Killah in Germany

I biked to the town bakery and ate a creamy chicken pie for breakfast. Then I went to a cafe that had free wifi and ordered coffee. Even though I'd only biked 5 blocks from my improvised campsite into town, I had collected quite a bit of moisture. I hoped that the rain would die down and I could continue my journey. Sadly, this was not to be. I stalled as long as I could, ordering a second coffee and, since I had internet access, booking more travel (see you in June, Berlin!). But when noon rolled around, it was time get serious about going. Off into the rain I went, shortly after 1pm. 

Because of the late start, I only got as far as Lake Tekapo, 44km away. But I did climb 500 vertical meters so I'd say I earned a hot shower. And a warm place to stay, since after biking in the rain and the cold, I did not fancy another stay in my tent, especially since it was still wet from the previous night.

I only stopped twice: once at Burke's Pass township, where I had another coffee, ate a snack lunch and talked to the lady working at a cute souvenir shop with a vintage 50's theme and lots of stuff I wanted to buy. The other time I stopped was at a rest area when I realized I couldn't feel my toes and needed to take off my shoes to warm them up again. The rain only stopped once: while I was in the gift shop. Figures! But it wasn't as heavy as it had been in the morning. By 5:30pm, I'd arrived at the backpackers in Tekapo.

The backpackers here is expensive, noisy, and crowded. But the girls in my (tiny) 4-bed dorm room are nice, and so are the people I chatted with in the kitchen. And it's a warm, clean place with a roof over my head and a place to  dry my tent! However, I already miss the solitude to which I've grown so accustomed. 

Due to the weather, I took no photos today. You could barely see the hills for all the clouds and rain in the way. But what you could see was really beautiful. Lake Tekapo is pretty and I'll have to snaps a few pics of it tomorrow. Tonight, I'm just going to curl up in bed, do a bit of writing, and try to get to sleep even with the hustle and bustle of the hostel buzzing around me.