Busy times and well-earned break

Where have the past months disappeared to. I have been super busy with Airbnb with lots of very interesting guests from mny countries.mweather has been amazing, very hot at times and then an occasional overnight change from 32 degrees the day before to 10 the next morning and snow on the Alps. Have played loads of tennis, enjoyed great movies and plays and concerts in the Gardens. It has been fantastic, and exhausting.

Luckily we have the serene River Avon flowing through the city, cool on the hottest  days.

The city continues to take shape with new buildings primarily of glass next to some of the few remaining okder buildings - being made of wood helped this pub to survivw the quakes of 8 years ago. 

So, it was time to pack my bags and head away for a break, to see David and my friends down south.

The trip to Wanaka was a hot, dry affair, but absolutely gorgeous as always. It is rare to see Mount Cook without clouds. Actually, I love this lake more with clouds, and they make driving less tiring.

However, it does not take long to recover when you have a view like this! Arriving at Edgewater and being allocated rooms right by the lake and pond was magical. What a fantastic outlook. It almost seems a crime to go away for the day!

Of course, as sun sets, the lake be comes even more breathtakingly beautiful. Not a breath of wind. It was simply sensational!

The lone tree, never alone die to the dozens of keen photographers, was as lovely and photogenic as always. I cannot resist a photo every time. This one did not disappoint.

Another incredible day in paradise! Windstill and cloudless. As David said, such days are pretty rare and so we made the most of the early morning. I got  back into my canoe for the first time in more than a decade and David had his sup. What a beautiful feeling it was to glide through the crystal clear, shallow waters towards the magnificent Mount Aspiring. I didn't go too far but so enjoyed being back on the water.

We headed out to a local agricultural festival in Hawea, the neighbouring township. It was hot and arid so it was a quick visit there, but these poor dogs had to sit and wait for their owners to return. So cruel!

It was marvelous to spend some time on the shores of Lake Hawea. Most tourists miss it, just skirting it en route for The West Coast. What a marvelous country I live in. Imagine this glorious place in Europe at the weekend on a summer's day, with perfect weather! How lucky we are not to have to share this with millions of others!

On the way home we stopped off to do a walk we have never done, down by the Clutha River, one of NZ's longest rivers. Despite the heat, it turned out to be a great stroll.

We had spectacular views over this area, towards the West Coast. It is so hard to believe we are only 120 kilometres away from the wild West Coast and dense rainforest.

Wanaka remains my favourite place in the world!