Today will stand in my mind as one of my favorite days in New Zealand. Crazy amazing hike, and while up there Eva and I met some people that we walked down with and then hung out with. I love how easy it is to connect with new people and how open people are to it. New friend Finja (Fin-ya) tells me this happens in other countries too, but not as much as in NZ. It’s just a friendly, open mentality here.
Judy told us that we should start the “Ben Lomond” hike around 9 or 10. We left the house after 11 AM, though, I knew we would be fine with the delay. Instead of taking the gondola up we hiked the 1-hour trek up the hill to where the gondola let off. It was a fairly steep but shaded hike. Once we got there we refilled our water bottles and prepared for the 3 hour hike to the Ben Lomond Summit. Judy had told us that there would be places to fill our water bottles along the way, and when I asked her if my 16 oz water bottle would suffice, she said "Yes". Otherwise, since the hike was supposed to be about 5 or 6 hours round trip, I’d have taken a much bigger bottle, especially since Eva was taking her backpack.
Not completely sure about water stations along the way, and wanting to be careful anyway, I drank about a cup of water at the top of the gondola and refilled it as high as possible. Worst case scenario, it would be overkill.
About 30 minutes into the hike we met a couple and I asked them if there were water stations along the way. They said “No”. Auugghhhh! It was hot, it was still 3 hours to the top, and signs warned that hikers should ensure they had plenty of water on them. I now worried that we wouldn’t have enough. I mentioned this aloud and the couple offered us their unopened water as they were near the top of the gondola where they could get more water. I was grateful. Maybe still not enough water, but at least we had more.
It took us just under 3 hours to reach the top. Amazing views! Cold up there. Starving, we threw on our jackets, then devoured our food. After eating we took some pics then walked around the top enjoying 360 degree views. I drank some more of my 2 cups of water, leaving about half a cup for the trip down. I figured it was easier going down, so I’d be fine with what remained. We got talking to some others up there as usually happens, but then ended up leaving to come down around the same time. Nelly, a girl who was also from the Czech Republic, started talking with Eva as we departed. We caught up to Finja from Germany in about 10 minutes with her backpack of photography equipment. Josh, also from Germany delayed leaving, I believe, as did another girl from Germany. He caught up to us later. We talked as we went down the hill, stopping at the turnoff for the Arthur’s Track, or something. Nelly, who was hiking in socks and carrying her shoes, was considering taking that 3 hour track home, and decided to do so, splitting off from the group. She didn’t have water so we gave her our extra bottle. Temps had dropped and we were in the shade now, so I wasn’t too concerned about water anymore, though, I did show up to the gondola station pretty thirsty at the end of the hike. Before she split off we took a group pic.
The four of us, Finja, Josh, Eva and I continued on taking a route that Josh had heard about, and accidentally taken to get to the top, and one he said had better views of the lake. So we took this path back. It kept climbing, dropping, climbing higher, dropping, climbing higher.... We joked that we may not have gone this way had we known what it entailed. Josh led us through it though. The views were amazing, and something about the spontaneous diversion, being with a group of new friends, and seeing amazing scenery in the process had a freeing, very pleasant effect on me. I really enjoyed being there.
Eva and I had to get back as we were supposed to be seeing glow worms with Judy and Viv later on. I tried to call Judy to see if the plan was still on as Josh and Finja were talking about going to Fergberger for dinner, a place we’d join them at if there were no plans or if we had time. After reaching Judy I found out that she figured we'd be too late, so canceled the plans. With that, we drove to Fergberger looking for Josh and Finja. Not seeing them, we decided to eat there anyway - our second time in the last few days. (Each time there was no line until after we’d order, then a line would form. We just kept getting lucky I guess. This is a very popular place). After ordering Finja came up to pick up her food. They’d been waiting across the street for their order. We got our food and joined them.
Exhausted, they turned in for the night, but Eva and I went to Patagonia Chocolates and got what has to be one of my favorite ice creams in the world - “Tramontana” (cream and caramel, though there is also some chocolate fudge in there). Amazing. I’ve had it three times in the last four days.
I head to Wanaka tomorrow, but will try to connect with Eva for lunch before I leave town. She’s a fun person and very good with people. I will miss hanging out with her!
Awesome day.
Judy told us that we should start the “Ben Lomond” hike around 9 or 10. We left the house after 11 AM, though, I knew we would be fine with the delay. Instead of taking the gondola up we hiked the 1-hour trek up the hill to where the gondola let off. It was a fairly steep but shaded hike. Once we got there we refilled our water bottles and prepared for the 3 hour hike to the Ben Lomond Summit. Judy had told us that there would be places to fill our water bottles along the way, and when I asked her if my 16 oz water bottle would suffice, she said "Yes". Otherwise, since the hike was supposed to be about 5 or 6 hours round trip, I’d have taken a much bigger bottle, especially since Eva was taking her backpack.
Not completely sure about water stations along the way, and wanting to be careful anyway, I drank about a cup of water at the top of the gondola and refilled it as high as possible. Worst case scenario, it would be overkill.
About 30 minutes into the hike we met a couple and I asked them if there were water stations along the way. They said “No”. Auugghhhh! It was hot, it was still 3 hours to the top, and signs warned that hikers should ensure they had plenty of water on them. I now worried that we wouldn’t have enough. I mentioned this aloud and the couple offered us their unopened water as they were near the top of the gondola where they could get more water. I was grateful. Maybe still not enough water, but at least we had more.
It took us just under 3 hours to reach the top. Amazing views! Cold up there. Starving, we threw on our jackets, then devoured our food. After eating we took some pics then walked around the top enjoying 360 degree views. I drank some more of my 2 cups of water, leaving about half a cup for the trip down. I figured it was easier going down, so I’d be fine with what remained. We got talking to some others up there as usually happens, but then ended up leaving to come down around the same time. Nelly, a girl who was also from the Czech Republic, started talking with Eva as we departed. We caught up to Finja from Germany in about 10 minutes with her backpack of photography equipment. Josh, also from Germany delayed leaving, I believe, as did another girl from Germany. He caught up to us later. We talked as we went down the hill, stopping at the turnoff for the Arthur’s Track, or something. Nelly, who was hiking in socks and carrying her shoes, was considering taking that 3 hour track home, and decided to do so, splitting off from the group. She didn’t have water so we gave her our extra bottle. Temps had dropped and we were in the shade now, so I wasn’t too concerned about water anymore, though, I did show up to the gondola station pretty thirsty at the end of the hike. Before she split off we took a group pic.
The four of us, Finja, Josh, Eva and I continued on taking a route that Josh had heard about, and accidentally taken to get to the top, and one he said had better views of the lake. So we took this path back. It kept climbing, dropping, climbing higher, dropping, climbing higher.... We joked that we may not have gone this way had we known what it entailed. Josh led us through it though. The views were amazing, and something about the spontaneous diversion, being with a group of new friends, and seeing amazing scenery in the process had a freeing, very pleasant effect on me. I really enjoyed being there.
Eva and I had to get back as we were supposed to be seeing glow worms with Judy and Viv later on. I tried to call Judy to see if the plan was still on as Josh and Finja were talking about going to Fergberger for dinner, a place we’d join them at if there were no plans or if we had time. After reaching Judy I found out that she figured we'd be too late, so canceled the plans. With that, we drove to Fergberger looking for Josh and Finja. Not seeing them, we decided to eat there anyway - our second time in the last few days. (Each time there was no line until after we’d order, then a line would form. We just kept getting lucky I guess. This is a very popular place). After ordering Finja came up to pick up her food. They’d been waiting across the street for their order. We got our food and joined them.
Exhausted, they turned in for the night, but Eva and I went to Patagonia Chocolates and got what has to be one of my favorite ice creams in the world - “Tramontana” (cream and caramel, though there is also some chocolate fudge in there). Amazing. I’ve had it three times in the last four days.
I head to Wanaka tomorrow, but will try to connect with Eva for lunch before I leave town. She’s a fun person and very good with people. I will miss hanging out with her!
Awesome day.