Wanaka - Ambleside on steroids

Gill's notes:

Am. cloud. Walked to lake - very windy. Went to New World - bought sausages and burgers. Lunch at Appt. Walked to lake - trail to Eely Point. V. lovely but still windy. Talked to Finnish woman. Fast walk back - rain. Cooked in apt - open window for smells.

 

It is almost inevitable if you post pictures of South Is. on social media that someone, well actually quite a few people with tell you it reminds them of Scotland. I can understand that, it has lakes, mountains, scattered small communities and spectacular inlets. However, photography doesn't  really give  a sense of scale and aside from everything else, so far as geography goes, New Zealand's South Island is far grander than bonnie Scotland.. It is almost three times the area of Scotland but has a fifth of the population.  Ben Nevis is a third of the height of Mount Cook and Loch Lomond a third of the size of Lake Te Anau. Not only is New Zealand more sparsely populated it is wilder and less touched by human habitation. Scotland was one of the later places in Europe to be inhabited by humans. There is no evidence of neanderthal settlement, the first evidence of modern humans found so far is on Islay, dating from the end of the last ice age, around 14,000 years ago. The first Polynesian settlers reached New Zealand a mere 800 years ago and the first permanent European settlement was established at Kerkeri only  in 1814. There is something primordial about the more remote places in New Zealand, the culture feels familiar but the landscape at times seems almost other worldly.

Faced with the unfamiliar I suppose it is a natural human reaction to seek parallels with something or somewhere that reminds you of home. As much as I might be sceptical of Wanaka's Caledonian credentials I found myself falling into the same trap. After wandering around the compact centre full of outdoor clothing stores, adventure sports equipment shops and places promising an adrenaline packed experience pitched at well-honed fellow tourists - I posted that Wanaka was 'Ambleside on steroids'. Of course it isn't, but there is something about social media that almost demands a pithy, yet facile response.

Civilisation! A bank machine, a cafe and a cold beer...

After perusing a few menus we found nothing to tempt us so headed off to the New World supermarket to restock on wine and buy a few ingredients. Though the motel looked basic from the outside it had a well equipped kitchen. Not all do, so when we get the opportunity to self cater it is  a good way to save a bit. New Zealand is not quite so eye watering in terms of the cost of things as Australia, but is probably a little bit more pricey than the UK, and we are shoestring tourists - 'old backpackers' as Gill put it.

In one respect New Zealand is like home. The weather is very unpredictable. We arrived in Wanaka in sunshine. The next morning it was colder and blustery, still the path by the lake was lovely with a great view towards the mountains at the head of the lake.

After lunch the weather closed in, blustery became squally. The lake assumed a more sublime aspect, the mountains wreathed in cloud, the water pewter-grey. We fell into conversation with a Finnish woman from Turku who was on holiday here with her teenage daughters. They were only down under for a fortnight, mixing a week in Australia with a week here. It's a long way to fly for such a short time. I suppose the Scandinavian winter gloom tempts people to take desperate measures.

Our conversation was cut short by a sudden sharp shower, rain mixed with sleet. We scurried for shelter under the trees. The Finnish family continued their lakeside walk. I was reminded of an article I once read about primary schools in Finland. They insist the children have at least two half hour periods of outside play every day, whatever the weather. When questioned about this the teacher explained that in Finland there was no such thing as 'bad weather' only inappropriate clothing.