...I drive to Arthur's Pass on the last of my gas and make the car drive 100km and climb 900m after the low gas light comes on. There's simply no gas station open in the early morning in Moana and I decide to risk the trip to save time. On the final ascent the car has almost no power but I do make it to Arthur's Pass!
...I stop on the way there in a little inn at Otira where I try something called lolly cake. Weird. It quite good.
...I consult the visitor center and decide to climb the Avalanche Peak on the less steep of the two routes and climb down the same way. Normally it's a loop: you climb on the steeper ridge and go down the less steep pathway. However, It's very cold and windy with possibility of weather deterioration so this is not advised.
...I make good time and complete the 1100 m up and down hike in 5 hours. My knees are dead.
...I start the drive to Fairlie passing the other side of Arthur's Pass for some amazing views and photos. It's interesting to see how on long straight stretches of empty roads in the middle of nothing still cops pull people over for speeding.
...I get honked at when I pee on the side of the road
...my gps takes me through some remote field areas and s***ty gravel roads where it rains all the time but finally I make it to Fairlie and meet my friends at a restaurant! Good times!