Day 11 - Wanaka

I woke early this morning and quietly crept out of the house for a pre-dawn shoot. The sun coming up across the Buchanan Peaks and Lake Wanaka was beautiful and peaceful. I had the lakeshore to myself except for all the birds in the trees greeting the coming sun! I joined my wife back at the B&B for breakfast and then we headed off for a morning hike up Mt. Iron. This was a leisurely (stopping to take photos) 3 hour loop with great views of the entire area. I could have continued this panorama shot all the way around to 360 degrees! After our hike we went to the touristy, yet fun, Puzzling World with its tilting towers, people maze and endless puzzles of all sorts. Then we had lunch on a patio overlooking the lake before taking a relaxing, slow paced drive up the Matukituki Valley. Several hiking tracks originate off of this rough gravel road which is easily navigated in a passenger car despite several shallow stream crossings. The views of Mt. Aspiring and the general remoteness of this drive made for a very pleasurable afternoon.