Day Twelve … Choose your own adventure

Today Ian and I parted ways. Well just for a little bit of the day! So today’s blog will be in three parts. The Jacqui section, the Ian section and the reunited section.

Jacqui

I decided last night that I wouldn’t be hiking today due to the gorgeous blistery friends on my toes. We had chatted with Rich last night about me staying behind as I knew that I wouldn’t be able to cope with the hike today and would only hinder everyone’s experience of the walk.

So instead I stayed in Te Anau. We all had breakfast together, then packed up our luggage to go in the van and I waved my hiking buddies off. I then got to be a little lazy … staying at the hotel for another hour reading my book before heading out to explore.

It was raining this morning, but not enough to cause any major issues. I walked around the township, looking at the shops and the houses … a gentle amble so as not to cause any more damage to my toes. And of course, I meandered my way to the library to have a look around. It is a lovely little library that reflects its community. It’s warm and welcoming. Because it was raining I decided to stay for a while and as the library had jigsaws available to borrow I picked out a puzzle and took over a table for a couple of hours and completed a lovely 500 piece puzzle.

Leaving the library I decided to complete the one Ad Lab in town. Originally I had planned to hire an eBike to travel around but with the on and off again rain and the amount of traffic I decided to walk instead. So I walked a few kms being very careful of my tootsies, managing to find all the clues and getting the answers correct to complete the adventure.

I stopped in to the Fiordland National Park Visitors Centre which was very interesting before heading back to town to grab a pie from lunch from the infamous Miles Better Pies. Let me tell you I totally understand the queue out the front after devouring my scrumptious pie. After a little window shopping in the souvenir shops (tacky things probably manufactured overseas) I found a lovely coffee shop where I ordered a cappuccino and carrot cake. I then relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, enjoying my snack and reading my book.

Just after 2.00 pm my travelling buddies arrived back in to town.

Ian

After grabbing lunch in a bag at the Sandfly Cafe we began the 70 minute drive to the start of the Routeburn Track for today’s hike to Key Summit. It is a 4km trek to the top and then the same back down again. Estimated completion time 3 hours.

The drive in was wet, with the views up the Eglington Valley pretty bleak, so we made a quick stop on the way there to move some dry clothes to the top of our bags for when we finished the walk.This later proved to be a wise move (thanks Rich).

Most of the first 2.5km was under a lovely green forest canopy, dripping with rain but nothing too severe. It was a relentless uphill climb, where even the flattish bits had an upward gradient. The odd crossing of an avalanche site, a lovely waterfall, and views off the side of the mountain into impenetrable cloud. We’re told the view is spectacular on a clear day.

The final burst was a zigzag path comprising 13 switchbacks up the mountain face to the summit, where once again the views were … not. The big difference here was that we had entered an alpine meadow environment totally exposed to the elements. It was a light day in Fiordland so only 6-8mm of rain in the hour we spent up top. But the Nature Walk up there was beautiful - small tarns, dripping lichen, fluorescent moss and tiny hebes and daisies. Kooky and Womby loved it.

Then back down the hill, dry clothes and lunch in the bus as the clouds cleared on our return to Te Anau.

Together again

Reunited again, we loaded up in the van and Rich began our return journey to Queenstown. It was about a 2 hr drive, with some of the group taking the chance to have a sleep, whilst others just enjoyed the scenery. Arriving back to town we said farewell to Rich and our fellow travellers … it’s always a little bit of an anticlimax when you get back as you are tired and you all go your own ways. I was sad to say goodbye to my hiking buddy Judene who kept me company at the back of the group and made me laugh all the time!

We checked in to our hotel room, and began the task of unpacking the hiking bag, rearranging luggage, putting some washing on and ordering some pizzas to be delivered (too lazy to head out for dinner tonight).

We had a wonderful week on the hiking trip. It is one that I would highly recommend.

Today’s tally …

Photos … 60 (plus another 50 or so by Ian)

Steps walked … 17,244

Kms walked … 13.16 km (plus the 8km hike by Ian)

Ad lab … 1

Jigsaws completed … 1

Joyful reunions … 1