Day 41

Queenstown to lake Marova 58km

Today was a uniquely spectacular day of cycling here on the south island. I got a rather late start. The holiday park in Queenstown is something of a zoo and the drunk car camper set up next to my tent kept me up all night with his mindless yammering. Only a minor compaint on an otherwise nice visit to Queenstown. I took my time in the kitchen making one toasted egg and ham sandwich after another while drinking more than my usual amount of coffee. I had booked passage on the TSS (twin screw steamer) Earnslaw for 10:00am and finally arrived at the dock for the 2:00pm crossing of Lake Wakatipu.

The Earnslaw was an interesting way to travel. The ship is a coal powered steamer originally built in Dunedin in 1912 that has been plying the gorgeous waters of lake Wakatipu ever since. I embarked on the day the first female captain in its history was guiding the ship across the lake.

After arriving in Walter station--and leaving the hordes of tourists behind I set off on the "back road" to Te Anau. The back road is a one lane gravel track that undulated along the lake for several kilometers before heading south into the NZ wilderness. What a perfect change from the chaos in Queenstown. Nothing but a few passing cyclists, the sheep and the cows for company. After climbing yet one more outlandishly steep and tall south island hill I found myself alone with nothing but rugged mountains in every direction.

I made it to the DoC campsite at lake Marova just as the sun was going down. After the madhouse of the holiday park in Queenstown setting up my tent next to a beautiful lake with nothing but a few sandflies to keep me up was wonderful. After enjoying an excellent bit of freezed dried curry beef I slept soundly for nearly 11 hours.