We are in Wanaka and it's a good day to rest... except for the wee stroll Mr. Endicott thought it would be nice to take. This is pretty much how I felt about that plan:
When we checked into the condo the nice lady at the front desk gave us the suggestion that Mt. Iron would be a leisurely walk if we wanted light activity on Friday. Oh yeah, sure. Don't trust the thin and fit New Zealanders.
After sleeping in and wondering what to do this fine day (I advocated for a rest day on the couch gazing at the lovely view from our condo), at Jayme's urging and my #wemustseeallthethings neurotic completer/finisher disposition, we set out for Mt. Iron. Mt. Iron was NOT a stroll. It was an uphill battle, and I was tired and maybe I was cranky, too. Ok, so honesty requires that I tell you that I was indeed cranky, and I wasn't quiet about my preference for couch time. Jayme just smiled, and onward we trudged.
Though the path was 100% up, the views were gorgeous.It was like 0 to 545 meters up in four switchbacks. For a weakling like myself, that's tough. We were passed by everyone - soccer moms in their athletic wear, hiker girl with a huge pack, dudes walking their dogs, runners. All the peoples passed us as I moaned and groaned each step of the way up Mt. Iron.
But, as we "strolled" I couldn't deny that Wanaka is a pretty cute little city. It's like the upscale suburbia of the South Island.
Our friends shared that many folks move to Wanaka for retirement. I can see why.
After "the stroll," we ventured into the city proper to explore and find lunch. What's perfect after burgers at Speight's Alehouse? Right! Gelato at Patagonia Chocolates. We nabbed a delish scoop each (I recommend a dark chocolate and berry sorbet combo), then wandered down to the lake front. It was a beautiful day, and folks were out and about.
Finally, it's time to rest, sit on the couch and stare at the lovely mountain views afforded from said couch. And there may have been a delightful nap involved.
That evening we caught a movie at Cinema Paradiso, which is hilarious. It's a series of ramshackle buildings strung together to create a theater. Seating is a mish mash of couches, theater seats, chairs, etc. The screen is like a home theater version over a black sheet, and they put an intermission in every movie so that you can pick up the warm cookies you ordered before the show began. Clever, Paradiso, clever. We watched The Girl in the Spider's Web. It was a fun way to relax.
Tomorrow we are heading to the adventure capital of the world. Adventure + The Endicotts = ?
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