I booked into The Purple Cow hostel in Wanaka for three nights. The drive this time was actually pretty short by New Zealand standards - only an hour and a half. I enjoyed the drive as it took me through a valley full of vineyards, then along twisty mountain roads before reaching flat land where I could see for miles. Wanaka is a little like Queenstown as it is on a lake with views of snow-capped mountains. In the winter it is a base for skiing and snowboarding. The hostel is nice and looks a bit like a Swiss chalet as it is all wood-panelled.