Wanaka to Queenstown (1st visit)

Cripes! That was an excillerating trip from beautiful Wanaka (well up there with my favourite places ever).

The mood was bouyant among the group at breakfast, as we munched on our muesli mountains.

The sky was clear blue with the promise of no need for rain jackets. Slightly cool air to start, which soon warmed as the first miles ticked by. It looked remarkably more brown on the mountainsides and made me think about some pictures mum used to have of the grand canyon. Steve was also thinking it was somewhat like Nevada. 

I had Bonanza in my head, mixed in with Indiana Jones. Plus of course Phil Collins, who was back with a vengence after hearing Monsieur Godof at breakfast time❤️

Today was 'Crown Pass' day, essentially a climb and descent if you happened to skim your eye over the daily profile.

It was all very gradual for the 15miles to our coffee stop, the only place en route so we made ourselves comfortable in the garden at the wild west style hotel:

It was actually so pleasant I almost started thinking I could stay all day sat there, as if?!?!

So after that the steepness picked up, resulting in the need for 'out of the saddle' mode on quite a few occasions and a nice amount of huffing and puffing. Twice mother nature laid a soft hand on my back and gently blew me up the hill😄

At the end, what a view!!!! I think it thoroughly outdid the Galibier for wow-ness:

We all re-grouped, felt pleased with ourselves at the top and anticipated a quick whizz down as we spied Queenstown nestled far away in the distance next to the vivid blue water.

Layers on and we were off but oh my life how scary were those miles down?! The wind was very strong and gusty and while the heavier members of the group had no issues, some of us were everywhere!! I honestly considered calling Steve to drive back up and put me and my steed in the van, that shows how scary it was!!

Thankfully cars were patient as I wove a path in the middle of the road to allow for gusting movements (as did the other adventurers).

Between Jan and I if you had a dollar for every 'f' word you could fly to New Zealand.

Eventually we reached flatter road but the wind was still unrelenting and I pushed on to reach the motel, soaking up the stunning aquamarine colour of the Lake:

What a completely magnificent country this is from top to bottom. 

42miles today.