Wanaka

 My bucket list item for Wanaka was the Roy's Peak hike. However, that hike is for the view mostly. Its a hard, steep trail and 6 hours round trip to boot so when it turned out to be low overcast this morning, I delayed my start. That ol' weather app told me that 10am would be a sweet spot for the parting of the clouds.

Instead I went to Wanaka Lake and set my sights on an early morning Wanaka Tree visit. What is the Wanaka Tree? Why, it's Wanaka's most famous tree! A willow with the ordacity to grow all alone, out in the lake. A striking sillouette against a dramatic backdrop of lake and mountains. Everyone wants a picture of the Wanaka tree!

Eventually it was time to try that hike. I'd like to say I got to the peak, but I didn't even make it to the lookout (almost!) though, before calling it. The clouds came and went, as did the view, but mostly, I was just exhausted. Long days on the road, a steep trail and relentless cough had come home to bite me. I took my weathered self down the trail and by the time I reached the parking lot, realized my knees were also not up for this hike. C'est la vie. It's ok to revise goals! 

I changed mine to indulging in dulce de leche ice cream from the award winning Patagonia cafe and strolling through an art market before taking a seat on the pebbly beach of Wanaka Lake downtown.

Tonight, I had a room booked near here... a place to shower, food prep and get a good nights sleep. I was looking forward to a little not-camping time at Emma's house.

Wanaka Lake tranquility

 Haast Pass was a quiet inland overnight place for me. Aside from the 1000 sandfly bites that had me scratching skin off myself and spraying repellent copiously around the footwell of the driver's seat, I was enjoying view and thriving on the smell of the damp forest. 

This morning I made a random stop at the Blue Pools and took a hike that was a bit longer than anticipated but filled with native bird photography opportunities.

The glacier water here glows blue. It's clear water apart from "rock flour" within. The fine rock and mineral dust suspended causes light to reflect blue-ish. It's eye-catching and compelling and I couldn't stop photographing. 

The weather was improving and by early afternoon as I drove up and over to Wanaka Lake, the landscape was colorful and the air was so warm... so welcomingly warm! 

I took the road less traveled (I.E. gravelly, dusty and bumpy) along the back side of the lake. Delighting in a New Zealand traffic jam or two. Here, the animals have right of way - or at least they are stubborn and brave enough to demand it.

I surprised myself by driving by a tree'd town-run campground at Albert Town and swerving suddenly to enter. It simply looked nice. People were parked, playing and picnicking and that seemed a good fit for resting and journaling... my full and complete plan for the rest of the evening. Here's how it went:

Me: Can I stay here?

Attendant: Sure can. Just you and the camper? $12. Go on in, find a place you like and park. We have everything you need here. 

So I did. And as I wrote and looked a pics, I also watched little kids race around on teeny bikes, a dog fetching a colored ball, men shooting the breeze as they grilled and a line of people at dusk, walking and brushing their teeth. Tall trees gave me shade as I sat in my folding chair, the sound of the river in the background, a large plate of salad in my lap. Bliss.