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26km 7 hours.
I'm back! Today I felt the best I've felt hiking in over a week. The rest day in Wanaka was exactly what I needed. It was a cruiser 15km walk along the Glendhu track today alongside Lake Wanaka before heading into the Motatapu. Another 30 degree day so it was hot but I've realised on these days the best solution is to listen to my running playlists and it gets me in the mood and I power walk. We had heavy packs again thanks to a wanaka resupply and I know its only 3 days to Arrowtown and 4 days to Queenstown, lightweight is long gone.
I have reached my limit with canned chicken, hummus and parmesan wraps so I've decided to mix it up and I've bought cheese and crackers... Which I actually put on a wrap and added avocado. I told you light weights long gone.
After having the best day and a half in Wanaka none of us were keen to head off early. In fact it was the best sleep in I'd had in 42 days. I woke up at 730am, everyone else was also still asleep but we were still all awake until about midnight chatting in our dorm having a laugh as per usual.
I just feel so lucky to have this crew. everythings just so easy and comfortable and forever entertaining. It's just wonderful how 5 complete strangers who are all so different can meet and just get along so well day after day.
I went to a little bagel shop for breakfast and coffee before doing one final last minute shop at new world. Honestly supermarkets are so deadly after hiking. Everything feels so exciting and we become so focused on our easy meals, walking up the aisles and seeing a thousand other options is like being a kid in a candy shop. Yet what I come out with everytime is chocolate milk, kids chocolate custard pouch, Powerade, cherries and a peach. Not sure what it is about chocolate milk and chocolate milkshakes but it's all I ever want on the trail.
We set off at around 10am today and wandered passed the queue of people at the Wanaka tree. I wasn't in the patient mood to wait for a photo so I just snapped one and continued on.
The Glendhu track was beautiful and was so picturesque walking along side the lake and looking across to the mountains and also seeing Breast Hill in the distance where we had camped a few nights earlier. There were also a bunch of water barrels for you to water native plants along the track which I actually had fun doing.
I'd downloaded a few more albums today to listen to and one was the Mammamia soundtrack. Only because Conny was humming one of the songs earlier and we joked about it. So I was walking on the trail, music loud as anything in my headphones, singing louder along to Lay all your love one me, when I failed to hear a cyclist come up behind me. I'm not sure how long he was there for trying to get my attention but I was miles away. I then got the fright of my life when he tried to nudge past. I was so embarrassed and apologised but he just laughed and said my 'singing is tranquil'. Not too sure about that.
After 3 and a half hours I finally reached Glendhu Bay campground and the first part of the beach I could get to my pack was off and so to the clothes and I was straight in the clear blue water. It was so refreshing! So deep too! I'd dive in and see the suns rays penetrating down so deep below.
Conny soon caught up and joined and we ended up swimming a fair way out into the lake. Another one of those moments where you pinch yourself because this really is your life right now. Swimming in the middle of a lake, beautiful green trees lining the waters edge and mountains still with snow on them off in the distance. It was so nice to swim too for a change. It felt so freeing.
We ate lunch on the shore before packing up again and walking the next 12km on the Motatapu track up to Fern Bern lodge.
It involved a few kms on a dirt road but I actually didn't mind this as I was a little excited that I knew I'd be walking the Motatapu track very soon. Another track that had been on my list for so long, mainly because of the Motatapu ultramarathon race they do each year.
The track was back in a beech forest and along a river. This part of the Motatapu is special for having remnants beech forests and for being Shania Twain's property but I have a feeling they sold it in the divorce. There were a few good up hill climbs again today. Not long just the usual standard vertical, roots as foot holds if your lucky, good 50m drop off if you lose your step. It gets me every time. Just the safety side of these tracks. The closer to a crumbling cliff edge the better it seems. I always hope as I go across I'm not the next one that it caves in on.
I hardly stopped this afternoon because I was just having so much fun and enjoying the scenery. I'm never going to get sick of walking through mountains!
Got to the hut, quickly reserved my mattress then headed back downhill to the stream for a wash. I think this is one of my favourite times of the day. Alone, just sitting in a stream, washing clothes before changing into my night clothes (shirt & tights).
At the hut tonight....
Ivan stayed in Wanaka - turned up late.
Ivan tries to demonstrate how to make his Wrapalicious to the others in the hut and spilled his couscous everywhere!
Family - sis
Had one of my best dehy meals: Real Meal - tom Kha Gai and I added fresh mushrooms.
Coconut rough choc had melted so I used a coconut mix from new world, poured some of that into peanut butter jar and then used my spork to spoon chocolate into peanut butter. Absolute heaven!
Ren x
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