a record or diary of my thoughts and experiences in this new phase of life. Join me on my physical and mental journey to see what is out there beyond the hamster wheel. I hope to navigate through, over and around the norm, away from the well trodden path, aside the tourist trap...........
we'll see
Decided to stay another night at this campsite - had to pay my $12 but still good.
Walked into the town of Wanaka.
Had a coffee by the lake.
Wanaka is a sweet bustling town. I was almost expecting it to be quiet & everything closed, being New Year's day, but it was rammed! Full of people & everything open!
Walked back. Weather was hot & humid & I could feel a storm brewing
People were jumping off the bridge into the river
Managed to have my dinner outside before the thunder & rain came.
So.....to the last day of 2025. Funny to think my 2025 will have been shorter than all my other years on the planet.
Felt kinda melancholy and had this song on my mind which made me cry when I listened to it. The words are from Shakespeare - Twelfth Night
I left the layby early and began by visiting some Waterfalls, after making coffee of course and trying to capture the beauty of the mountains.
Thunder Creek Falls
Took a selfie....dunno why
Fantail Falls
Then I stopped at The Mount Aspiring National Park. There they have 'Blue Pools' the water being blue, due to the glacial water.
I felt like a walk and I had such a lovely out & back walk, it felt 'heavenly', I enjoyed it so much.....and, of course, took way too many photos!
Geological history that shaped the valley during the last ice age, 20,000 years ago
And more recent history, how the roadways formed & it became an area for farming & recreation
Ate my lunch in the carpark - using up cheese & crackers, over the road from Cameron Flat where there used to be a tearoom in the 1950s & campground.
Driving past the lakes towards Wanaka - namely Lake Wanaka & Lake Hawea - it was taking ages because I had to keep stopping to take photos......as others were doing. These lakes are filled with glacial melt water from the last ice age.
Reaching Albert Town, just before Wanaka, I spied a campsite & asked if they had space. They did & it was super chilled as they said 'Park anywhere' & 'you don't have to leave at 10, just leave when you like'......also, the woman didn't charge me! Nice.
Cooked some tea & settled in for the night. I could see there would be some partying going on as there were lots of youngsters. I didn't mind the music & drifted off to sleep - woken by the Fireworks at Midnight to usher in 2026....one of the earliest places on the planet to do so.
Sent a few New Year wishes out before sleeping again.
I was feeling sleepy after leaving Fox & stopped off at Bruce Bay for a sleep
After a nap I had some lunch & a walk along the beach. I treated myself to an ice cream. There was a family sat on the rocks, with a little boy of around 2-3 years old, chubby, with ginger hair, & he reminded me of Archie at that age, toddling & running along the beach.
They call people with red hair 'Rangas' in Australia & New Zealand, from Orangutans.
it was interesting, this valley is being pulled & pushed by two continental plates, with Mountains continuing to be pushed up on the east side, increasing the southern alps & the hills on the coast side sliding North.
This is displayed at Lake Paringa, where I had a brief stop.
This shows the alpine fault line
I drove on towards Haast & stopped at a nature reserve. This area is protected & has Unesco status. It is very nice
The beach here us stunning, with layers of vegetation & swamp that has formed over years
In the early 20th century, farmers used to herd their cattle along the beach
It was once under a glacier too
I thought this was interesting , about the Tasman Sea:
After a short walk it started raining so I went on.......more spectacular scenery appeared, even through the rain.
I stopped at a large roadside layby that Wiki camps said was a place to stay.
It was by the river which was very pretty
There was nothing & no-one there. I tucked myself into a corner, hidden from the road & stayed the night.
