from Wanaka to Queenstown

Yesterday we celebrated Mattis' 10th birthday in Wanaka with beautiful weather. First, we hiked up Mt. Iron and had a great view over Wanaka and the surrounding area. However, the wind was blowing heavily... So we quickly went back down to warmth. At 10 o'clock, we were ready for a bike tour along the lake. We stopped at a playground and then went back the same way. We parked the rented bikes at the motel and walked back into town to have a piece of cake. Since Matti is not so easy when it comes to dessert, we shared a carrot muffin! Then we went to a surprise - the Puzzling World. There were various optical illusions and a huge maze. It took us a while to find the four towers and the hardest part was yet to come - the way to the exit. Since we were getting tired and not everyone was in a good mood anymore, we split up. Noor and I were about to give up when we accidentally found the exit after all! Matti and Alex were already waiting... So we went back to the motel, where we had an aperitif. Since the sun was still shining so beautifully, we made ourselves comfortable in front of our room and played catch. Afterwards, we had the menu that Matti had chosen - lamb rack, lamb steak, potatoes, and leek. For dessert, we had apple-cinnamon muffins with candles... Today we took it easy in the morning and drove over the Crown Range. Once again, it's simply incredible what nature has to offer here! From there, we went to the famous bungee bridge. There is now a huge center - we were impressed. I was shocked that you can actually go bungee jumping from the age of 10. Fortunately, Matti didn't want to do that at all! Then we went to the nearby wine tasting - Chard Farm. Beautiful location and interesting wines. We've already stocked up for Christmas and New Year's! :-) After that, we went to the motel and got a huge apartment. It's almost a pity that we're only staying here for one night! We went to the airport, shopping, and then strolled along the lake. There are definitely the most people here!!! We took advantage of the great weather and took the gondola up. The view was also fantastic here. Then an aperitif by the lake with an involuntary swim on my part (of course Noor was to blame)... And then off to bed early!