Distance travelled today: 28 km

Total TA distance covered: 2686 km

Back to the big smoke.

An easy, pleasant days walking. Checking out and heading downthe street for breakfast I again ran into Carl. It seems we have the same need for caffine in the morning. He is looking to take 5 days or so off so this is likely the last chance we meet. Wishing eachother well on our journeys I was off towards Queenstown.

The morning flew by walking on gravelled cycleways just about the whole way into the big smoke. There isn’t a lot to say really. Queenstown is probably the biggest town I’ve encountered since my short off-trail break in Nelson. The towns have been building travelling south and increasing with tourists, wicked vans and campervans at each. First Arthurs Pass, Tekapo, Wanaka and now Queenstown. I can’t say I like the craziness of these places. Everytime I arrive in places like this I cringe and just want to get back on the trail. But I’m due a rest day, to get some recovery in my feet and reaupply before tackling the final leg of this amazing journey.

From Arrowtown the trail brought me around the edge of Lake Hayes before truely entering suburbia, skirting through a new housing estate on the east side of the Shotover River. With all the new development going on I lost the trail at one point and just followed my nose through all the new houses being built, eventually getting back onto the cycleway on the edge of the Shotover.

For the rest of the day it was easy, following numerous signs and walking on the Queenstown Trail, a cycle/walking trail all the way into town.

Wandering aimlessly around town I ran into Solenne and Antoine whom I haven’t seen since Whanganui. Awesome! We met later in the afternoon to catch up over a beer. It was great to see familiar faces in a place like Queenstown and even better to share their company, stories and a drink. There is a good chance I’ll see these guys again on the trail and a chance of finishing close together.