Lazing by lakes

 Over the past weeks I've sat reading my book by the side of three different lakes; Lake Wakatipu, Lake Wanaka and Lake Tekapo. I'm now in Picton for a few days before starting my next wwoofing just north of Blenheim.
It's been a very relaxing week; I've mostly been going for day walks and soaking up the sun whilst paddling along the lake shores.

 I started in Queenstown where I got everything sorted after the Routeburn, climbed Queenstown hill and failed to do a bungee swing.
The walk up Queenstown hill was magical; it started through the trees with white spotted toad stools littering the ground, then opened out on to the grassy hill side with fox gloves lining the path and spectacular views of Queenstown and across to the top of the gondola.

On the Sunday I was meant to be doing a bungee swing, which my friend Mealiny had given me as she couldn't make it. I was all ready to go with a girl from my room, just waiting for the bus, then they called our number and told us it was too windy and all we could do was reschedule but I was leaving for Wanaka the next day so couldn't do it. As consolation, and because it was raining, I went to vudu cafe for a hot chocolate instead.

Next morning I caught the 8am bus to Wanaka, possibly my favourite town in New Zealand. Once checked in to the YHA where there was a kitchen in my 6 bed room(!) I went next door to the cinema which had been recommended to me. Here I watched the Book Thief from the back seat of an old car; others were sat on old sofas.
The next day I walked to puzzling world, a place full of optical illusions; I ended up just looking around the entrance area as it was too nice a day to spend inside. Instead I took a walk up Mount Iron to take a view across Wanaka (seen below) then had one of the best Mochas I've had in New Zealand (pictured above) before going for a paddle in the cool water.

Next day I was on the move again, north to Lake Tekapo. I was hoping to do some star gazing here but unfortunately, although there were clear skies both days, the clouds rolled in at night.
During the two days I had there I went for some short walks, including one up to the Mt John Observatory. From the top of Mt. John I was able to see for miles across parched flat land with mountains in the distance (pictured to the right and below). It was a lovely walk which I ended with another, colder, paddle. On the first evening the clouds had their use as they created a beautiful sunset; a lovely backdrop to the Church of Good Shepherd; I definitely took far too many photos of this (one of these is below). I attempted some star gazing on my last night and managed to see Orion framed by cloud; I gave up when a Chinese family shone their headlights in my eyes and questioned why I was sat alone, on the ground, in the middle of the golf course, in my pyjamas,in the dark.

My final days of the past week took me to Christchurch for one night then on to Picton. The bus to Christchurch was only 4 hours but seemed to stretch on for an eternity due to the very loud and very drunk Irish girls in the back.
It's now February meaning I'm in the final month of my travels; just two weeks left. I hope they continue to astonish and inspire me and that I meet yet more friendly people.