We woke up at 8.30 and needed to be checked out by 10am, things take longer in the campervan and we are slower to get up with the prospect of getting cold and having to pack everything away before we can get going. This morning Edd started the kettle boiling (Hannah if you thought our kettle at home is slow, this would be torture for you!) and went off for a shower. I kept an eye on the pathetic flame as I packed up the bed and tried to feel normal.
By the time Edd got back the flame had gone and so had all the gas, poor Edd wasn't too happy about having tepid water for his cup of tea. We left the campsite having checked with reception that we didn't have to check out. They looked at me as if I were stupid until I explained I was a newbee!
We drove to a small town along the lake called Glenochry, the 45 minute drive is commonly thought of as the most stunning drive in New Zealand and it didn't disappoint (although every drive so far has been mindblowingly stunning!) You're going to get sick of our landscape descriptions of clear lakes, snow capped mountains and beautiful green fields full of sheep but that's what it was.
I'm gutted to say I think I have developed travel sickness, I spoke to the pharmacist and apparently you can just develop it, change in body or something about calcium in the inner ear. Anyway I feel sick even looking at a vehicle with the idea of having to sit in it! Poor Edd is having to put up with very bad navigation from me as I avoid looking at the map too often!
It's such a shame because I've started looking at places based on how wiggly the road is rather than what the town has to offer and we arrive somewhere and I spent the first half hour feeling groggy. Anyway I'm trying not to make a fuss but I'm gutted and poor Edd gets to chat about sick bags and ginger for part of every journey.
Glenochry was a small town with a golf course and a couple of cafes and when we pulled up I wasn't really sure how we were going to spend a morning in this little town. Edd had coffee and a very healthy rocky road after the disappointment of the warm water this morning and I recovered from the journey.
Then we went for a walk along a little board walk and WOW. I could have sat on that little bench, in the sun, with no one around all day long, we even had two black swans swim past just to add that little extra into our already perfect photos!! As Edd was hovering over the edge of the pathway to get the best angle he commented on how it's so lovely not to have to worry about crocs jumping up at you. There's no way we would have done that walk in Aus!!
We sat and had lunch from the back of our van overlooking yet another stunning lake and mountains whilst feeding brave little sparrows who obviously recognised that tourists meant bread crumbs. We watched this beautiful old dog who had obviously had years of practice encouraging any tourist that passed to pick up and throw a stick for him. I don't know who his owner was but he certainly wasn't going to need walking after a day of chasing that many sticks.
We drove to Wanaka, our destination for this evening via a stop off for more gas and a surprise for me and my birthday!! (I'm now not allowed to look under the sink in the back). The scenery was beautiful, up the very windy road, into the mountains and passed the ski resort (with no snow!) the landscape changed a little and became more sparse with no trees but just as dramatic and interesting.
We arrived to explore Wanaka, a smaller Queenstown on a big lake. We checked in with our campsite early, it's a cricket ground that they allow you to park around the edge of for £5 with toilets and showers. There's no cricket at this time of year so it makes perfect sense to use the space but a lot of the vans look pretty permanent with the sky dishes on the side and we wondered what it must be like to bat and aim away from them in the summer. 
We decided to head back into town to make the most of a beautiful view and a carpark to cook dinner and chill in. Edd made the most incredible goats cheese and tomato risotto (better than we have at home). I spent the time washing out the van after we had an accident with a 2L bottle of Diet Coke that rolled against a screw and leaked over all our food during the journey. We then sat back in our little van overlooking the lake and we're still here now. It started raining an hour or so ago which didn't bother us one bit all snuggled in the car but I hope it stops before we get to the campsite and have to get ready for bed in the dark and rain!!
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