I had the six bed
bunk room cabin to myself until 11:30 pm when two new arrivals showed
up. Late arrivals. One of the many reasons I don’t like shared
rooms at hostels and the like. To their credit they were trying to be
quiet and considerate. One reeked heavily of cigarettes. I told them
they could turn on the light. I wasn’t asleep and kind of wanted to
see who they were. They didn’t seem to understand what I said and
continued to settle in under the light of their headlamps. I surmised
they were French. I opened the window next to my bed to dilute the
smoke smell.
The two late
arrivals were asleep when I left to go running at 7:30 in the
morning. The skies were cloudy as I looped around Glenorchy then
headed west for a stretch of out and back along the quiet main road.
When I returned one was up but missing. I went out to find something
for breakfast and when I returned the other was waking up.
As assumed they were
French. One was a young guy whose look and character couldn’t have
been any more stereotypicaly French. I had actually met him before I
went out for the Caples/Greenstone hike. I never caught his name but
he had been hanging out in Glenorchy waiting for the weather to
improve. The other was a very cute young woman from Brittany, France.
She had just completed the Rees/Dart hike which is actually a closed
trail due to a washed out bridge. She waited out the bad weather in a
hut for four days so the water could reside enough for her to cross
what remained of the bridge. She didn’t see anyone else on the hike
and said the huts were wonderful. When she completed the route she
returned to Glenorchy around 5 pm and happened to meet the French
guy. Instead of finding accommodation and a shower like most any
other hiker would do after a quick something to eat she wound up in a
bar until they made their way to where I was at 11:30.
The skies began to
clear around mid morning. The French guy was head up to do the
Routeburn trail. Ines, the French girl, was needing to go to
Queenstown for the day to resupply. I suggested we hitch together. I
figured it would be easier for me to get a ride. A single guy can
stand by the road for an hour to get a ride. A cute young French
woman will get a ride in 10 minutes or less. It took us about 10
minutes.
The guy who picked
us up was an Australian on a two week holiday. He has just completed
a sky dive and was headed to Queenstown to get some breakie then on
to Te Anau. He’s about to begin officers training for the military
when he returns home. The three of us parted ways in a Queenstown
parking lot. My last hitched ride of the trip. I made my way to the
Crowne Plaza hotel to take advantage of my credit card anniversary
reward night. It pays to have good credit.
It was noon so I was
early for check in but they had my room ready. It was not what I
expected. Apparently I had been upgraded but really I saw it as a
downgrade. It was handicap accessible next to what must have been a
utility room with a loud roar. I immediately went back to the front
desk and said I really did not need handicap accessible and the roar
in the room was really loud. I asked to be downgraded to a better
room. The second room was just what I expected. Upper floor, balcony
with mountain view, and quiet. Thank you. I am quite happy with my
accommodation.
The afternoon turned
out to be absolutely beautiful in Queenstown. The lake was placid and
the surrounding mountains looked sharp with small light clouds
skimming across the top of the peaks. The air had a slight chill in
the shade but in the sun felt perfect. Many people sat in open areas
around cafes and restaurants while others sun bathed on a small
beach. I walked around, got a burger, took a short nap, and walked
around a little more.
Tomorrow I catch a
bus right in front of the hotel for a domestic flight to Auckland
where I catch an evening flight to Houston. Thanks to the date line
I’ll arrive home a few hours before I leave.
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