12:35am, Kinoch YHA hostel
A late one tonight. Lots of last minute prep work to kick off our 5 day Rees-Dart trek tomorrow… Quick log tonight. 8:30am alarm, skip breakfast, stop at info center for weather. They say top of Mt Cook is showing from highway. We decide to drive to the lake to check it out, but find ourselves driving in circles on the way out of Twizel. Finally we make the highway and head north. It takes longer than expected, but we see the top of Mt Cook piercing clouds! Awesome! But still lots of clouds around.
On the way back, I'm driving fast on the ultra straight road, and realize a cop just passed by in the opposite direction. Doh! I look at the speedometer, and I'm faster than I've ever been so far. He turns on the lights, makes a U-turn, and I pull over immediately. He's very pleasant, takes my US license, no car registration needed. Writes me up for going 114km/hr in a 100km/hr zone. $80 (~$63 US). Not bad compared to US speeding tickets.
Continue back to Twizel, and then south towards Cromwell under heavy clouds, before climbing a pass and descending west towards Queenland under blue skies and big puffy white clouds. As we get cell phone reception, we book lodging at the Kinoch youth hostel (also a BBH) outside of Glenorchy.
Queenstown is breath-taking upon arrival. We drive alongside a long lake lined with impressive jagged peaks. Find some 30 min free street parking and visit the DOC to confirm excellent weather for the Rees Dart. Buy a big canister of fuel. Sign up for last 2 spots on a bus from Glenorchy to Muddy Creek Treailhead tomorrow (9:15am from Glenorchy).
I spot a kebab place nearby, and we eat lunch. The wraps are bursting with yumminess! The lamb kebab wrap comes with 3 salads. We pick a pumpkin one (like squash), cabbage, and black bean. Super great! We pick up a frequent buyer card, since we'll be in Queenstown again in the future...
Then we walk to an arts fair that conveniently occurs Saturdays (Wendy read about it in LP). Wendy buys a bowl made from beech wood. Super smooth.
We find a Tomizone wi-fi spot! First time we can use our month's subscription since day 1 in NZ! We email some engagement pics to family. In the process, I get pooped on by a bird. A big old splat on the back of my head, just under my hat. Luckily Wendy and the Macbook are ok.
Man, Queenstown sure puts on a good 1st impression. Quite scenic, and we are treated to an arts fair today...
They gorgeous weather, after so much recent gloom, also made Queenstown feel like an oasis...
Find a permanent parking spot, and walk around town. Pass on the gondola. See bungy jumpers at the top, and lots of para-sailers. There's a LOTR store here. Tons of adventure tour outfitters too. We debate about signing up for a jet boat return on the Dart River at end of our trek. $149, and includes 1.5hr ride/tour. By end of day we agree to it. Saves ~3 miles of hiking too.
Dinner at Fergburger. Wendy gets a double Ferg with cheddar. I get the lamby (lamb burger with bbq sauce). Super good! We eat along the lake. Very pleasant here. Queenstown is very scenic and idealic. And also has good radio stations (some alternative tunes).
Our dinner spot along the lake...
After dinner, we head to the biggest grocery store in town (which is surprisingly kind of small) for some salad supplies, matches, cheese, and sausage (for the hike). Then we head north along the lake to Glenorchy. I read that there were many LOTR scenes filmed in this region, including the Amon Hen (boat scenes at end of FOTR), Isengard backdrop, and Ithilien forests (from TTT). Indeed the lake and shore look familiar. The scenery is spectacular along the drive, and gets us excited about our hike. Also had a big bird glance off the windshield, on the way.
We were surprised at how breathtaking the views were on this stretch. Pumped us up for our trek starting tomorrow...
When we reach Glenorchy, we see a sign: 23km to Kinoch. Wow! Should have booked something at Glenorchy, or even Queenstown instead… Thought it was just 5km away on the map, but we need to drive in a big loop around the lake. Some of it is gravel road (slow). We arrive at a lodge tucked away at the base of a hillside, just off the lake. Very scenic location. Too bad it's already 9pm when we arrive, as you could spend a full day enjoying this area.
The views from Kinoch hostel. Definitely a place to stay for awhile. It was a shame we got there so late in the day...
We unload some stuff and take a short walk. Then back to kitchen to eat up our salads (gotta load up on veggies before the hike). I make 3 PBJs with the last of the bread and bananas. We have way too much cheese.
There were "free" kayaks at the dock. Clouds settling in tonight...
Wendy made sure we ate our veggies leading up to our trek. A look inside our room...
Been busy packing all evening. Discovered that our dehydrated mushrooms were going bad (most not have been fully dehydrated, or else they got wet somehow). There was a bad smell. Packs are ready to go.
Need to get up early to pack the car, eat a big breakfast, and make the 30 min drive back to Glenorchy for our 9:15am shuttle bus. 6:30am alarm. Last night of using the Macbook to write the journal for awhile...