Mataraki Place

We were up at 6:00am this morning – breakfast, coffee, showers, pack suitcases and the car. We were on the road heading south by 8:30 after saying farewell to Nan. She gave us some of her daffodil bulbs that we had seen in flower at an earlier stay, and a little maple seedling that we had spied. They will trip around with us.

We had planned to catch up with Mary and Bob and it was so good to see them and to hear their news and to share ours. They are heading off to Europe and the UK in particular to see their family.

We left them at about 11, got some petrol and began our journey inland.
It was a great day for driving - good road, normal traffic and a sunny mild day. The temperatures rose to the early twenties as we got into the Mackenzie area.
We stopped at the viewing area before Tekapo along with many tourists to see Mt Cook clear and cloudless. Lunch at Tekapo which was absolutely humming – parking was at a premium. Then the obligatory wander down to the lake with my camera.

Back on the road and past Pukaki, were there was a huge crowd. The rest of the trip to Wanaka was without any problems except at the one way bridge near Luggart where we were first (or at the front) of the queue on the north side of the bridge and couldn’t figure why the light didn’t turn green for us and it wasn’t until the truck behind us tooted that we realised that we weren’t forward enough to trigger the system. By then there was quite a long queue behind us!

We found our home for the next 3 days easily and it is just perfect. Luggage in and a coffee – my 4th for the day!!!!! Relaxed for a bit and debated what we would have for tea. We settled on pizza and went into town and it was super busy – we parked near the lake and checked out Francesca’s – full so went down to Bambini – pizza, and dessert.

Tomorrow Robyn is planning on going to the market – hopefully the weather will hold.Read more