Recovery

I’m definitely enjoying my down time here in Wanaka. This lakeside resort town is one of New Zealand’s playgrounds on the South Island. I’ve been spending my days resting and taking long walks around town and along the lake.

It is the middle of summer here and watching the Kiwi’s and foreign tourists coming and going provides me with endless entertainment. Watching tourists trying to read maps, pointing out directions of travel, and then walking in circles is always good for a laugh.

There are parents and children playing in and around the lake from sunrise to sunset. Boats swarm the lake from kayaks to power boats. As fishermen pack up their gear for the day, I can hear them telling stories about the one that got away. It’s nice to know that some things are universal.

This town is ideally situated at the entrance to Mount Aspiring National Park. The visitor center here has webcams so tourists can see conditions in the park at the various huts. Yesterday was such a wet and blustery day that all the cameras depicted locations no tramper would want to be. Definitely a good day to be resting in the warm comfort of my hostel bunk.

If I had to pick a point to spend some time, Wanaka would certainly be a good choice. But tomorrow will see me back on the trail again. I’ve got 426km left to go and still a lot more of New Zealand to see!

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