march 7

Today it is rained in Queenstown. As disappointing as it is for traveling and hiking, we feel relieved for this portion of New Zealand to have some water to fill their drought-burdened lands. I can imagine finding a lot to do in Queenstown if we could scratch beneath the advertising dollars and college-like atmosphere.

Despite my disappointment in the consumerism, since returning from The Ice, I am enjoying my time in New Zealand, and I am glad I have the company of J, Kevin, Marty, and Genevieve. I'll miss them when I say goodbye in the morning!

From Queenstown we traveled the scenic and short route to Wanaka. I love this town and wish I could spend more time in between the beautiful hills and lake! The weather was rainy most of the day and we spent a lot of time sipping coffee, looking for a backpackers with vacancy. We cleaned the van, met up with Ben (from Antarctica), and had Indian food for dinner! I wandered around the town and waterfront fro awhile which was nice. Ben and I also caught up for a bit about where we had been since leaving McMurdo.

Tomorrow, in a few hours, I wake up to drive solo back to Chirstchurch. I am looking forward to the solitude and seeing the geography between Wanaka and the East Coast.