Day 19 – Queenstown

Woke at sunrise to a birdcall I hadn’t heard before, very synth-y and rhythmic, following a progression of five beats or so.  As Roxane has also noticed, many of the birds here sound like backup singers for Daft Punk.

Walked out to the road and was trying to hitch back to Queenstown when an Indian family headed out of town pulled over, asking if they were on the road to Milford.  I told them emphatically no, and the young guy who was driving got out so I could show him my map and he could show me his navigation system, which was instructing him to go this way.  It turned out that his nav was instructing him to take a series of rather gnarly 4WD drive roads to get across to Mavora Lakes Road, and from there to Te Anau and Milford.  I checked the brand on the device: Where2, Google Maps’ big competitor in Australia.  I told him he’d have much better luck driving his caravan on the main highway, back through Queenstown in the other direction.  And if he’s going that way anyhow, could he give me a ride?

I booked into the Alpine Lodge, a hostel Roxane had recommended to me, and very quickly disliked it, finding the staff unpleasant.  It would do for the next couple days, but I resolved to stay elsewhere the day Roxane arrived.

Today was my proper rest day – I really did almost nothing.  I wandered in the park, ate Indian food, and generally lollygagged, dilly-dallied, and loitered about town.