Hiking Lake Hawea

Remember our new travel pals Hannah and Logan? They're in our campground! We stopped in this morning to say hi to these adventurers, on a six-month healing journey through the South Island. They purchased their rig used and re-did the interior, including making new curtains out of their wedding tablecloths from last year.

Cold air meets warmer lake water. A gorgeous, icy cold morning.

But it's on days like these that the sun comes over the mountains to produce crystal clarity.

Perfect for an eight-mile walk.

We began in wool sweaters and coats, but peeled them off several miles in.

This is about the sum total of Hawea Township: a building housing realtors, post office, and a take-away place with a few groceries. There is also a restaurant/bar not far away.

We stopped for a flat white in the take-away place and Art found a squeezeable sourdough loaf from Adam and Eve's Bakery in Wanaka, the town just a few minutes away.

After the walk I was really hungry. As I was paying for the loaf I said to the young check-out woman: if I had some butter I'd start eating this right now.

She brought us butter. Kiwis are the nicest people.

On the return, we saw this battered caravan perched on the water.

Quickly, quickly, sunlight is fading and shadows loom cool. A wind has picked up tonight, bringing in more clouds and warmer air.