22/03/2018 - Panic and Trembling

After a glorious sunrise over Lake Tekapo and the morning madness in the unisex showers, there was nothing standing in the way of our departure. So we visited the 'Church of the Good Shepherd' one last time and then set off on the long journey to Wanaka.
Over time, the weather deteriorated increasingly. But it wasn't just the heavy rain that worried us. In a distance of 150 kilometers, there was no opportunity to refuel. However, we only realized this when we had already completed half of the section. One would think that 75 kilometers is not too much. But they cannot be compared to German distances. It was constantly up and down hills. The highest elevation was about 970 meters. We trembled up the mountain pass and then the moment came. The fuel light came on! We imagined the worst scenarios. Now it was time to reduce the average speed and have nerves of steel. We crept along the highway, regularly being overtaken by a few cars. We tracked our location via GPS. Luckily, there are apps these days that show you where the next fueling opportunity is. 'Just one more curve and we're there!' was already said ten minutes before reaching the gas station. But our car did not let us down and we reached the pump, which belongs to a small excursion restaurant. A huge weight was lifted off our shoulders!
A few 'stones' lighter and with the car now quarter full, we drove the remaining kilometers to Wanaka. Once there, faithful 'Sam' was finally topped up with fuel. In the late afternoon, we checked in at the familiar campground.

The next day promised no improvement in the weather. For the first time, we started thinking about how long we could endure being in the car?! Because the night was bitterly cold. The nearby mountains greeted us in the morning with snow-covered peaks.
After a hot shower and a late breakfast, we were ready for the day. But the persistent rain drove us into the lounge of the campground. Writing blog posts. Watching movies. Charging electronics.
In the evening, the rain let up for a brief moment. We took advantage of the opportunity to stretch our legs. 'That Wanaka Tree', a lonely tree on the edge of Lake Wanaka, was already known to us from our first visit. After the beautiful evening walk, we hid in the car and hoped not to be snowed in the next morning.