Wanaka, New Zealand
I had a yearning...a yearning to go back in time and meet a cherubic little 5 yr old. This girl who was fading from my memory was calling out to me. She had brown glistening eyes, a mop of dark hair & an impish smile. Her hair in pigtails, she toyed with an unruly curl and tugged on it gently over her forhead while sucking on her thumb. She wore a red dress with roses on them & sat on a staircase watching a family of sparrows that pecked on rice that her grandmother had left out for them. She giggled when they tumbled over each other fighting for their share. That night, I watched her sleep & listened in on her dreams. She lay in the meadows of green under the starry sky. She ran freely on the hills that were guarded by majestic mountains with snowy white peaks. She nestled in the warmth of the sun & gurgled with laughter while running along the rambunctious river. She jumped over colorful carpets of flowers, she chased bunnies and hugged fluffy lambs. She watched in awe the purity, magic, & splendor of the earth around her. She wanted to wrap her arms around it all and loose herself in a never ending embrace. When that little girl woke up, she was all grown up and found herself greeting a reality that far exceeded the beauty of her childhood dreams.
I got to spend 3 blissful weeks in Wanaka, a small town, about an hour from Queenstown in the south island of New Zealand. Wanaka's granduer is what hits you first...the snow capped mountain ranges, the big blue of lake Wanaka, the riot of spring flowers in bloom, the clean mountain air & fresh water, the endless rolling hills dotted with sheep, cows and horses...even the yellow weeds (planted by a homesick Irishman) that threatens to take over the local flora painted a beautiful picture.
We found a lovely villa on one of the quieter shores of the lake. We had views of the mountains, grassy hills on one side and the lake on the other. It cajoled me to laze in its lap, and so I did. A quiet happiness made its way into me every time I took a step out on the land. I walked langurously along the calm water, soaking in the sun. The stillness of my mind mirrored that of the lake. I also indulged in long drives...on windy wide open, never ending roads...it was mostly just me and an occasional car or truck that passed me along the way. Total pleasure!
Wanaka has a population of just about 5000 people. The quirky little town centre is filled with shops and eateries that caters mainly to the 20K + tourists who arrive on Wanaka's doorstep everyday. The locals are friendly, warm and welcoming. I was assured of engaging in a long conversation with a local whether I went to buy groceries, sports equipment, hardware or even just window shopping. It seemed like one of those rare inclusive communities, where people are genuinely interested in one another and their combined well-being. It only made me love Wanaka more.
Food
There was an abundance of farm fresh produce, local dairy and meat products, so cooking was a pleasure. There is a sweet little Farmer's Market every thursday...loved the cakes from Peppermint kitchen, (http://peppermintkitchen.com/) they are the best!! We ate many home cooked meals, the fact that we had an industrial style kitchen at our disposal inspired more than one of us to try out our culinary skills. Wanaka also has a wide range of restaurants that satisfies all palates and wallets.
My top 3 picks would be:
Francesca's Italian - http://fransitalian.co.nz/wanaka-home/
My favorites - The Saffron Prawn Rissotto...amazingly delicate flavor & the Polenta Fries with truffle oil...irresistable!!
Kika - https://www.facebook.com/kikawanaka/
When you are in the mood for some fine dining. Creative menu, loving attention to detail to every dish and my suggestion...pick the "Just feed me" option on the menu and sit back and wait to be surprised!
Big Fig - http://www.bigfig.co.nz/
Healthy yet yummy eatery. Loved their fun combinations and their caption - "Slow food, served fast".
The numerous ethnic restaurants...Indian, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Turkish etc, is guarenteed to satisfy any craving for familiar flavors.
Entertainment & activities
Cinema Paradiso - http://www.paradiso.net.nz
This is the bomb!!! A cozy little theatre with assortment of seats including sink in couches, family style sofas, velvet royal arm chairs, and get this...2-3 cars which can seat couples who like the feel of a drive-in theatre. They have an attached Cafe that serves seriously delicious food, and even if you sleep through the movie, please please don't forget to try their homebaked cookies - oversize, warm-your-soul, hot off the oven gooey goodness!!
Puzzling World - http://www.puzzlingworld.co.nz/
For a puzzle buff like me, this place was heaven. They had at least 25 tables, each filled with a variety of puzzles...the bus load of Chinese aunties and I could have stayed on for weeks and we still wouldn't have solved all of them! We also did the really tricky maze that took nearly 2 hours to complete and yes, I managed to beat the kids...the little devil in me was thrilled!
Skydiving - http://www.skydivewanaka.com/
If you are crazy enough to jump off a plane, please do it first in NZ! They have the best safety records and standards across the planet. That belief was the only thing that kept me from panicking as I watched the husband and kids jump off a plane from 15,000 feet!!!
We took heli tours to visit a couple of glaciers & mountain ranges including Milford Sound, Mt.Cook and Fox glacier. The walk on the glaciers was thrilling...despite me sinking into the deep snow every few steps! The Lake Takepo area is breathtakingly beautiful and an absolute must if you are visiting the south island.
Apart from trekking, hiking, along hundreds of well worn trails and paths, there is plenty of summer adventure activities such as abseiling, caving, canyoning, jet boating etc...not for the weak hearted ofcourse!
