A day trip to Wanaka and Glenorchy
After a relaxing evening at the Kinross Cottages I hit the road early for my day trip to Wanaka and Glenorchy. The initial section of road to Wanaka is uphill and twisty before levelling out between the mountain passes.
I experienced some light rain during the morning ride, which I found strangely pleasant when compared to the freezing rain of the previous couple of days.
Wanaka derives its name from the amazing Lake Wanaka, which provided a very pleasant stop for an early lunch from my rucksack rations of fruit juice and energy bars.
After spending some time taking in the beauty of the lake, it was time to retrace my steps back to Gibston. The sun was starting to break through the clouds, and felt confident enough to pack away the waterproofs for the remainder of the day.
The traffic increased as I approached Queenstown, which appeared to be a popular holiday destination with hotels and shops lining highway 6. I stopped for a quick rest break before taking the road towards Glenorchy. My phone was a reasonable substitute for my now dead satnav, which required being on the highest volume setting whilst located in the top pocket of my jacket.
Glenorchy
The road to Glenorchy hugs Lake Wakatipu, whilst providing amazing twists and turns over the mountain passes. Upon reaching Glenorchy I found a car park overlooking the lake where tourists were taking power boat rides around the lake.
It looked like lots of fun, however I was happy to sit on the pier with my cup of coffee taking in the amazing view. Another amazing day drew to a close as I retraced my steps back to the Kinross Cottages along highway 6.
The afternoon sun felt amazing along the road, providing another amazing view before reaching my cabin, and celebrating with another dinner at the excellent onsite restaurant.