On to Wanaka

Again, gorgeous scenery was the order of the day. A sight I didn't expect to see was the wide expanses of Lupins. True, they are classified as an invasive species, but what a spectacular sight!

Another surprising (to me, anyway!) sight - lots of giant irrigation sprinklers, up to 1 km in length.

Wanaka is a beautiful town - snow-capped mountains and a picturesque lake wherever you look.

From our base in Wanaka, we made many day trips.  Cardrona is only a 15 minute drive from Wanaka, and its main claim to fame is the Cardrona Hotel, with the vintage car out the front.

The beer garden is lovely - lots of cottage garden-type plants. And the local drop - Cardrona Gold - goes down very well!

Just outside of Wanaka is the fascinating National Transport & Toy Museum, where we spent a few hours looking at a huge range of toys - clockwork toys, Meccano and Lego, teddy bears, dolls (including a vast array of Barbies) as well as cars, engines, trucks, aeroplanes...

Barbies, anyone?