Mmm Wanaka you make me sleepy

"The best part of waking up is Sprinklers up your butt!" - Mike

(to be sung to the tune of Folger's coffee commercials)

Getting up at 6 in the morning to avoid paying a camping fee: not as worth it as we perhaps thought. Sure we didn't end up paying any money and we got to eat breakfast on the lake front while the sun rose to light up the mountain ranges - but being that exhausted? No. Not worth it.

The boys made us oatmeal on a picnic bench and the sprinklers decided to come on in the middle of everything. So I watched, safe and warm from inside Adi, and decided to video tape them get soaked while trying to rescue breakfast. It was entertaining for certain.

We had already agreed that we would get a cheap motel room for that night as we knew we'd be sacrificing sleep, we hadn't showered in 7 days, we'd managed to camp for free all 7 days, and it was rumored to rain that night. So Dan fell asleep in the car, Mike went for a walk, and Tim and I hunkered down in the motel lobby to use the internet until we could check into our room. I had set up a much needed skype date with my friend and tour mate, April, and after several exhausted hours of internet use was able to take a shower in our motel room. We did our laundry and watched the worst television soap opera I've ever seen (hey- it was New Zealand made) and I fell asleep for a delicious three hour nap. I wish that I had had an opportunity to really hike around the Wanaka area because that is what it's known for: it's breathtaking views from its hiking trails up and around the lakes and mountains.

We made potato pancakes and a warm veggie salad for dinner before heading to Cinema Paradiso to watch "Due Date" starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The theater was so worth the $14 entrance fee: it only has one screen and there are old comfortable sofas and car seats and actual cars for people to sit in while watching the movie - AND they make their own previews/ads - AND there were the most AMAZING warm homemade cookies that are served during intermission (yes. there. was. an. intermission.). Hands down awesome sauce.

The next day we got up early to find it was pouring rain and ended up spending most of the day curled up indoors reading, journaling, and catching up on blog posts. Mike and I booked us a hostel in Queenstown, where were headed to that night, so that we wouldn't have to camp if it continued to rain. We said fairwell to a now rainy Wanaka and headed for the "Adventure Capitol Of The World": Queenstown.