Wanaka

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Wanaka. South island. So picturesque. New Zealanders really are spoilt with the scenery.

We stayed in the Purple Cow for 3 nights. It was time to give our credit cards a bit of exercise so the adrenaline-filled activities started with a bang. We arrived to a Sunday afternoon of rain, a bit like home.....so we booked to go canyoning the next day. Passed the afternoon at Puzzleworld. I think people who have good spacial awareness & like solving puzzles would really apprecaite it but I have neither & haven't the patience to try to figure out mazes.....so needless to say I spent a lot of time chasing my tail in the life-size maze. In the end I sneaked out....I couldn't wait any longer.

Canyoning. It is so cool.....so much fun. You go to the top a canyon. Wetsuit. Shoes. Harness. Helmet. Then the fun begins. You abseil down massive waterfalls......then jump, slide & slip down smaller drops. We did the Big Nige. At first I was quietly very nervous but after ploughing through the first 2; getting soaked in the waterfall, scaling the slippery rockface, it's plane sailing......There were only 4 in the group so we weren't hanging around waiting for long. Really fun way to spend a day.

The next day I did a nice walk around St. John's mountain. Then we went sky-diving. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Blue skies. A few fluffy clouds. Mount Aspiring in the distance with snow on it's tips & Lake Wanake glistening & sparkling aqua-marine. I was so excited about it. Think my face would have cracked if I'd smiled anymore. My dive-buddy was very nice too. We all crammed into the small plane. Up on the lap of the instructor as he fastens you to him.....yes it's very secure....cosy! Then soar up to 12000ft. Hat & goggles on. Very quickly slide a meter to the door. Look down. Laugh hysterically. Smile at the camera. Head back. And jump......well you've no choice but I was rearing to go. The initial fall is so cool. Surreal to think that you're throwing yourself out of a plane. It's mad. Then we spun for about 45 seconds of freefall before releasing the parachute. I never laughed so much. It was the gliding to the ground that I didn't like. Made me feel sick as we swept from side-to-side with the air-current but it was worth it. Would love to do it again.....maybe on my own next time...hehehe

The next morning I got up early to have a dip in the lake. It was cold but I couldn't leave without trying it. Didn't last too long but it was very peaceful to have a swim in the lake before the day began. Not a bad lifestyle for the locals!! Wanaka was beautiful. I feel like I'm saying that in all my blogs recently but you can't help but be impressed by the landscape. You couldn't get sick of it. It's definitely soemwhere to go back to....for skiing maybe.... 😊

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Photos

Lake Wanaka
From St. John's Mountain

The 3 musketeers
Sky-diving trio 12000ft

Lake Wanaka!
Morning time

Wanaka
Morning dip

View from the Purple Cow
Zoom out if you've sensitive eyes