Summer Holidays in Wanaka

This year we went away for 5 days or so to Wanaka.  The original plan was to see the sights in Invercargill, but when we tried to book accommodation (at the last minute) we discovered the place was full of bikers for the Burt Munro Challenge so we changed our plans.  David and I hadn't been to Wanaka for 20 years - since our honeymoon - and the kids have never been, so it seemed like a good idea.

On the way up we stopped at Lawrence and Cromwell but it was a surprisingly easy trip - I suppose everyone has just grown up that much now that we don't need to be stopping every half hour.

We stayed at the Albert Town camping ground, where we stayed 20 years ago - still infested with rabbits, but not too noisy.  Every evening there would be cars parked, some with wee tents beside them, some not, and every morning by about 10am the place would empty out again until 6 pm or so when the next wave would arrive.  There are a startling number of brand new houses in Albert Town and Wanaka, and I'm not sure that the town is keeping up with so many new people - the supermarket was crowded every time we went and it was difficult to get a park anywhere.  It must be incredibly crowded in the actual school holidays, and over New Year.

We arrived in plenty of time to set up our 3 tents.  It got down to 7C or 8C overnight but this year we actually brought enough bedding and didn't freeze.  (Usually after our first night we spend the day doing the op shops for duvets and eiderdowns)
We did make a trip to the legendary Wanaka Wastebusters (the tip shop) to get a container for doing the dishes in, as we forgot that - and to the supermarket for tea and coffee.

That afternoon we went for a walk to the Lake Outlet.  We walked from the camping ground, and found it was half an hour's walk to the start of the track - by this point Eva had already fallen over 3 times, skinning her knees and elbows, so I went back to the camp with her and Petra while David took the older kids on the main walk.  It was a nice quiet walk along the Clutha River and we soon learnt to keep alert for cyclists sharing the track.