Kinloch - Lake Sylvan - Glenorchy - Queenstown

Tuesday

 

No sandflies this morning was an extra bonus to wake up to and a slightly overcast day meant that it was quite nice and cool. I enjoyed a coffee and 30mins of WiFi at the Kinloch Lodge before I packed everything up and headed along the road.

Marijke, who is been staying and working  with in the Coromandel, used to live here up till last year and so she has given me a list of possible hikes and things to see and do while I’m here. On that list was a hike through the Bush and hills to a lake Sylvan and when I got there there was an option to extend the route out Bryon the 1 hour lake walk to a 5 hour walk out to a small shelter by the river, and that what I did. 

In total it was about 5 hours walking and I took a picnic to have at the half way point before doubling back. I think it was about 20k in total but it was a tough slog up and down hills, dodging roots and branches, climbing over and under fallen trees, playing leepfrog over logs that had been placed in boggy bits like stepping stones, this wee hobbit had a right big adventure! And then I had I do it all in reverse on the journey back! Yippee! Haha 

 This screenshot shows roughly the route I took in and out, as it was a gravel tracked the lake and back the first and last bits were nice and easy, but I was working up a nice sweat regardless. It was a very enjoyable hike!

 

I was too tired to go anywhere else once I got back to the car and by luck have it there was nice wee campsite right next to the car park for the hike :) I made some delicious one pot spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, soya milk as a creamy sauce and some coleslaw salad mix! I’m getting quite good at this campaign drive cooking thing! 😉

 

The sandflies started getting bad just as I was finishing my dinner and so I took a wee walk and admired the scenery. 

Wednesday 

It was hot early today, and that should have been the warning to remember mbwr to RE-APPLY SUNCREAM!! My back got a little burnt, and although it’s really not too bad yet I’m so paranoid about having funny tan marks for Nikki’s wedding in May! Lots of time to cancel them out and get a more even tan though! Haha wishful thinking!

Anyway it was so hot in the tent when I woke up that I was out and packed ready to go at 7:30, and on the road post breakfast at 8!! Is this me returning to a good sleep routine perhaps? 😅 doubtful. 

Some of the views along the road from my campsite near Kinloch to Glenorchy were so similar to traveling through Scotland! There were not many places to stop along that stretch that weren’t already full of tourists, probably because of its proximity to Queenstown, so I only soppped once. 

  

Glenorchy is a lovely small town just north west of Queenstown, about 45 min drive away.  The views from Glenorchy town are phenomenal all round, surrounded by hills and with lake Wakatipu on one side (the same lake that Queenstown is on). There are cute wee shops and nice cafes, and it’s quite a tourist town but you can tell that there are plenty of locals about too (unlike Queenstown - which  feels like mostly tourists). 

I got a coffee from the lodge cafe to take away and walked to the lake side, then followed the lagoon Boardwalk which took me a food hour and a bit. This is where I got burnt I think, or it could have been right after this when I sat outside the Glenorchy lodge using th it WiFi and drinking an icy cold drink! Either way I had a great chilled out day in this lovely little town.

   

 

I decided to carry on to Queenatown tonight, because yet again, after two nights sleeping on the ground I fancied a mattress and a hot shower! 

I checked into the same Nomads Hostel that I stayed at last week in Qt and went and chilled by the beach while my laundry was going through the washer. I took a nap as the dryer did it’s job and was feeling much fresher to go to the free acoustic night at a local pub, which also provided a free meal for those staying in my hostel. Tonight is Chilli Concarne night! 

UPDATE: This relaxed evening of free food and acoustic music turned into and impromptu night out and bar crawl! Haha some of the girls I met at the free food part were going on a pub crawl and although I didn’t want to pay $30 to join them I went along to the first pub and ended up just following them to all the pubs and crashing their pub-crawl for only $10 😅 Most of he places were pretty average but there was one cool bar if you pardon the pun: it was an ICE BAR!!! The whole pub was tiny but it was made totally from ice (apart from ththe floor) and it was at a chilly -13 degrees Celsius!! Brrrrr!! It was very funky but quite expensive so we got one drink then left. We, as a wee group of about 6-8 cool folk, ended up staying out till 3:30am hahaand needless to say I was a bit slow this morning!