New Zealand - Washed Out in Wanaka

You know how really big hit movies have delayed releases in other countries? Let's just pretend this post is like that except it's not big, it's not a hit, and it's not a movie. It just might have something to do with there being no internet on our New Zealand trip and I didn't feel like writing anything if I couldn't post it. I am not too proud to admit that not having internet was a serious blow. I know I was not alone as Amber and A.J., also known as the WiFi junkies, were always looking for a WiFi fix. How do I know this? For the first time ever, they were always willing to go to the grocery store because that was one of the few places where they could find WiFi. Nuff said.

We were ready and raring to go on Thursday the 24th after arriving at the resort late the previous evening. We thought we'd drive the road the resort is on to the very end and then hike up to the Rob Roy Glacier lookout. About 10 kilometers in, the road became gravel. It also became a great way to check the condition of one's fillings.

We trundled along quite nicely enjoying the scenery - lots of waterfalls, peaks playing peek-a-boo in the clouds, and sheep pastures galore. All the spring lambs were way cute. There were cows and their calves around, too, but they just don't got it on the super-cuteness scale. Everything was going along swimmingly until we rounded a bend and discovered... well, an impediment would be the nice way of putting it as you can see.

We hopped out of the car to investigate and soon discovered swimming was the only option. That would still be going along swimmingly, but it would definitely be losing something in the translation. Our very first foray and we were washed out. Drat!

We decided regrouping was in order. We thought we'd drive up to Treble Cone which is a nearby ski area and have a look at the view up there. Closed. Double drat! Okay, how about trying the Diamond Lake hike we saw on the way out? We actually got there and walked up far enough to see the lake and, whoops, down comes the rain. We decided a re-regrouping was in order as hiking in the rain didn't really sound like much fun to me (yes, I'm totally a fair weather hiker).

We went back to the resort, ate lunch, and decided the weather was improving enough to try to go up Iron Mount. Success!!!

What a relief to know we weren't a washout at playing tourist. Um, maybe I spoke a bit too soon.

We headed towards Lake Hawea and thought we'd go to Haast and the west coast.

Lake Hawea was beautiful, but a slip (aka landslide) on the road to Haast meant we couldn't make it there. Washed out again. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.