After drove around one hour and a half, we reached the lodge. We stayed in Travers-Sabine Lodge for one night. It is really close to the lake, only around 5-10 minutes walks. We were really tired when we got there, we missed the lodge and keep driving. It was so dark and we tired, we didn't catch the lodge sign on the left, and suddenly we found a sign "Nelson Lakes National Park". We panicked for a while. We thought we're stray. We checked the map again and we're in the right place. Then we turned around and drive slowly. Finally, we found the lodge! It's time to have a good sleep.
A misty morning views in Lake Rotoiti.
This is still the same road trip as the previous post. Actually, I was thinking to put the title as "Road Trip to the South of the North feat. the North of the South". Then, I realized, it is too long. So, I make it short into the current title.
We arrived in South Island in the super early morning. The car that we rent was already in the parking lot, we're just picking up the key from the receptionist in the port. It was so convenience for us. We already booked a package for paddle boarding in the Abel Tasman National Park at 10 AM, so we had to reach there before the time. It needs around 3 hours to reach there by driving from the ferry port in Picton. Thanks to the driver, Mr. B, we got there just almost the time.
It was my first time doing paddle board. A paddle board is different from a kayak. The correct way doing paddle board is to stand in the board and paddle. And if the wave is coming, just wait until it passes our paddle. Don't fight the wave, because it will make you suffer and the paddle is going backward. We have to wait and if we let the wave pass our paddle, we will move forward. It also needs to keep it mind that we have to do paddling in the opposite of the wind direction. If we go in the same direction as the wind, it will push as to keep forward. It is dangerous because it can lead us to go too further from the shore.
The highlight of this road trip was to visit Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro National Park. It is the oldest national park in New Zealand. It was my first time ever climbing up the real mountain in New Zealand. The plan is to go up to Emerald Lakes from Mangatepopo Hut. According to the website, it takes around 6 hours from Mangatepopo Hut to Emerald Lakes and return. It was my first time ever climbing up the real mountain in New Zealand. We were going to meet with another team in the lodge and going together in the early morning.
