Last evening when we checked into YHA
Wanaka the sun had gone down and we were not really ‘aware’ of the neighborhood
we were staying in. I got ready and decided to put my bag into the car. When I
opened the door of the YHA I was stunned by what I saw around me. Snow-capped
mountains, blue waters of Lake Wanaka, trees in autumn hues, green grass that
looked like golf courses and clean streets. I quickly stuffed the luggage in,
swallowed muesli and milk and went with Hetal for a walk near the Lake. The
wind bit into the bones, almost, but the air was so clean and fresh that we
opened our mouths and took lungfulls of it in. The teeth felt frozen and so did
the feet and hands. The mountains were embracing us in their icy hands and
sending chilled kisses across the lake. The experience was exhilarating, to say
the least. Despite the obvious discomfort in the cold and windy conditions the
sights were not to be missed.
We reluctantly tore ourselves away from the lakefront and headed back to the YHA after a few photographs. As we started the
walk back to the hostel a middle-aged person, who was using the tracks near the
lake for his morning exercise, asked if we would like a couple of photographs
together. Just like that, out of nowhere! That’s why I believe that my travels
have been to meet fellow souls who travel with me through time and space. How
else can I explain the action of that total stranger?
The weather was great too this day, after the
rained out previous one. It was bright and sunny and we hoped that the day
would stay that way for us to enjoy some of the wonderful countryside. I wondered if I should have included an additional day in Wanaka. But,
who thought that the place would be as beautiful as it turned out to be? I
would love to return someday to this heaven, when I am
still physically and mentally fit. We left the YHA a bit later than we had
programmed. I chose the route via the Crown Range instead of SH6 because I had
read that that route was infinitely more scenic than the staid highway. I
couldn’t have been more right. The Crown Range route is a steep, winding one
between Wanaka and Queenstown.
We first came across a lovely little
town called Cardrona, which seemed to be a heaven for skiers during the season.
Opposite to the Alpine Holiday Resort is a small enclosure called Bradrona,
where numerous used bars, it looked that way to me (!), were hung out on
fences. It turned out that the place is a support center for women suffering
from breast cancer. The winds were getting stronger by the minute, as it were.
The views from the Crown Range summit was indeed glorious, but they could be
enjoyed only if the icy winds could be tolerated. The summit at 1076 meters is
the highest sealed road in New Zealand and has many stories to tell. Sealing of
the road in 2000 greatly facilitated tourism.
Lake Hayes abuts SH6 on its southern
end and is relatively small. However, the reflection of the mountains on the
western end, the superb 5 km walkway around it and the tracks that lead you t
many super residential properties of the Lake Hayes Estate made us take a
longer than normal break near it. We wandered around on the tracks, trespassed
into some private properties for better views of the lake and surrounding
areas. It was another wonderful experience that will stay a long, long time in
my memory. 
I forgot the number of times we
stopped after we left Lake Hayes on the way to Queenstown. The views were so
astonishing that we even took liberties with road rules. We could not have
enough of the wonderful autumn views of the city. The city itself was crowded,
it being a weekend. Fortuitously, we spied the Skyline entrance. It was quite a
task getting a parking lot. As we were despairing a car pulled out of the lot
right in front of the entrance to the Skyline. We parked, took out a few
essentials and got into the queue for the ride up the mountain. It was then
that we realized that the Skyline offers a variety of entertainment. Besides
the ride up the mountain face in a cable car there are luge rides and plenty
more in this entertainment complex. I was particularly fascinated by bikers who
hooked their mountain bikes on the cable cars for the ride up the mountain face
to begin a thrilling journey down the steep slopes.
The magnificent beauty of the city while
on the ascent of the mountain face is indescribable. To top it all, a thick
rainbow stayed with us till our visit to the Skyline was completed. Once we got
to the top of the mountain the magnitude of the entertainment center became
obvious. There is a large restaurant complex, with balcony around it which
affords the best views one can get of any city. It was a bit cloudy and
therefore, to that extent, the views were ‘adulterated’. Still, the clear blue
waters, organized land mass studded by tall trees, is a feast for any eyes.
After a while on the balcony we felt that the innards had to be warmed by a hot
bowl of soup. It was accompanied by bread rolls and butter. Vegetarian soup
never tasted better for me; perhaps, the cold air had more to do with it than
anything else.
After that it was the Kiwi and Bird Park
that we gravitated to. The entrance charge is quite steep but is worth every
cent. We finally ‘confronted’ that elusive, nocturnal flightless bird, the
national bird of New Zealand, the Kiwi. There are two enclosures in which the
birds can be seen. The atmosphere in the enclosures is so maintained that the
birds feel that it is night and they freely roam the enclosure foraging for
food. When the center closes the lighting is so altered that the birds feel
that it is daytime and they get back to their burrows for rest! Besides the
Kiwi, the Tartuara is another major attraction in the center. They are the
closest to the extinct dinosaurs and they live for more than 120 years. They
mature only when they near 50! The conservation demonstration was indeed most
informative and lively. Was able to see the rainbow parrot, the largest pigeon
and Tartuara up close. We also attended a Kiwi feeding session when it was
explained how they conserve the rare bird, before setting course to Te Anau.
It was less than two hours to Te Anau.
When we reached the town Google Maps that had been tasked to lead us to the
accommodation booked took us to a door where a flummoxed occupant politely told
us that we were at the wrong door. It took us quite a bit of ‘coaxing’ to get
Google Maps to lead us to the right door. Instructions had been clear about the
key box and how to extricate it. The three-bedroom house was aesthetically
furnished and we were the only occupants. After occupying the house we went on
a long walk along the Te Anau River, which had snow-capped mountains in the
background. The house we occupied was centrally located, being in the Town
Center. The river and the sights around it was magnificent with the failing sun
and cold winds that blew into us. Hetal and I had a wonderful Chinese meal of
Stir Fired Vegetables and vegetable fried rice while the Shuklas opted for some
home cooked food. It was freezing cold by the time we returned to the house.
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