Lake Wakatipu

Drove from Wanaka to Queenstown this morning, through some really beautiful scenery on the way. Went to the i-Site in Queenstown to check on conditions for the Kepler track which we were due to start tomorrow - bit surprised to find out that theywere on the verge of closing it (when the walking season starts tomorrow), and that the snow was waist-high. Also learnt that walkers were being helicoptered over the worst part of the Routeburn track - so that's looking unlikely, too.

Bit of a shame not to be able to do the Great Walks we'd planned to do, but we managed to look on the positive side and decided we could do several day walks instead - and maybe get to see one or two other places we wouldn't otherwise have got to.

Ate lunch in the car by the side of Lake Wakatipu, then went back into the town for a quick look around the shops. Had the most delicious ginger hot chocolate from Patagonia Chocolates. Drove on to Te Anau and checked into the lovely Red Tussock motel. Cooked dinner in our suite this evening, then wandered over to the lake across the road to photograph the sunset - alas, just a little too late. Decided to try again tomorrow....