Iain's Great Adventure - Te Araroa

Planned for one day well deserved rest after a few big days since Geraldine.. that feels like a long time ago. Good chance to walk in the new boots around the town and enjoy the lake views. Mother nature had different plans, with a weather warning through Otago and west coast I decided to hunker down today and see what the weather had in store, rather than head into the motatapu section through to arrowtown. It's not been great today, lots of rain and a breaks of sun just to tease me into what could have been. Can't complain too much, I have been very lucky with the weather. Not sure yet what I have planned for tomorrow, I need to be in Queenstown for 6th, so running short on time to make it through motatapu, and with high rainfall, wind and rising rivers and ridgelines it may not be advisable in next couple of days. Plans are made to change - watch this space.. In the meantime.. I can enjoy the pleasures of a town.

Garmin Connect Garmin Connect Left lake Hawea after a breakfast of Christmas cake. The food truck at the camp didn't open for coffee and breakfast at 8am as stated. I guess not busy enough. Saving myself for the patisserie at Albert town which everyone has told me is outstanding. Lovely walk along the Hawea river into Albert town and the patisserie did not disappoint. I think they may have suspected I was a food critic as I sampled most of the menu, finishing with the custard square, which was massive. I had planned to stop at Albert town for the night, bit with so much calories on board I had to keep going.  Switched to the clutha river to connect with lake Wanaka. I was walking along thinking how good it would be to float down the river, when a group passed me on a biscuit. Arrived at the lake to more outrageous views. Then onto Wanaka just in time to buy some new boots in Racers Edge (torpedo7). 

Garmin Connect Garmin Connect Stodys hut to lake hawea could be my best day on the Te Araroa. What an epic route, left the hut and started with a climb to waken up the legs, then a bit of undulation with the route to Breast Hill clearly visible. A bit of a climb to the top of Breast Hill, which was more than worth it, as others had already told me. The township, Lake and the Alps were worth the 800km walk. The walk, or more like climb down was special, a technical track, steep, fun but also hard going. At the bottom had a lovely swim in the lake, avacado lunch, before a 7km lake side track to the camp site. Loved every part of today, except arriving at camp to find my credit card had been blocked and an unknown charge of $2800. Fortunately bank sorting out, but might have to make do with cash for the remainder of the trip. Then to top off an already great day, turned out Dale and Kirsten were in Albert town, so Dale popp...

Garmin Connect Recovered well after long day on the bike. Bum not as sore as I thought it would be after 100km on saddle. Slow start to the day waiting for my pack to arrive from Twizel..a lovely breakfast at the lodge before 10am when the bus arrived right on time, I sorted out a few things then back on the trail. After leaving the Alps to Ocean track from the lodge I was back on the Te Araroa trail and climbing through a lovely forest up and over another saddle. Offering a great view back to Ben Ohau and the lake. A long day finishing at the Ahuriri river with a great camp spot beside the river. Another great day on the trail.

Garmin Connect 14km planned for today to get to Stody's hut. I was thinking this as a bit of a rest day after a couple of bigger days. Nice to be back in the forest following the river. Nice water fall on the way. And a section walking in the river which was very refreshing as the temperature started to rise. Only 3km to go as I left the river, people had mentioned it was a bit steep up the the hut. No kidding.. A 1.5hr slog up nearly 500m.  Was very glad to make it to the hut after another 6.5hr day, not short it I thought. Still early afternoon so time for lunch and recovery.  Even managed to do a bit of whittling.

Garmin Connect Woke the morning about 5am, had crashed out reading my book and left the tent door open. It was freezing. That will teach me. Soon snuggled up and feel back to sleep until 7:30am. A late start, but needed a bit extra after a big couple of days. Packed up, some breakfast and off again, a few minutes behind Jane and Pipa who had arrived yesterday evening and camped next door. Followed farm tracks through paddocks for a while, then down by the river. Cattle had obviously been through recently, but didn't come across any. Joined up with 4WD track to head up to the Tin Hut. Not the destiantion for today, would continue on up and over another saddle to reach the Top Timara Hut. I put on David Attenborough's A life on our planet audiobook, which I had downloaded a few days ago. I believe everyone should read or listen to this book. I grew up watching DA on tv and always loved hearing his voice over some of the best TV ever made. A...

Garmin Connect Today was a bit different, having heard about people cycling the Alps to Ocean section, rather than walking from Tekapo, I thought that sounded like an excellent option. The routes are similar and follow the canals through to lake ohau, the idea of walking those flat sections in the current heat did feel a bit of a stretch. Picked up my bike at 10am just outside Tekapo all ready for a day on 2 wheels. Long stretches of road and another hot day. Still some amazing scenery. I loved being on the bike clocking up the Kms..stopped along the way for some Aoraki smokes salmon. Then onto Twizel for some supplies. I managed to get lost trying to get out of Twizel and back on the trail. Got there in the end. Afternoon was a bit harder with a head wind determined to slow me down. More canals then a beauty path round lake ohau and onto the lodge for the night. Arrived at lodge and ran into pipa and Jane who I had been w...