Wandering Around Wanaka

Today started out with a list of things to do around Wanaka. We had to plan our travel to the Routeburn track, arrange a kayak trip in Milford Sound, call home, and most importantly, pick up my bike with its brand new wheel (oh boy!). In an attempt not to rush the kind bike mechanic, we arranged all our travel plans for the next few days first. After finally figuring out our biking plans and the bus schedules, arranging transport to and from the Routeburn, and organizing a kayak trip, I headed to the bike shop to see about my wheel. While I wasn't expecting it to be done this early in the day, I thought I would check in hopes of being able to ride around Wanaka for the afternoon.

I arrived at the bike shop to find the mechanic working on a wheel and the conversation went as follows:

Devon: Is that my wheel!!! (excitement in voice)
Nice Mechanic: No - it's not.
Devon: Oh... did the hub arrive today?
Brief Mechanic: No. It didn't.
Devon: Oh... did the courier not come yet?
Chill Mechanic: Yeah - he did. He didn't have the hub though.
Devon: (thinking - oh dear... this doesn't sound good... how will he build my wheel?) uh... err... does that mean you can't build a wheel? (sad face on)
Sympathetic Mechanic: Well... there are a few options I am looking into.
Devon: Ok. I'll come back later then? (fingers crossed)
Mechanic: Yeah.

Hopeful Devon left the bike shop and decided it was time to get out and explore Wanaka... the skies were clearing and the sun was peaking through the clouds... surely good news would come later today. So Mally and I found our way out to the nearby Mount Iron. One of the many hills surrounding Lake Wanaka that had been carved out by the glaciers of the past. We climbed up the hillside covered by brown grass, green shrubs, and rocky outcroppings. Although the hill was quite alive with vegetation, it seemed almost desert-like after coming from the rainforest. We arrived to the top to find a wonderful view of the surrounding area. In the distance was a ring of mountains glowing in the sun, with mountains beyond peaking out of the clouds. Inside the ring of mountains were fields and farms on one side and the city of Wanaka and the beautiful Lake on the other. The Finnish guy who arrived at the top shortly after us was a bit disappointed by the view, but I'm not sure what view he was looking at because seeing brilliantly carved mountains climbing into the grey clouds with the serene lake following the curves of the hills all around was quite a sight. Perhaps the rest of New Zealand had already spoiled him.

We walked our way to the base of the mountain and I eagerly returned to the bike shop to hear the good news.... which turned out to be not so good... no hubs in the town of Wanaka suitable for a wheel... and nobody in Queenstown offered much hope either. Oh dear... how am I going to get to Te Anau (a 3 day bike ride) in 3 days for my trip to the Routeburn (whick can't be rescheduled) and kayaking if my wheel is not going to be built until monday when the courier comes again (in 2 days)? Why can't rural New Zealand provide me with a wheel?! Quite the dilemma.... but I managed to hold back the tears and rethink all of our plans. After a few stops to the information center, several phone calls, and another stop in the bike shop, we had new plans in the works. Let's just hope the courier brings a hub!

All this running around called for a nice ice cream cone before we headed to our cabin down the street to unload all our gear once again and make some dinner. After dinner, I wandered to the lake, sat myself in a tree, and read a bit... what a spot - looking out onto lake Wanaka and the sunlit hills beyond, listening to the wooshing of the waves, and hearing little birds play beneeth my seat on the tree. As I took a break from my book to skip a few stones and appreciate the view that lay before me, I thought to myself, "this sure isn't a bad town to be stuck in for a few days."