on the trail. It was sad news that we’ll no longer be walking with her but it was nice to see her again. We had a rest day in Wanaka to re-supply and had our one last drink with Paul and Esther. This was the last time we saw the couple, and Lauren too.