Wanaka - A Crate of Beer, Frozen and Some Old Men

View from the top of the Crown Range

Flip waiting at the top of the mountain

After leaving Queenstown there is a beautiful drive up over the Crown Range. With an amazing view over the mountains I stopped at the top to take some photos. As I got back into the car for the rest of the journey over the mountains I tried to wind my window up as it was a bit chilly. Unfortunately Sinbad refused! The electric motor was working but the window wasn’t moving. So I had to continue on into the sunset with an open window. On went my wooly hat and the heater and it was all good. I got to the campsite (the same one that my parents watched Lewis Hamilton not win the F1 World Championship in 2008) around 8pm. It was only when I got out of the car that I noticed I was missing a flip flop. So I was one flip flop down, one broken window and

A twig holding the window up

the rain starting to fall. I booked myself in for the night, then the campsite owner helped me take the door off (I became a pro) and prop the window closed. I decided to take a leaf out of the US Military handbook and not leave a man behind. I went on Mission Flip to collect the missing flip, I still had the flop. It was about 45 mins away but was so worth it. I now have both flip and flop but decided that I should get a backup pair in case I do something silly again.

Sinbad by the sea

After a good nights rest I had a nice time chilling around the waterfront with my book, bought a new pair of flip flops. For the first time in a long while I didn’t buy a pair of Reef flip flops because they don’t import them into New Zealand. I went with a pair of Hurley ones that have the sole made by Nike, unfortunately they didn’t have a bottle opener. I feel like I failed myself a little but they are pretty comfy so I will take it. I found a lovely little Italian restaurant, called Francesca’s, round the back of a car park. It would appear it’s actually very popular and people came from miles around to eat there. It was really good food and I think you had to be English to work there. I ended up watching a movie with a couple from America, they claimed that it was a Steven Spielberg film, it wasn’t. Fun fact, don’t watch a film called Sanctum, it’s not very good but it is in some way associated with Steven Spielberg.

Awesome car starter from Peter

The next morning I was chilling in Sinbad (still in my bad books) whilst charging my phone. However, when I came to drive away it would appear that I had no battery power, the phone was still charging though. I politely asked a passing couple if they had a booster, fortunately Peter was on hand with the coolest little device and just like that Sinbad was running again. To charge my battery I drove around a lot, taking photos as I tootled around the peninsula. In the afternoon the wind had picked up and I spotted a guy getting ready for a windsurf so went and took some photos. Another guy showed up with a kitesurf as well, supposedly the best wind that you get in Wanaka. A good day to be about.

Windsurfing on Lake Wanaka

American Football day was spent in a really smart bar that did some spiffing food. One of such foods was a loaf of bread filled with a cheesy core and garlic butter. I might have had 2. Football happened. I had been put in touch with a local by a friend from Greece, go Biebs. I had sent him a message but he happened to be at work but popped in for a quick beer beforehand. It would appear we got on, what a surprise. I had been planning on heading off that evening buy Josh mentioned that he was going to be having a day drinking session the next day and invited me along. On the camp site there was a trampoline that is springless, really cool concept so I tried it out. I haven’t been on a trampoline in a while and it would appear it has got harder, after about 10 mins I had to get my inhaler! I did put on a bit of a show for the German campers though, landing a front and back flip in those 10 mins! Earned my sleep though.

The drinking day was a lot of fun; 3 of us and 48 beers. Some may say it was a day well spent. We then went out to a few bars, I honestly don’t remember where we went and the next day I couldn’t even recognise them, whoops. At the end of the night Josh got into a scuffle with a bogan and ripped his favorite t-shirt. It was a lot of fun but it was the most drunk I have been in a long long time and therefore the worst hangover. We both woke up still pretty drunk and thought that we might as well go for a morning swim in the lake, it was fresh. We didn’t exactly rush after that, after breakfast we decided to take my virginity, my Frozen virginity. What is better on a hangover day than watching a Disney musical? Nothing, that’s what!

Slightly hungover swim in the lake

Josh made me breakfast

Frozen and ice cream

At about 5pm I decided to head off to Tekapo, when the hangover was starting to fade. It was my favourite drive in New Zealand so far. Over mountains, countryside and then into the lakes. Just as I came to the first big lake the clouds parted and gave a spine tingling reflection.

I arrived into Tekapo just as the sun was going down, I did miss the sunset but did get a beautiful view of the lake from the campsite. The next morning I headed to the hot springs for a relaxing morning overlooking the lake. I was developing a bit of a cold, it would appear that my aging body can’t handle a full day of drinking anymore. I decided that a relaxing head massaging was in order,

Yummy!

thank you Alicia. She got a little flirting in, telling me I was the funniest customer she had had. I can’t deny it, handsome and funny, these kiwis know what they are talking about. After a bit more of a relaxing soak and steam, teaching a German girl how to use the plunge pool properly, I had a sit out in the sunshine for some food. After making friends with the bar staff and chef, the offered to let me try some of their new menu before anyone else, this could have had something to do with me not being able to pick anything from their menu. I had a delicious pulled pork sandwich looking out over the lake. My best meal so far in New Zealand.

Who knows what bird
this is?

I pootled off into the wilderness after my lunch, taking my time but there wasn’t really much to see or do, time just passed. Other than driving back in the direction of Christchurch which I was worried that I would miss a turn and end up back there! To cross from the East to West of South Island you need to go over some rather large mountains. I drove across one that was called Arthur’s Pass, when I was basically at the top of the world whilst also stuck in a valley, fun feeling, I decided to get a little creative with my camping. I have an app that shows where most campsites are in New Zealand (incredibly useful) and as it was getting dark I needed to find one. However on the app the descriptions of the local campsites weren’t exactly stellar. They were all DOC campsites, meaning they are run by the conservation department, also meaning that they don’t have running water and stuff. I went big and went to the one with a tap, also based in the town of Arthur’s Pass, also the cheapest campsite of my trip ($6). Now, calling it a town is a bit of a stretch. The high street was about 100 metres long but that wasn’t even the worst thing. I arrived at around 7.30pm, get Sinbad all set up on the grassy knoll and walked into town to get some food. I went to the pub and asked if they were doing food, the answer was no because they were just about to shut. IT WAS 8PM!!!! You know you live in a small town when no one wants to be in the pub after 8pm. Fortunately the night took a turn for the better on the campsite when some Kea (New Zealand bird) decided to come play.

Meet Kea

They big! Everyone on the campsite got involved with the taking of photos. It was a proud moment for me because people were jealous of the size of my camera, and as I’ve been told on multiple occasions that size matters, haha. I even gave out some free photography advice to a young german man trying to get an arty photo. It’s like those 2 years of “university” weren’t wasted after all.

I did some more driving the next day, I was starting to get the first sense that I was in a rush as I needed to be in Nelson in 3 days from when I left Tekapo! Somewhere along my scenic route I passed a couple of lakes, they were pretty, the mountains were pretty. You know the drill. As I was driving round the side of a big lake I passed one Malibu Wakesetter (for those that don’t know, it’s a boat) and that got my juices going. Then just like that, about 30 mins later, a Malibu Response (for

Steve carving it up

those that don’t know, another boat) pulled out in front of me. Being on my travels I thought, let’s follow it. I did, for about 20 minutes, off the main road and down into a small town all the way down to the waterfront where there was another Response and a group of middle aged men. I thought it was only polite to introduce myself and explain why I had followed him down here. “Not that I was stalking you but I saw your boat and wanted to see where you were going”. They were a bunch of lovely chaps setting up a slalom course. I did a bit of helping out, a lot of talking and by the end of the afternoon they had invited me to dinner and also out on a boat to watch some skiing. I was so nice to be out on a boat again. Moana was turning out to be a lovely little town, the pub was also open after 8 o’clock. I also saw another Wakesetter than had a sparkly purple paint job, well done them.

My new friends, thanks guys

Fly doggy fly

Historic but not for tourists

After a night staying in the most relaxed campsite I’ve stayed in, I could have just driven in and stayed the night and driven out again without paying but I didn’t because I was raised proper like. I had a long day of driving to get up to Nelson, 6 hours worth but I did enjoy the previous few days. Just outside of Moana I saw a sign to a historic bungalow and thought it would be interesting. However, as you can tell from the sign, it isn’t exactly the most tourist friendly attraction. Only open on a Sunday between 2-4. I very nearly hopped the fence to go see but thought I would hold off on my law breaking.

Woodie’s Wisdom: Don’t mess with Sinbad

Sexy underwater selfie