Day 34: lake tekapo camping to Lake Tekapo

15km 2.5 hours.

A Nero Day. (Near zero km day but technical still a rest day). I can't wait for an actual proper rest day but also it's nice to just keep going and going and going.

It was a 530am wake up this morning but the views from my tent were pretty cool straight out across Lake Tekapo to the mountains. I knew i only had a few hours to walk before I got breakfast but I certainly wasn't doing without my morning coffee.

A quick tent pack down and I hit the road. It was 15km of dirt road into town and let me tell you when you know there's only 15km between you and pancakes or bacon and eggs you walk fast. The fastest I've walked all trail. I tried running but my pack was still too heavy with extra food and so that frustrated me a little.

Not sure what it is but these last few days I have been absolutely ravenous. Nothing satisfies and my body is like clockwork that within an hour and a half of eating I am absolutely starving.

We arrived in Tekapo and by now the clouds had burnt off and it was a beautiful sunny day. The lake was it's usual stunning turquoise blue colour. I headed directly to the Greedy Cow cafe and caught up with everyone. It such a highlight arriving in a town and catching up with other hikers. This time we had Brent, Andrew, Julien and then us 6. I thought I ordered a lot - milkshake, coffee, bacon banana pancakes and then the children's bacon and eggs. Nope i felt totally justified when i watched the boys each down muffins, 2 pies, sausage rolls, coffees and then the biggest breakfast only to still be hungry and order more.

We hadn't booked any accom in tekapo thinking we'd just be able to stay at the campground but when we realized it was about a 2km walk we were less than impressed. Will hike 30km days but will turn our nose up at 2km. Every hostel in town was full but one of the other TAers said that there's a lodge that might have a room. Couldn't find anything online but i walked there and asked and the manager couple were so nice and said yest they will open a room with 6 beds for us. Right in town more importantly right next to the Greedy Cow and the Four Square. Within 2 minutes the room was a mess and smelt like a 5 day sweaty wet clothes hiker.

Showered and clean we headed out for a few gins before going out for stone grilled steak dinner together. We have had 4 days to each come up with the name of the wrap we have all been eating (peanut butter, nutella & cheese) and anonymously put it in the hat as a competition. So at dinner we had the voting and prize giving ceremony. There were some great names: Holy Trinity, Tim in a sleeping bag.... But the winner was Wrapalicious.

Renay x