The Return of the King

(continues from Two Towers - it was a long blog)

More driving took us further down Route 6 past more stunning scenery (with frequent car stops as norm.) with a detour to Okarito, a village of a few dozen inhabitants on doorstep of the Tasman sea, a relic of the 1860’s booming gold rush We had a wander around the volcanic stone beach that divides the moving ocean and a sedated lagoon and had coffee at the adventure tour/small store/info point/coffee shop.

Okarito Lagoon

Onwards to Franz Joseph, a town that sits beneath its glacial namesake, on the edge of Westland National Park. Low cloud cover meant that we couldn’t see too much of the glacier itself but the 45 minute walk up to the frozen ice took us along the bed of rocks left behind from the receding ice river was pretty cool, hemmed in by the surrounding mountains. When we awoke the next day, it was clear and we had the staggering snow-capped mountains framed by the hostel kitchen windows, good view! We took a run around the woody bases of the mountains that border the town, taking in all the fresh crisp air, before driving to meet Franz’s brother, Fox. Better known for its confectionary counterpart, Fox Glacier Mints. This fact was an epiphany moment when I noticed the aforementioned sweets in a coffee shop nearby and made the connection.

Glacial footprint

Our last stop before Queenstown was in Makarora. Sitting at the top end of Lake Wanaka, it boasts a pub/restaurant/souvenir shop/petrol station/ accommodation all on one site with the information centre next door and airstrip in the field over the road… oh and a few residents. All this sitting in a narrow valley guarded by snowy mountains on either side… descriptive words just can’t do justice to the scenery. The only downside is that the bar/restaurant/café/pub closed at 9pm.

We took an opportunity to walk up one side of the surrounding mountains so we could get a good view above the tree level, well worth it. Then we wound our way towards Queenstown via even more mind-blowing landscapes of lakes and mountains (this place is truly spoilt) and a detour to Arrowtown, another former gold mining establishment which now is a tourist spot for those seeking a quiescent colonial themed boutique lined town centre. 

So finally after 1000miles of driving we reached Queenstown, renowned as being an adventure capital, where you can dive into Paradise (actually the name of a place), throw yourself off a bridge (attached to a bungee rope), do other weird extreme sports and get a t-shirt to say so. For us, still penniless, went in search for more running routes, one up a nearby hill. To be fair I decided to walk when I realised this one was a Meany, but to her credit Tanya ran up it like a mental she is. The view from top, looked across quiet Queenstown, which sits on a bend in Lake Wakatipu, and the ever present mountains. I should also mention the water here is so clear and blue, which makes the views even more enjoyable to look at.

Up the road from here is Glenorchy and some well recognised scenery used in the acclaimed LOTR. We took a walk in the surrounding woodland, passing adrenaline junkies throwing themselves into rivers and your normal walkers, but still the place retains a relaxing atmosphere and your daydreams have you setting off on an adventure in middle earth…

Crazies

Seriously, if New Zealand wasn’t 13 time zones away I would be a regular visitor. By far worth a visit once in your life time. For those who don’t fancy the journey, I’d say the Highlands of Scotland (north west particularly) will give you a good idea of what it’s like here. The only advantage is NZ has better weather in the summer, so a walk in the countryside is that bit more enjoyable when it’s warm and the sun is out.

Just go

Info on Okarito: http://www.okarito.net/index.html