Catching a ride to Queenstown

After having prepared everything in terms of administration in Christchurch for the upcoming year it became time to discover New Zealand's country side. The bus takes me to the suburbs after which the Main South Road slowly turns into a highway heading south in the direction of cities like Dunedin and Invercargill, although I won't go that far south for the moment. It took some time to get used to hitchhike in a

left-driving-country. Your sticking up you left thumb and you hear cars coming from behind you, from the direction that you are used to face. A massive man in a tiny car is able to give me my first ride and drops me off in 20 minutes after which it only takes several minutes before Tim picks me up at a gas station in Rakaia. When I drop my bag on the back seat I notice he owns a American army bag. Tim got it as a gift during one of his missions in the first Gulf War in Iraq when he was serving in the Australian navy. There is all kind of people that pick you up on a day like this and there is only a certain kind of characters that tend to pick you up more often than others. Those that have served in any

military are usually open to pick you up. They aren't easily scared and generally have good people knowledge. In Rangitata I give myself some time for a nice cup of tea in a tiny road café. It isn't too difficult to hitchhike it turns out so I have got all the time in the world for this relaxed break. Tim was driving through to Dunedin and as I had to drive South West inland, I now had to cross the rail road parallel to the highway.

Again an Australian man stops for me. I forgot his name, but he looked like a Jack. It is the first time he has ever stopped to pick someone up but, he says, "It's New Zealand, it can't really go wrong here". Jack is on his way to Lake Tekapo to plan his wedding, In 1,5 month time he will get married to his, also Australian, partner. Why New Zealand? Although it isn't binding by law as neither of them is a New Zealand citizen, they are having this wedding here because in Australia gay marriages are still forbidden. Jack must be around 50 years old and only recently found out he was gay. As did his partner, who's former wife, with whom he has 3 children, will be the witness on their wedding. Before reaching Lake Tekapo he insists we first stop at this lovely lady-like German restaurant that apparently makes the best soups. I pass but sit down with him. Arriving at the Lake Jack asks me if we can drive around the lake and inspect the shores for places that would be suitable for the wedding. When we find a suitable spot he drops me, the temporary wedding planner, on the road to Queenstown. I decide to walk along the way instead of standing in one spot. From this point on the mountains have reached an extraordinary beauty and I don't mind moving forward at a slow pace.

Two elderly ladies pick me up eventually. Another case of people with an Australian connection. Although both ladies were born in New Zealand they now live respectively in Brisbane and Sydney. Monica came over for a golf tournament of five days on five different courses and her old friend Ray, who she grew up with, took the opportunity to pay the South Island a little visit after which she would continue travelling solo through her country of birth. I think that during all those rides the landscape must have changed every 10 minutes and if one would have dropped me off blindfolded I would have thought I had been in Spain, England, Scotland, Austria and Panama, all on one day.

In the morning I had already contacted my friend Mariska in Queenstown. I had made a rough estimate

of when I would arrive and guessed it was going to take me until 5-6 o'clock before I'd arrive in Queenstown. Sorry for being 3 minutes late, but it was well estimated I would say. Wow! How cool was it to see the smile on her and Stu's face. It was like nothing had changed in all those years. Down in the harbour a parasail competition was going on and the docks and boulevard were filled with spectators. Stu introduces me to the local must have/eat. Ferg Burger is the spot to eat and is open for 21 hours a day and always has a queue. We drink and chat for a few hours after which we head on to their residence in Te Anau where live in former hotel rooms of the Fiordland Hotel along with Alice. She is from the North Island, from a city called "Whakatane", which is pronounced: "Fuck-a-Tanny". I tell them they shouldn't mind me and go straight to bed. Mariska, Stu, Alice, all the rides, Queenstown, Te Anau, Fiordland, Otago, thank you for your hospitable and beautiful welcome!