So, where are we... I think Wanaka is where we ended up next and its where we were to be for New years too. Nice place, lovely lake (glacier blue of course), and a really nice lakeside resorty kind of place you would expect to see in a movie or an episode of some tv show Regina would watch. There is lots of young people here, I have no idea just how young of course because at my age everyone seems young (yes thats right, at my age... il be 30 soon enough ish). So the hostel this time is facing a park which faces the lake, lovely views of the hills out the front window. The drive here was epic, we had to stop places to take photos, even if they all ended up being blue pools which might be boring to some people (tut tut). Mountains and lakes everywhere! We went on a few lovely walks around the place and other than that we chilled out for the few days we were there

On New years, cant remember now if it was day or eve, we walked up Mt Roy, all credit to climbing the mountain at the end of the day.... It is about 1600metres and it took us about six hours up and down, poor Regina nearly died again, she really must start living up to her promise to devote her life to sitting!!! The views were stunning, mountain ranges in all directions with the lake and town nestled in between.

We had planned on spending New Years down the town watching the fire works and taking in a bit of the celebrations that were going on down the street. We were sitting in the hostel and a Danish girl came over, thinking I was also Danish until Regina opened her mouth, and she asked us to come out and join her group. There was a nice mix of Dutch and English and Danes and the like and we all sat around chatting for the evening before heading down to watch the fireworks which were impressive enough for what we were expecting. It was really nice to get in a group of people again as we hadnt really mixed with many people since we left South America, not by choice but simply because we werent in a place long enough and most other people are on and off the tour buses before we can talk to them. Good people and its always nice to mix with other English speaking, but not necessarily Irish people as there is more to talk about than what we miss about Ireland when there is other countries involved

Anyway, apart from another walk around the coast that was more or less it for Wanaka.... it was relaxing and that was exactly what we needed. I almost forgot we went to the famous cinema in town, the Paradiso. The movie we watched was absolute rubbish but the half time cookies were pretty good, I had two and a bit, and some Icecream!!! Good times!!!!

Next stop Queenstown....