Fiordlands

I was headed north toward Queenstown, a busy, upscale tourist town that has about every tourist activity imaginable. It's situated between a humongous lake and mountains. Skiing in winter, and in summer mtn biking, hiking, helicopter tours, bus tours and every water sport imaginable. Like a super-Vail, it's small airport has direct international flights.

I had a night to spare before my Queenstown reservations (which you have to book months in advance this time of year), so I randomly picked the town of Te Anau. It too was situated on a very large lake. Many of the "great walks" of New Zealand start or pass through here. I walked for a couple of hours on one of these tracks along the lake, which is also called Te Anau. New Zealand is notorious for naming towns after geographic features. Te Anau is a lake and a town. Also true for Mt. Cook, Fox Glacier, etc. Remember National Park?

Anyway, nice little place. Lots of hikers would pass through and almost all of them had expressions of exhaustion, like they had been in a week-long battle. If you saw them, you'd probably be turned off any idea of hiking here. Ironic that they appeared so unhappy after what for many is the dream of a lifetime.

My first glimpse of the Southern alps just outside Te Anau