I hopped on a shuttle bus from Franz Joseph to Wanaka after finding out that a multi-day hike just outside the Glacier region would not be possible due to high river levels. The very first thing to do on that track is to ford a river and with all the rain that fell it was bound to be a dangerous task. I was hoping to make that my first overnighter in New Zealand but it'll have to come later.

The ride to Wanaka takes me away from the West coast and into a drier climate in the mountains of the Otago region (I believe). The subtropical rainforest that was the source of so much amazement on my alpine hikes has disappeared to be replaced with vegetation that I am more used to: lots of dirt. There are pine trees, bushes and grass too, but compared to the Coast it seems arid. I am still in the Alps so the snowy peaks continue to line the horizon.

The town lies at the southern end of a lake by the same name. It is decidedly colder here but the views over the water to the peaks that drop directly into the lake invite a stroll along the beach and around town. Unfortunately the local wildlife leaves me feeling still colder. I am talking about ski-heads and boarder-dudes who have come here en masse to spend money and ride chairlifts. I don't blame them; I am an avid skier and snowboarder myself. But since I am here as a traveller I really can't relate to that crowd right now. I made matters worse for myself by selecting a very large hostel to stay at. It is not the cozy homely pad I am now accustomed to.

To escape the scene I rented a kayak and sought out solitude on the lake. I paddled slowly since there was no way to go fast in this toy-like thing. Taking in the views and recording them with my camera was a delight. I reached an island on which I was able to take a short hike. I returned to town more quickly with the help of the current and the wind.

After lunch I hiked up Iron Mountain and enjoyed a stunning 360 degree panorama of mountains, lakes and green valleys. The sun was in the wrong position for good photos so I let the perfect setting inspire me to write a few thoughts in a notebook.

After a dull evening at the hostel I had no problem deciding to leave this place already. I feel I will enjoy myself more when I get off the tourist trail. Unfortunately I am headed for Queenstown which is even worse than Wanaka, but it is the only direction I can go (except to backtrack) given the road system out here. Once I get to Q-Town there are a lot of options for finding places where I may get the feeling that I am discovering something. Queenstown is as far south as most NZ visitors go, but persoanlly I am really looking forward to going beyond.