“Lindis Pass, take two”

This morning had a smattering of high clouds. Just enough so Fred couldn’t get the red morning light on Mount Sefton for pictures as he did the day prior. This should turn out to be an easy day. We didn’t have much planned except for the drive to Queenstown.

We started with a quick 1-hour return hike to Kea Point. It’s a very gradual uphill climb to the lookout over Mueller Glacier at the terminal face end. It was quite pretty. I went a bit beyond the lookout as Fred set up his tripod there. But the trail got smaller and smaller and a bit too close to the edge (perhaps the one the signs refer to when they warn you of “Unstable Cliff Edges!”), so I took a couple of quick photos and returned to the lookout.

Fred had been driving the entire time so far and I offered to drive until Gibbston Valley. Now he could enjoy the scenery. I only turned on the wipers once in confusion with the turn signal. I found the drive through Lindis Pass really fun! We stopped at the summit lookout to stretch our legs and find a geocache. But an entire busload of tourists arrived about the same time and we had to mull around waiting for them to leave.

I had wanted to wine taste at Peregrine, since the wines and architecture were well reviewed. Both lived up to their reputation. We asked about a spot to picnic and a road just up from us was recommended. Rafters Road is just a short gravel road to the river, had lots of picnic tables, and we had it all to ourselves! The views were amazing and there was a restored historical hut known as Rum Currie’s Hut where, naturally, another geocache was.

Then down the road we stopped at the Bungy Bridge to get a geocache we missed the first day through on bicycles.

So we settled in early at 9B Panorama Place and contacted Sam about our kayak and dinner adventure for this evening. It was just shy of 3pm and the weather was great.

But it didn’t last. Soon after I talked with Sam, a big black cloud came over the mountains and it started raining. Hoping that it would clear up, or not be as bad at the head of Lake Wakatipu, we walked into town to the meeting point. Sam was there and sadly told us he didn’t feel comfortable taking us out given the weather. We rescheduled for the following evening.

The Adventure Continues>>>