Canals

February 11th 

Lake Ōhau Lodge to Twizel Holiday Park

KM 2460.5

Distance: 37km

Elevation: Flat

Steps: 55,500

Time: 9:00am - 6:15pm

Knowing we had a long day ahead we had firm intentions of an early start while it was cool (predicted high of 26 degrees today). But then the lodge offered a cooked breakfast we just couldn't decline.  Departure time became 9am, but not before a convo with four other TA walkers heading south. We shared helpful intel on what lay ahead, as did they.

Super proud of us busting out 37 km today. Sure it was flat, but the temperature reached 27 degrees and 37km is 37km. Our longest day! (by distance but not time).

The views were a mix of majestic peaks and milky blue lakes and canals, and the start of the trail followed the famed Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail, which does have stunning views.

But otherwise the trail went along service roads and highways through to Twizel and was rather uninspiring. A small highlight was seeing a banded dotterel in a stony field. We normally see them at the coast, although they do sometimes spend time inland over summer. 

When the trail is uninspiring (or difficult, to be honest) we rely heavily on podcasts to stay focused on maintaining our pace and pushing through. As in a previous post, we have another list of recommended podcasts at the end.

We came across this interesting sign on the gate of a fenced paddock. It reads "rabbit barrier". That's fine, but the rabbits can't read and were happily bouncing inside the paddock, and travelling through holes in the fence. They were numerous, despite the hundreds of empty shotgun casings strewn along the path and sign warning of the use of poison in the area. I understand that the rabbit population in Canterbury and Otago is rebounding after a modestly successful (but bungled) eradication campaign in the 1990s.

This is what the final 7 km was like. Not particularly inspiring and we were pretty exhausted by then so it was a case of heads down, keep walking, lean into the buffeting winds from passing vehicles, and ignore the sore muscles and feet. We made it to our campsite just after 6pm.

Recommended podcasts #2

* On the Front Foot (an NZ cricket podcast)

* Our Fake History (just because it didn't happen, doesn't mean it isn't real)

* Stuff the British Stole (self explanatory)

* Nuku (interviews with "100 kickass indigenous women, telling our stories, of who we are, not who we're supposed to be")

* The Happiness Lab (the actual science of happiness, by Harvard professor Laurie Santos)

* Our Changing World (Radio New Zealand weekly science 1/2 hour)

Finally, here's a photo of the entrance to the Lake Ohau Lodge because it wasn't included in yesterday's blog. Quite a nice place to stay, views over the lake, including from hot tubs, if you're into that sort of thing (and have brought togs, and wouldn't fall asleep in 2 minutes flat; both of which are why we didn't use them).