|
|
-
The morning opens with clear
blues skies. The wind is still too strong for us to ride North.
The hotel staff goes beyond helpful when trying to sort out our
travel options of taking a bus to north to Haast.
However, they find out that
the bus won't stop here, so the only viable option for us is to
return to Wanaka. Once there at 10am. we spend quite a long time
at i-site to reserve seats in tomorrow's bus, the accommodation
for tonight, and the sightseeing and wine tasting tour for today.
-
At 1pm. we start the tour
with the guide Mark and an young American couple Alberto and
Amanda from Texas. First we head back to Cardrona valley, and
climb through a sheep farm to the mountain facing Wanaka.
-
We make a short botanical
tour familiarizing us with the local flora, such as manuka that
local bees feed on, and make manuka honey.
We continue all the way up
to 1500 meters. Our driver Mark opens and closes gates as we
go, and as he does that, we quietly hope he does not forget to
pull the hand brake on. The trail is quite steep and narrow, and
there is no space for even a tiny mistake.
-
We have a gorgeous view over
the lake and town of Wanaka.
-
-
It is quite
windy up there.
-
-
At the top we
enjoy the scenery lounging on portable club chairs, and munching
scones with coffee, prepared on the spot with a French press.
-
-
There are
something between 30 and 40 million sheep in New Zealand.
-
The last stop of the tour is
wine tasting at Rippon Winery. We taste seven different wines,
which are not as impressive as the winery's location.
-
We stay at Criffel Peak View
BB.
We have dinner at a trendy
but still cosy Relishes Cafe. Tomi has salmon (which they insist
must be served medium rare) with noodles, soy sauce and bok choy.
Tei has flounder with Japanese style rice salad, orange and
pistachio salad, and wasabi hollandaise. All downed with local
wines.
-
Wanaka Ale House carries
Monteith's beers.
Today we ride only 16.12K in
1:07'45 (avg 14.2kph, max 43.3kph)
|
|
|
|
|
|
