Well, part of one anyway 🙂
Media – Round 6
Climb Every Mountain (3/13/23) – Photos
Climb Every Mountain (3/13/23) – Video
3/13/23 @ 10:30pm – Ramada Suites by Wyndham, Auckland, NZ
All trip photo albums
Trip video playlist
Mr. Seamon-Ingalls:
Everything is relative, so waking up this morning at 5:30 in order for everyone to be ready for a 6:30 breakfast seemed normal? Kind of. By a little after 6:30 we were across the street having breakfast at the hotel restaurant, which was humming with lots of other people who were up early getting ready for their day. We packed in lots of fuel and by 7:30 we were all checked out and on the road for Wanaka.
The morning was damp and we had some rain, but by the time we got to Wanaka 90 minutes later we had partly cloudy skies and a cool breeze. The sky was clear and we could see across the lake and deep into the surrounding mountains. At the base of our track we found out that my assessment of the trail was a little off… Well, it was very well maintained, but it was lots of switchbacks. So, we dug in and were treated to better and better views as we climbed higher up the slopes.
We spread out on the trail with each group moving at their own pace. Some sheep and cows were nearby as we climbed, and by the time we turned around we could see for miles into the valley and over the town. The walk down was quick and everyone was a bit tired as we got back onto the bus and drove the short distance to downtown Wanaka.
Everyone then got 90 minutes to get lunch and also pick up something for dinner. The town was so much fun to explore. Lots of great shops and many food options, with stunning views everywhere. It’s quite a place! By 2pm we were all back on the bus and most of us slept on the 90 minute ride back to Queenstown where Bob dropped us off at the airport. After saying goodbye to Bob and Kate and enjoying a little more time in the sun, we checked in, cleared security for the 4th time, and relaxed at the gate before our flight.
Once again Air New Zealand was a smooth ride and we touched down in Auckland a little after 8pm where we were immediately greeted by our driver for the night and tomorrow morning, Abdul. Our bags promptly showed up and we only had a short walk to three waiting vans. We packed in and about 15 minutes later we arrived at our hotel. During the ride I chatted with Abdul who’s from Fiji and he gave me some tips and suggestions.
We had a quick group meeting before everyone was sent up to their rooms for the night. Check in happened at 10, and everyone was encouraged to get to sleep immediately. Tomorrow we’re up early to head to the airport… and fly off to Fiji!