Day 46/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Motatapu Alpine Track
ℹ️Stats: Thursday 15th February
Weather: cloudy with little bits of rain 🌧️
From: Fern Burn Hut
Start time: 8am
To: Roses Hut - 12 bed - full
End time: 4.20pm
Accommodation: top bunk - in the hut
Terrain: 2 major climbs and descents. Ridge walking, exposed sections, grassy tuffs.
🥾Km: 13.7
🦶Steps: 17590
Total Km: 2657/3028 =88% ✅
💰Costs: $0 loving these no spend days!
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 7/10
Fatigue: 4/10
Ease of terrain: 8/10
⭐️Highlights: the route was lovely - challenging sections, but very enjoyable. Plus the huts have been excellent- a really good section 👍
🏔️Challenges: right foot went through the vegetation and I ended up falling down on the track. It was all fine / just a little shock!
I started to lose motivation towards the end of the day, I could see the hut in the distance, but it took so long to get there!
💭Thoughts: I didn’t expect the hut to be as busy as it was. When it’s busy and I don’t think I’m going to sleep well I try and have a little afternoon nap. Even just 90mins of semi-sleep can help me with rest and recovery. 💤
Day 47/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Friday 16th February
Weather: windy 🌬️ then hot & sunny ☀️
From: Roses Hut
Start time: 8am
To: just outside Arrowtown
End time: 6pm (I took a few longer breaks)
Accommodation: tent ⛺️
Terrain: good track paths, a stream. Grassy tuckocks, forest 🌳
🥾Km: 13.9
🦶Steps: 17819
Total Km: 2679/3028 = 88% ✅
💰Costs: $0 - nice to have another no spend day 🥳
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 7/10 lovely day
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 5/10 - 2 semi steep climbs. Otherwise a lot of descents.
⭐️Highlights: walking the low route ie. The river! The weather has been amazing! Some of the views have been spectacular 😍😍😍
🏔️Challenges: my quads are feeling it from all the steep descents. Otherwise all good.
💭Thoughts: I’m wondering if I have time to complete the section I missed out on? I have 2 weeks left after I reach Queenstown.
So I could Bus it from Queenstown on the Sunday afternoon to Twizel and walk from 2473 to 2616 (143 km) and then catch the bus from Wanaka to Queenstown and then continue to do the final 317km…. Do I have time and do the buses timetable work for me?
Day 48/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Saturday 17th February
Weather: Sunny ☀️
From: Just outside Arrowtown
Start time: 7.15am
To: Queenstown
End time: 1.30 pm
Accommodation: Adventure Queenstown Hostel - bed 🛏️ top bunk - (6 people)
Terrain: roads & cycle paths. Concrete - hard on the feet 🦶
🥾Km: 32.3
🦶Steps: 40,525
Total Km: 2710/3028 = 89% ✅
💰Costs: accommodation $68
Food resupply $111
Dinner out - 2x Tacos 🌮 & a cocktail $48 🍸
Water purification tablets and painkillers $30
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 7/10 - solid day 👊
Fatigue: 2/10 - feeling good
Ease of terrain: 4/10 - easy walking as it was flat. But the roads are a killer on your feet. I really felt it towards the end of the walk.
⭐️Highlights: I’ve decided to go back and do the section I missed! I’ve got my buses booked (intercity bus to Twizel and bus from Wanaka to Queenstown) it’s a tight schedule with a lot of Kms but I’m going to do it!!! Can’t wait!!! Bring it on!!!
🏔️Challenges: deciding to only have 1 cocktail instead of 2! 😂😂😂
💭Thoughts: places like Wanaka and Queenstown have been super busy - so it’s worth booking your accommodation in advance.
Day 49/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Rest day / bungy jump day!
Sunday 18th February. Hot & Sunny ☀️
Accommodation: youth hostel - top bunk
💰Costs: bungy iump $410 including photo and video @ajhackettbungynz
Food resupply $53
The Nevis is 134m (the highest in New Zealand). 🥳
⏰8.5 seconds of free fall before the bungy kicks in!
⚡️ what a rush!!!
❓would you do a bungy jump? Have you done one before
Day 50/64 🥾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island 🇳🇿
📍Supported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ℹ️Stats: Monday 19th February
Weather: windy 🌬️ & sunny ☀️
From: Queenstown / Twizel
Start time: 8.05am / 11.40am
To: Lake Middleton Campsite
End time: 8pm
Accommodation: camped ⛺️
Terrain: gravel road, grassy paths, gravel tracks
🥾Km: 29
🦶Steps: 37,180
Total Km: 2503/3028 = 83% ✅
💰Costs: 🚌intercity bus to Twizel $49
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10 - it’s always nice to be walking again, especially when the weather is good.
Fatigue: 3/10 - I feel well rested
Ease of terrain: 3/10 - pretty flat, easy ish walking
⭐️Highlights: I’m excited to be coming back to do this section that I missed out on. 🥳
🏔️Challenges: i’m just hoping the @msr_gear tent holds up - it’s been windy 💨. And I am scared to put the tent up in the wind now. In case the pole does break again.
I’ve set the tent up in an awful place. It’s under trees and it is protected from the wind - mostly! but the ground isn’t the best. But we are making do.
💭Thoughts: I’ve got a clear plan for the next few days and know where I need to be and by when.
I’ve got to be in Wanaka on Saturday by 2pm at the latest for the 2.40pm bus 🚌 to Queenstown.
I’ve got accommodation booked in Queenstown for the 24th and on the 25th I’ll either catch a shuttle (if there is one). Or I will hitch the 80km around the lake to start the next section.