Wānaka - Slightly Off Kilter

We took a quick stop in Queenstown for thrifting to gather some warmer sleeping supplies and then just out of town, we were unexpectedly plunged onto tight hairpin turns up and through the Crown Range mountain roads between Queenstown and Wānaka.  

Corey and I were yet again, astounded at these winding roads, and at suddenly being atop mountain peaks. 

It just kept going....and going....and going.  Desert like, with rolling golden hills and a vivid blue cloudless sky. To our surprise much of the drive ended up being through these mountain passes, and eventually we made our way into the valley of our destination. 

Wānaka was larger than expected, and definitely as the books say, "a sibling to Queenstown" sharing much likeness in the vibe and location. We stopped through a food truck park for a proper "fusion" of food types: PadThai, Burrito bowl, and fries.  Afterwards we made our way down to the shore.  

I was hot, edgy, and a bit claustrophobic. The light bulb turned on in my brain at the shoreline and it occurred to me it was high time for a dip in the lake.  The mood was melted away at the refreshing dip, and by entertainment from a sheepdog with his relentless grin herding seagulls away from the shore, back and forth, back and forth. We lounged and kids did their happy beach kids thing in the late afternoon sunlight.

We savored some ice cream then headed to meet up with Celeste & Tom to say hello and return the SUP board. 

Our arrival was a spectacle. The destination of Tom's family's airbnb did not show up on the maps exactly.  So there we were, in the quiet, picture-perfect subdivision of high end houses...cutting through green alleyways, crossing ditches, sneaking across yards, Corey lugging this massive backpack (of the inflatable SUP board), myself and our two children, at dusk of all times, looking completely suspicious and out of place!   

Finally, with one more dart through a fence and across a perfectly manicured backyard, we found the correct house!  Only, we needed to push our way through some bushes and climb down some boulders first.  Just as Corey was saying "I really hope they don't see us coming in this extremely awkward sate"....Celeste literally opens the door, peering into the dusky evening and says "Oh hey, is that you Corey?!"

Oh man, what an entrance...we had a good ole belly laugh together.  Then proceeded to enjoy a moment with Celeste & Tom, and his animated and very welcoming Scottish family.

The last remnants of the day's light came soon, and we said farewell and headed over to Albert Town Campground to pop open the tent and tuck in under a blanket of stars. 

The morning brought a breakfast "fusion" of fried ham, leftover Pad Thai and muesli atop the camp stove. As I sipped tea out of a camp bowl, I realized the morning fog and nose drizzle wasn't quite clearing from my body...I wasn't feeling quite right.

By the time we arrived at Puzzling World (an attraction of illusions, a maze, and other phenomena) I definitely felt a weight of exhaustion and achy flue like feelings settle over my body. Danforth was also dragging.  The mere act of crossing the parking lot and being in the entry lounge felt overwhelming, let alone expose myself to a world of mind-bending illusions and crowds of children, so I decided to sit this one out.  I enjoyed some quiet time painting and writing in the lobby while Corey took the kids into the labyrinth for a couple hours.  

By the time we left, I felt just as disorientated as the leaning tower out the front door.  I felt like I was spiraling downhill.  We lounged heavily in the town library, then grabbed groceries, feeling like I was in a dream with everything moving just a bit too fast and too loud around me.  Then we we were off, under blue clear skies and through golden hills to a new destination.  

-M