We got to Wanaka via a very interesting road with hairpin after hairpin, the Crown Range road, 2 days later it was essential that you carried snow chains, we timed it well!!

Wanaka was again beautiful, quieter than Queenstown and reminded us of the Lake District. We checked the i-site and found a walk to do the next day so we spent the afternoon at Puzzling World, it was excellent, great fun. The illusion rooms were good, from having 100 faces that follow you around a room to the Ames illusion room using the same techniques as in Lord of the Rings where one side you appear to be a dwarf and the other a giant!!

We also enjoyed some optical illusions such as water appearing to flow uphill and snooker balls rolling uphill - the floor wasn't level!! This was followed by a frustrating hour wandering around the maze - we frequently got lost but still managed to do it quicker than expected!! A thoroughly enjoyable but frustrating (in a good way) afternoon.

The following day we decided to do a walk in the Mt Aspiring National Park. The drive there was interesting enough, an unsealed road for 35km with 8 quite deep fords we had to cross, they made Sarah (who was in the passenger seat) quite nervous!! The Rob Roy walking track (10kms) was excellent with spectacular scenery, we started in bush/rainforest and climbed higher to get a great view of a hanging glacier at the end of the path. The return journey was equally fun, apart from getting stuck in front of a man moving his few hundred sheep, very slowly indeed!!

When we were approaching Wanaka again the reflections in the lakes were brilliant, it was really calm and the sun had burnt off all the clag that had greeted us in the morning. The photos still don't do it justice though. We then continued north ready to hit the glaciers, passing another beautiful lake - Hawea, at points just a stones throw away from Lake Wanaka.

Right, glaciers to go and explore. As you can tell i am very excited by this - Sarah is worried!! Will let you know how we get on.

A&S xxx