Day 41/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Saturday 10th February
Weather: Sunny ☀️ & Windy 🌬️
From: Lake Tekapo
Start time: 9.15am
To: Twizel
End time: 2.30pm
Accommodation: Twizel Holiday Park.
Terrain: grey gravel and pavement.
🚲Km: 54km
🦶Steps: n/a
Total Km: 2473/3028 = 82% ✅
💰Costs: Accommodation $22 - I’m camping…. I’ve got some industrial strength duct tape which I hope will work tonight!
Thai Dinner $26
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 6/10
Fatigue: 3/10 a few tough moments but generally good going.
Ease of terrain: 3/10 a beautiful track to cycle 🚲
⭐️Highlights: incredible views of the lake and the colour was incredible 😍
dinner with the girls Destroyer & Erika
🏔️Challenges: strong head wind made the cycling hard going at times.
💭Thoughts: I’ve made plans to get a bus to Wanaka tomorrow and to stay there for a few days until my new tent pole arrives. It would not be sensible for me to head into the mountains without a working tent.
The weather can change too quickly in NZ 🇳🇿 and I don’t want to out myself and/or others at risk. It’s the most sensible decision for me to make. It means I will miss 143km of the trial between Twizel and Wanaka.
Day 42+43+44/64
🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Travel Day to Wanaka & 2 rests days
ℹ️Stats: 11th - 13th February
Weather: hot & sunny ☀️
From: Twizel
Start time: 1.40pm bus ride
To: Wanaka
End time: 4pm ish
Accommodation: hostel / 3 bed room
Total Km: 2616/3028 = 86% ✅
💰Costs: Intercity Bus $100
Accommodation 2 nights $130
Good resupply $120
Another night $65 (had to extend as the pole hadn’t arrived)
More food $85
$500
⭐️Highlights: Wanaka is a nice town and everything is super close. The supermarket is across the street and Outdoor Pursuits is next to that.
🏔️Challenges: none. Wanaka is a nice place to stay for a few days. The lake is pretty with gorgeous views of the mountains.
💭Thoughts: the costs increase quickly when you hop on a bus and when you’re staying somewhere for a few days.
I didn’t expect to drop $500 in 3 days. I wasn’t eating out. I wasn’t excessive on accommodation (this is a standard hostel price in the busier places). I bought food (no booze) and cooked in the hostel kitchen.
Day 45/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Motatapu Alpine Track
ℹ️Stats: Wednesday 14th February ❤️
Weather: windy as 💨
From: Wānaka
Start time: 12.50pm - late start as I needed to wait for the tent pole.
To: Fern Burn Hut (new - great condition - sleeps 12)
End time: 8.10pm
Accommodation: mattress - hut - bottom level / 4 other people.
Terrain: gravel, forest tracks well marked paths through forests
🥾Km: 25.5
🦶Steps: 32,752
Total Km: 2640.5/3028 = 87% ✅
💰Costs: $0 - so good to leave town again and get walking.
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 6/10
Fatigue: 3/10 - a person next to me- woke everyone up by screaming 😱 super loud at 11.30pm. I think they had a nightmare. It was hard to get back to sleep after that.
Ease of terrain: 4/10
⭐️Highlights: tent pole has been fixed 🥳. I don’t fully trust the tent anymore and don’t want to set it up in any windy conditions. Unless I have to!
🏔️Challenges: the wind was loud and very constant while walking around the lake.
My left ankle gave way as I was descending down a steep section. I was so close to going over the edge- it scared me. I need to be more careful taking long steps down with my left foot.
💭Thoughts: I’m getting ready for the end of the trail now. I’m getting to the point where I’ve had enough and just want it over and done with. I don’t know if other people feel like this in long trails?