Total Distance Driven: 333km
Total Time Driving: 4hrs

Miles Hiked: 3.2 miles
Time Hiking: 1hr

Today was an interesting day, a mix of good and bad. When I was leaving Twizel, the tiny town where I stayed the night, I spotted two girls on the side of the road, smiling and waving, and looking desperate for a ride. Judging them by their clothes, and knowing I had room, I decided to pick them up. Not something I ever imagined doing, but it turned out fine enough. They were exchange students form the States and their car had broken down while they were exploring Mt Cook. I got them as far as a junction near Wanaka, and then they were on their way.

Thunder Creek Falls (c) ABR 2017

I followed their advice and bought a meat pie from a little bakery called Doughbin. Unfortunately, I didn’t end up liking the flavor I got (my bad…).

After that, it was an hour drive up to Thunder Creek Falls, the furthest point into Mt. Aspiring NP that I was planning on going before turning around. The journey into this particular NP, which I had no knowledge about and thusly, no expectations, was jaw dropping. The southern alps here have an almost reddish hew, and there’s not nearly as much snow on their peaks as Mt. Cook and the mountains surrounding it. This means that the dark skin of the rock shows through above the bush line; the mountains are colorful and hard to look away from.

(c) ABR 2017

To make the park even more awesome, Haast pass, where you drive through on this side of the NP, is at the base of a gorge that is covered in rainforest! It is one of the coolest things to be able to climb through such a densely green forest, and look out at alpine mountains.

My only regret is that I didn’t have time for some proper tramping up into the mountains, but I’m sure that would have killed me at this point. A steep hike up to Haast viewpoint left me feeling sick and exhausted. I don’t know if it was the altitude, the fact that my body is busy with female business, or if I am still sick from the other day. In any case, it left me wondering what the rest of my trip is going to look like. Part of me really wants to go to the Chatham Islands, because I think this is my chance (and I’ve already spent a good amount of money on it), but there are so many things about the way I planned that leg of my journey that are stressing me out. Feeling sick makes me worried about attempting it. I have no idea what to do.

(c) ABR 2017

What’s the best outdoor stop for a South Island, NZ Roadtrip? Mt Cook!
Fiordlands National Park was my favorite stop! See what hiking in here was like.