Wanaka

We sneaked out of Franz Josef around 1 pm, as the kids were promised their helicopter ride and so they of course got their way! This meant that we would have an almost nonstop drive down to Lake Wanaka, New Zealands 3rd largest lake. 

So I used the time available to go up to go down... An old 1500 long shaft had been burrowed through the mountain to transport water for gold mining. Later it had been converted into a small hydro electric plant. So I went up the mountain to take a peak down into this tunnel. 

Coming back to the hostel I grapped my things from the fridge and said goodbye to the local cat Bully, but I swear he prefered Garfield!  

The one stop we made was at a lookout point at Lake Hawea, the red headed step child of Lake Wanake, made by daming up the river for hydro electricity.

 

Arriving late in Wanaka there wasnt time for much more than a quick run to the beach for a workout in the light of the setting sun behind the mountains..

Tomorrow it is off to Queenstown, the unofficial adventure, rubberband and party capital of New Zealand!