That Wanaka Tree

It was a bit of a slow start today—we experienced the coldest night in the tent yet (it dropped to 7°C), so we needed a while to get going. A blanket, a sleeping bag liner, and a sleeping bag, plus gloves, a scarf, and a hat, weren’t enough to keep me warm. Getting into short clothes in the still-freezing morning—just because it’s going to get hot later—was a bit of a struggle.

Only a few minutes from our campsite, we visited the popular “That Wanaka Tree,” a tree that is supposed to grow in the water near the shore. When we got there, however, it wasn’t near the water at all—much of the lake had dried up. That didn’t stop a busload of tourists from blocking everyone’s view as they attempted to take pictures of the tree with a scenic background. Each person in the group walked up to the tree, touched it, and had their picture taken. That was baffling. It was the worst possible angle, and the sunlight would have made it impossible to make out their faces in the picture. But I guess: monkey see, monkey do.

Later in the day, we drove on to Queenstown to our DOC campsite, where we had a great view and sketchy reception. :DRead more