Morning view northward across the lake.
After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and loaded our bags onto the bus. We stopped at an ATM to replenish the cash we used at dinner two nights before. Nicky parked the bus at the lakeside on the other side of town (i.e. beyond Missy’s were we walked two nights previous), She had arranged to have the bus driven to the other end of the trail. This trail followed the edge of the lake to where the Clutha River flowed from Lake Wanaka. The volumetric flow of the river is the largest in New Zealand and visually the current is very strong. The trail hugged the riverbank as it rose and dipped among the trees and scrub. The weather, which had been threatening, was sunny and I removed my fleece soon after starting. The weather has held for us so far on this trip.
From the end of this trail we drove further south to a vineyard, Gibbstons, not far outside of Queenstown. There we had lunch - a shared harvest plate for two, and a bottle of wine for the table. Afterwards, we toured the vineyard’s cave and had a wine tasting there underground. Jonathan and I both agreed that the Pinot Gris (a/k/a Pinot Grigio) was the most interesting of the Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Barely five minutes down the road was the bungee jumping concession at the old bridge across the Kawarau River. This apparently is the original concern that started selling the experience of jumping off a bridge with giant rubber bands tied to your ankles for a cool $150. They have the gear so carefully calibrated they can set it so you just enter the water before being yanked out or just graze the surface. The first jumper we watched did not get wet, although the rebound back upward is very significant, so you get several drops for the price of one.
Morning view northward across the lake.
Pausing on the path - Nicky, Tom, Pat, and Jim. A rare face shot - I'm usually taking pictures of their backs.
Looking across the lake to the Edgewater Resort, where we spent the last two nights.
The same variety of bush we saw on the first day of walking at Kura Tawhiti. (I've forgotten what Nicky called it.)
The green sheaths are protecting native seedlings from rabbits until they can grow large enough to survive.
Looking northward towards the Mount Aspiring National Park where we tramped the day before.
Another shot.
Looking eastward where pasture lands lie between the lake and ridges.
Lupine - it's an introduced species but seems to be much less vexing that gorse or Scotch broom.
Nicky and Tom on the path (back to photographing folks' backs).
Another view eastward.
The Clutha River.
Another shot of the river.
Nicky and Tom wait at the trail's end for the rest of us.
The bungee jumping platform on the bridge over the Kawarau River, just west of Gibbstons vineyard.
Someone just jumping off the bridge. See white arrow in each of the remaining shots to show where he is.
Down over the water.
Starting to rebound.
Pretty high on the rebound.
Down over the water again.
Another rebound.
And he's done; a boat comes down river with a pole for him to grab; then folks above lower him into the boat.
None of us was so enamored with the idea of bungee jumping that they wanted to try it, so we headed on into Queenstown and checked into our hotel. Dinner was not for another 2 and 1/2 hours, so Jonathan and I took the chance to take a little nap. The hotel room was a bit on the elaborate side; there were switches to control all sorts of things from turning on the in-floor heater in the bathroom to an electronic “do not disturb” indicator. There was a throw on one of the chairs made of possum fur (the local possum is hunted for its fur, which is a rich dark brown-black). The bellhop offered to explain how to use the TV, a 60” plasma unit with a DVD player - we just told him the only information we wanted was how to turn it off.
We met for our formal farewell dinner in the lobby and walked over to a seafood restaurant overlooking the harbor. The food, as usual, was excellent. We did catch a brief glimpse of the Remarkable Range, the mountainous backdrop of Queenstown, out of the clouds and mist that had descended on the town.
We made arrangements to go on the one-day extension of the trip - a one-day excursion to the Milford Sound. I gave Nicky the cash to cover the cost back in Wanaka using the bills that were in my wallet when I fell into the Moeraki River. The bills were still a bit wet from the dunking they took in my pocket.