Gold Coast to Wanaka

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Writing today from freezing Wanaka. It has been a maximum of 8degrees and when we went up a mountain it was -4. My hand are warming up now so I can type properly but before now they have felt like trying to type with sausages! Have not worked out how to download photos yet because forgot cords but will work it out eventually.
Yesterday was an incredible day. We left Brisvegas at 6am and went to NSW border for breaky after checking in. There was small surf and blue skies... absolutely stunning! A stark comparison to the beaches we saw as we flew into Christchurch... THEY WERE COVERED IN SNOW!!
As we sat on the beach at Tweed Heads, who would have thought by that evening we would be navagating our way through passes in the South Island of New Zealand with the wind whipping snow all around the car. (Dad was trying to tell it was bugs not snow but even he could not explain why none of the "bugs" seemed to hit the windsheild!) We were told the roads were extremely winding but those people had obviously never been on the Gillies!
We arrived at the house in Wanaka just after 10pm and we snuggled (as best we could) with heaters, hot water bottles and electric blankets and as many doonas as we could find. After arriving in the dark last night, it was incredible to wake this morning and peek out of window to be overlooking Lake Wanaka and the snow capped mountains behind it!

After breaky we headed up to Snow Park ski fields for Jill's Billabong Rails School but it was cancelled as the desiel that powers the whole park had frozen in the lines (they were not expecting any more snow this winter so the distributer sent them summer deseil instead or winter stuff) so after waiting around and several snow fights we headed back to Cardrona only to drive to the very top and be met by a blizzard! I have never seen anything like it. It was like someone had wrapped my head in a white sheet without telling me. White was all you could see! Still we dumped Jill there... She is insane! And I have spent the rest of the afternoon in Wanaka exploring. I found a shoe store Michelle! You are right they are really nice! Dad made me promise to not tell Mum we had seen it! I found the local cinema too and am looking forward to seeing something there and sitting on one of the many couches or recliners they have instead of regular seats!
Hope this reaches you in good health and good spirits! Be sure to leave your comments, it will be great to hear from you or you can always email me at [e-mail]

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