We arrived in Wanaka on New Year’s Eve after 2 LONG days of driving. Wanaka is a small lakeside town in the Otago region, and the jumpoff point for Mt Aspiring National Park. Eric had made dinner reservations at a restaurant along the main street – we had some great steaks at Cappricio's before moving to a nearby pub (Wanaka Speight’s Ale House) for the evening. At midnight, everyone went out in the streets to watch the fireworks display over the lake. I’m not sure what is going on with the lights in this picture, but here we are at midnight.
The next day, we did a walk that follows the lake and has incredible views of the surrounding mountains. We are taking it easy as Eric tweaked his knee a little before we left, and we want it well rested for the Kepler Track (however, he saw a doctor this morning who said it just needs some rest but it will be ok for the track). It’s summer and in the upper 70s, but the wind really cools it down, and we could not believe that people were sunbathing and swimming. On the plus side, the days are ridiculously long – 16 hrs in the summer. It’s still light out at 10pm. And the sun is just as intense as everyone says – we both missed a spot or two and have some red necks, haha. Here’s some pics from the walk around Lake Wanaka:
The town itself has several streets of cafes, bars, shops, and outdoor stores. Apparently New Year’s is the busiest time of year for Wanaka; the rest of the year it is sleepy. The next day was raining on and off. We managed to walk up to a nearby winery, Rippon Vineyard, for a tasting between rain showers. Pretty nice lakefront real estate for a winery.
They have been here for over 30 yrs, and had a great wine selection . We bought a few bottles to take back to Auckland. I think the car is going to start getting very full as we accumulate things throughout the trip. The rain was chasing us as we walked back to town, but I still stopped to take a few pictures…
Later that night we saw Quantum of Solace at Paradiso Cinema, the local movie place. The small theater has a mix of couches, lazy-boys, and even a voltswagon bug to sit in. They serve drinks and food, and have an intermission so everyone can restock. The next morning we enjoyed the sun before setting off to Te Anau. Overall our time in Wanaka has been very relaxing, although we have been eating way too much! Good thing we have the Kepler Track coming up in a few days…
The next day, we did a walk that follows the lake and has incredible views of the surrounding mountains. We are taking it easy as Eric tweaked his knee a little before we left, and we want it well rested for the Kepler Track (however, he saw a doctor this morning who said it just needs some rest but it will be ok for the track). It’s summer and in the upper 70s, but the wind really cools it down, and we could not believe that people were sunbathing and swimming. On the plus side, the days are ridiculously long – 16 hrs in the summer. It’s still light out at 10pm. And the sun is just as intense as everyone says – we both missed a spot or two and have some red necks, haha. Here’s some pics from the walk around Lake Wanaka:
The town itself has several streets of cafes, bars, shops, and outdoor stores. Apparently New Year’s is the busiest time of year for Wanaka; the rest of the year it is sleepy. The next day was raining on and off. We managed to walk up to a nearby winery, Rippon Vineyard, for a tasting between rain showers. Pretty nice lakefront real estate for a winery.
They have been here for over 30 yrs, and had a great wine selection . We bought a few bottles to take back to Auckland. I think the car is going to start getting very full as we accumulate things throughout the trip. The rain was chasing us as we walked back to town, but I still stopped to take a few pictures…
Later that night we saw Quantum of Solace at Paradiso Cinema, the local movie place. The small theater has a mix of couches, lazy-boys, and even a voltswagon bug to sit in. They serve drinks and food, and have an intermission so everyone can restock. The next morning we enjoyed the sun before setting off to Te Anau. Overall our time in Wanaka has been very relaxing, although we have been eating way too much! Good thing we have the Kepler Track coming up in a few days…
ahh your pictures all look like postcards! hope you're having so much fun! ( : -rachel
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