Sunny side up

After a long drive from Christchurch, we finally arrived in sunny Wanaka! It’s a small town that is gaining heaps of popularity as a quieter alternative to Queenstown. I hope it doesn’t gain too much popularity and thus risks turning into a second Queenstown. That would be a shame for this cute little town.

We stayed at Mountain View Backpackers, a place we both really liked. The only thing I didn’t like was that the mattress of our bed was way too soft. It caused me back pain and made me stiff. But the rest of the hostel was nice, the facilities were good, the location was good. Do recommend!

We loved Wanaka. A cute little town situated on the edge of a beautiful lake with stunning views. Wow! Can you imagine being treated to such stunning views every day? I don’t think I’d ever get bored of it! It was also very warm when we were there. I think the mercury easily hit 28-30ºC.

It was also very dry. For farmers and such that isn’t so great. Nor was it great for the mountains adjacent the lake which caught on fire. I don’t know if it was a spontaneous fire or if it was lit. What I do know is that the firefighters worked for hours and hours on end to put the fire out. I think that at some point there were about 8 helicopters in the air at the same time, working together effortlessly, sticking to a flight plan to ensure a steady flow of water to put the fire out without being in eachother’s way. Even though the reason why the helicopters were out in the first place was sad and unfortunate, looking at them flying a steady pattern bringing water in and flying back out to get more was pretty cool to watch. Eventually, they extinguished the fire. What was left was this huge blackened patch on the mountains. You can see it on the photos which I’ve posted below.

Of course when you’re in Wanaka you have go to the lake, take a stroll, and visit That Wanaka Tree. You have to be patient because every tourist and their entire entourage wants a picture with the tree. I know it shouldn’t, but it still baffles me that some people don’t see or don’t care about other people wanting a photo too. Some folks just hog that tree as if there’s nothing else in the world. As a highly perseptive person myself, such oblivion is alien to me. I managed to take some cool shots of the tree in the most beautiful blueish atmosphere. I understand why it’s such a popular spot. It’s every bit as beautiful as all the pictures you see online. I just hope that people don’t ruin it for other people, so everyone can enjoy it without causing damage to beautful nature. Things become popular for a reason, I suppose, but that can also be its downfall.

Anyway, back down from my soap box, haha. We loved Wanaka, I want to go back for sure! And stay nice and long as well. Maybe go for a dip in the lake, maybe for a paddle on the lake or a walk along the lake. Or do other activities of course. There’s heaps to do and I haven’t even come close to exploring and enjoying it all! I foresee a happy return in the future!