Distance today: 29.3km
Distance total: 3013.4km
Time hiked: 7h 59min
Time total: 916h 58min
With a warm baguette, I leave Arrowtown and hike through a massive golf course towards Lake Hayes, following once more a cycleway.
Daydreaming and listening to music, I'm not paying much attention on the signs and somehow manage to miss the turn to Lake Hayes. Quite embarrassing actually, but things like this can happen really quickly. Not only in the bush...
Once I realize my mistake, it's too late to turn back (well not exactly too late, as I could still return, but there aren't many things that I hate more than to backtrack a few kilometer). So I continue along wrong way (after initially trying to use farm roads to get onto the right track - without any success) and eventually rejoin the right track an hour later at the Shotover Bridge. From there it's a forgettable hike through industry and shopping malls (which I use to resupply for the next section to Te Anau) to Frankton. The only highlight: the short part along the Queenstown Airport fence. Good views of the runway!
After following Lake Wakatipu for a while, I enter windy Queenstown. I've been warned about the place being really busy - and the warnings unfortunately were justified... The place is packed, mostly young people looking for some action. Travel agencies at every corner trying to please their needs.
I check in at the uninspiring YHA and meet up with Martin, a fellow Swiss and section TA hiker. After a nice chat, a beer and a tasty Indian curry, I head back to the YHA and get everything ready for tomorrow, in order to leave the town as quickly as possible. Don't feel like staying here for much longer...
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