Wanaka.

Elisa.
Jan 5, 2020
2 min read

Next stop for us was Wanaka. But before we hit the town we decided to take one last chill day in the nature. We stoped by lake Paringa, which was very close to the highway. There was a lot of cute spots for camping and picturesque landscapes around the lake.

We had no reception since leaving Fox Glacier, and this place was no exeption. No reception, no internet conection, just nature in its glory.

It wasn't that bad, because we got to do other things, like cooking, reading a book and just disconnect from the world.

The next day we reached Wanaka. Just when the highway reached the spot where Lake Wanaka almost meet Lake Hawea we got the reception (it was good to know that there is this part where theres no any connection, and when we lost contact with our friends for two days, we knew that they are somewhere between Fox Glacier and Wanaka).

I knew a latvian guy living in Wanaka, so I knew about this city only by the things that he had told me. One of them was that he felt here much like home. And when we saw a lot of birch and oak trees, the feeling of beeing home hit us too. I knew what he ment.

In Latvia there are a lot of these trees. The only difference was - Latvia is a very very flat country, but here, close to Wanaka it is all about mountains. They surrounded lakes, cities and villages, and gave them a "hug" from every side possible. It was magical.

We spent some time by the Lake Wanaka admiring the famous Wanaka tree, that grows in the water (actually there are plenty of trees growing in lakes around this area, but you know... this one is famous :D ).

Wanaka is mainly a resort town with both summer and winter seasons. Its economy is based on the many outdoor activities, starting from kayaking, mountain climbing, hiking, skiing and many tours that it offers to tourists. It is very clean town like most in New Zealand, but it is also very cute looking. Every corner has it's purpose, either it's a park, or a fountain or a nice bench where to enjoy the view. Wanaka have a lot of restaurants, cafes and even a diverse nightlife.