I was wrong. While I love Tasmania for many reasons and believe I could easily live there should I ever choose to do so, there was something else altogether about Wanaka. It was like coming home.
I fell deeply in love with this place the very first time I visited. I had almost a week there and was nowhere near ready to go home when the time came. I immediately started dreaming about my next trip.
The next trip was a very quick one about 18 months later and a friend came with me. I still remember what she said to me when we drove into Wanaka towards the lake. 'Oh M, this place is so you! I can see why you love it'.
My love for Wanaka has grown deeper with each visit and I find it harder and harder to leave. My two youngest sons have visited in their travels of NZ and both have commented that they can see the appeal it has for me.
So what is it about Wanaka? The scenery is stunning. The lake set against the back drop of the mountains that are snow capped during the cooler months, the cherry blossoms and lupins growing wild around the lake in spring and the changing colour of the autumn leaves means there is always beauty to be found in the landscape.
The town is not a big one, although it has many visitors who come to enjoy the lake in the summer and the skiing in the winter. There are plenty of excellent restaurants with different cuisines to choose from and I would think there is something to suit every taste.
The place just has a nice feel about it. The locals are friendly and are happy to engage you in conversation. There are plenty of things you can do and see without it costing you the earth, including some of the quirkier things like Cinema Paradiso which is an experience not to be missed, Puzzling World which will change the way you look at things and the Transport and Toy Museum which hosts one of the largest private collections in the world.
If you're into skiing, you have choices when it comes to snowfields. In Wanaka, there is Treble Cone where you have the largest ski area in the South Island. About 25 kms away you will find Cardrona and about an hour or so away, there is Coronet Peak which is closest to Queenstown and The Remarkables.
For those who don't ski but are keen to see the snow and the views, Treble Cone introduced a scenic chair lift ride in 2016 where for $20 NZ, you can go up on the chair lift to the outdoor cafe and have a hot chocolate while you soak up the views. For another $7, you can add a slice of pizza which is more like a quarter of a pizza than a slice. The views are spectacular and it's a fun thing to do.
Given I've had a few trips to Wanaka, I'll space my Wanaka posts out a little as there is way too much for one post and you may get sick of me rambling! Here are a few pics to enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment