Queen Charlotte Walk

 Breakfast was amazing! We started with a yogurt parfait with fruit and granola.  I don't know what was different about this parfait, but it was terrific!  Then we had three of these custard-filled French pastries.  We each ate one, and I took this third one on the hike.  I would hurt somebody for another one. Lastly, Dennis had bacon, eggs, and toast.  I passed because I was stuffed.

We got up really early, or 0 dark-thirty, as I would call it.  I had to be at the boat dock at 7:30.  Dennis decided to sit this one out.  It was rated to be difficult. The boat took me to Torea Bay, and I was supposed to walk to Punga Cove and catch a boat back at 4:00. There were tons of warnings about missing the boat if you weren't there by 4:00, so I hoofed it.

The Queen Charlotte trek is a famous New Zealand hike and I was REALLY looking forward to it.

The first part of the hike seemed straight uphill, but the scenery was spectacular so I hardly noticed.

I think this is a kiwi bird. He ran away from me at every step, but when I stopped, he came closer and closer. I took about ten photos trying to get a good one.

So beautiful.

These flowers grow wild, some of which are about 10 to 12 feet tall.

Fire zone!

Awesome.

Most of the trail looked like this.

What a welcome sign.  One kilometer (.62 miles) to go!

Another beautiful view.  Not sure how this "you are here..." got on the photo.

So here is where it gets dicey.  I was supposed to go to Punga Cove, a roughly 14.5-mile hike. My information said I could go to the Punga Cove Resort and have a meal or a drink, but I had to be on the dock at 4:00 pm.  I was so proud of myself.  It was only 1:00.  I walked about 3/4 of a mile beyond the trail's end and couldn't find this Punga Cove Resort.  I saw a local couple, and they said Punga Cove was about a two-day hike from where I was. Holy crapola - how did this happen?  When I got off the boat, I only saw one way to go, and I even asked to make sure I was on the Queen Charlotte Track. I walked 14.5 miles in the wrong direction.  Once again - prayers work!  I returned to the little green trailer, and my Camino Angel (even though this isn't a Camino, there are still angels) made a call, and the cruise line I was on this morning was arriving at 3:15 or so. She told them my situation, and they put me on this boat which took me back to Picton.  I got back at 4:00 instead of 5:30 and had time to clean up for dinner, so I actually came out ahead.  Our God is great, and prayers work!

I ended up in Anaklwa, which I had never heard of, but I had a Coke Zero and a fabulous Magnum chocolate/caramel ice cream bar while I sat and watched sailboats in the harbor.  My total mileage today was 17 miles with lots of climb, but I am thankful it all turned out so well.

Sleep tight, and type you tomorrow!