Twizel then back to Haast

Breakfast in Twizel, they can't do bakeries here so was a bit disappointed but how can you not like a town called Twizel. The drive back through Lindis Pass was nice to see from a different angle and once again we passed through rhe same landscapes used for the Pellanor fields in Lord of the Rings. We also cane across a stupid driver overtaking on a bend that fortunately managed to avoid colliding with us. Lots if foreign drivers doing stupid things here.
Back in Wanaka we stopped for lunch by the lake where I got swamped by little gulls while trying to feed the ducks. We got more bug spray (we will win the sandfly fight!) and checked out the market. We found a stand with some prints we had seen and liked at Matheson, it turns out it was the artists mother selling them, and so we bought a sticker for our window and took a card so we can order one online.

We decided to drive some of the way back to the glaciers this afternoon to save time tomorrow and so once again took the Haast Pass. Before we set off though we stopped for smoothies in an attempt to quecnch our fruit craving. When I returned with the smoothies I found Rob looking worried and when he turned the key I could hear why. The motor was making a noise but the engine was kicking into life. Oh no. Rob had a look around underneath and under the bonnet and had me roll back out of the parking space a little in an attempt to push it back forward and start it again. Ended up that we just got the car stuck halfway out the space as it is too heavy to push and all it did was dent the boot.

In the end Rob looked online and suggested leaving it 15 minutes. It worked!!!! We left it running a while, turned it off and then tried again....it still worked. We left it off for a while and then tried again....still worked. One big sigh of relief and we decided to continue on the drive back over Haast Pass.

I won't go into detail again but this time we had moody clouds which cast amazing shadows on the mountains (we could see how the artist we liked was inspired with geometric shapes) and it rained in the rainforest. Low wispy clouds clinging to the trees and lots of waterfalls up in the mountains and falling by the roadside. Very impressive in the rain, so can't complain.

Back in Haast and we have chilled at the campsite that has a cosy set up inside but where nobody seems to speak. A bit odd but then it is a nothing little settlement I suppose.
We have just finished ridding the van of biting flies and now it is once again bed time.Read more