Day 0/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Travel Day 31st December 2023
Weather: sunny ☀️
From: Port Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺
Start time: 6.30am
To: Wellington, New Zealand 🇳🇿
End time: 2.30pm
Accommodation: private room -bed
Terrain: car 🚗 , plane ✈️ , bus 🚎 , walk 🥾, hotel 🏨
💰Costs: $10 bus from airport to city
$73 accommodation
$222 food resupply
$13 sunscreen
US$44 -eSIM
⭐️Highlights: traveling with 1 bag on an international flight is the best. So quick through immigration and bio-control. Then straight onto the bus and into the city.
🏔️Challenges: I wasn’t able to print my boarding pass in advance- so I was in the bag queue and almost missed my flight. They pulled me out the queue, printed my ticket and I had 20 mins to get through security and to the gate for boarding.
💭Thoughts: let’s get ready for the South Island 👉A few jobs to do. Buy a new e-sim card and pay for the hut pass, do a good food shop and repack the backpack.
Day 1/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Monday 1st January 2024
Weather: sunny ☀️
From: Wellington
Start time: 2.35pm
To: Picton
End time: 8pm
Accommodation: Tombstone Motel, Lodge & Backpackers
Terrain: bus, ferry ⛴️, walk
Total Km: 1715/3028 57% ✅
💰Costs: $99 Ferry to Picton
$33 accommodation
$132
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 5/10 - just a travel day - lots of waiting around
Fatigue: 7/10 - I am feeling tired. I didn’t sleep well last night
Ease of terrain: 0/10 very little walking
⭐️Highlights: Arriving in Picton - sunny day - nice vibes
🏔️Challenges: I feel as though I’m burning through money. Everything is costing. There is nothing cheap. New Zealand is so much more expensive than I imagined and it’s only going to get more expensive with the food especially.
💭Thoughts: I feel so lucky to be out here. What a great way to start 2024. I dreamed about this life I’m now living and I’m actually doing it!
Day 2/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Date Tuesday 2nd January
Weather: sunny & hot ☀️
From: Picton
Start time: 10.50am
To: Furneaux Lodge - Endeavour Inlet
End time: 5pm (including shower)
Accommodation: 4 bed cabin - with just me in it. Bottom bunk - so lucky to get this - as I didn’t book in advance
Terrain: well marked trail through the forest
🥾Km: 25
🦶Steps: 32,710
Total Km: 1731/3028 = 57% done ✅
💰Costs: water taxi $85
$75 accommodation
$13 wine x2
$29 dinner - burger 🍔
$6 ice cream
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 9/10 the forest, the views, everything was great.
Fatigue: 5/10 - took a few stops - on the bench and sunbathed
Ease of terrain: 3/10 - really easy going
⭐️Highlights: such a chill day. The weather has been gorgeous as well. Furneaux Lodge - Endeavour Inlet is stunning. Treated myself and had dinner.
🏔️Challenges: my pack is so heavy and really digging into my hip bones.
💭Thoughts: the South Island is off to a strong start. First day on The Queen Charlotte track has been great. 🥳
Day 3/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Wednesday 3rd January
Weather: sunny ☀️ & hot
From: Furneaux Lodge - Endeavour Inlet
Start time: 10am
To: Bay of Many Coves Campsite
End time: 4.44 pm
Accommodation: camped 🏕️
Terrain: well marked coastal paths, pine forests, a few rocky bits.
🥾Km: 25
🦶Steps: 31,633
Total Km: 1751.5/3028 = 58% ✅
💰Costs: $10 camping
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 7/10
Fatigue: 5/10
Ease of terrain: 5/10 relatively easy a few ups and downs
⭐️Highlights: more beautiful views, nice weather and nice walking.
🏔️Challenges: at the start it was sometimes pretty busy - lots of people. The campsite wasn’t the best. Very small and the ground wasn’t flat - it was ok.
💭Thoughts: none worth sharing 😂😂😂
Day 4/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Thursday 4th January
Weather: sunny ☀️ & hot
From: Bay of many Coves Campsite
Start time: 10.50am
To: Black-rock Campsite
End time: 12.50pm
Accommodation: camped tent sent up by 1pm. Reading my book at 1.20pm
Terrain: easy paths, pine covered paths.
🥾Km: 12.4
🦶Steps: 14,691
Total Km: 1761/3028 = 58% ✅
💰Costs: $10 camping
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 4/10
⭐️Highlights: stunning views. Did a little bit of running on the downhill. Made it to the campsite super early. Had a chilled afternoon in the sun
🏔️Challenges: my sawyer water I filter bag got torn. So I’ve patched it up with duct tape!
💭Thoughts: loving the QCT - it’s an amazing walk 🥳
Day 5/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Friday 5th January
Weather: dry with patches of rain 🌧️
From: Black-rock Campsite
Start time: 8.10am
To: Davies Bay Campsite - massive campsite - so much flat ground.
End time: 2.10pm
Accommodation: camping ⛺️
Terrain: forest tracks, well maintained, soft underfoot.
🥾Km: 26.2
🦶Steps: 32,485
Total Km: 1783/3028 = 59% ✅
💰Costs: $10 camping. Paid online
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 5/10 a few nice steep climbs, a few switchbacks.
⭐️Highlights: gorgeous bit of downhill running for the final 5k - Got to the shelter just before it started to rain.
🏔️Challenges: none
💭Thoughts: I got nothing 😂😂😂