After finishing our half day of skiing at Cardrona we started to make our way back towards Christchurch. Luckily our route took us back through Wanaka and so we were able to stop at our favourite ice cream shop for a little after lunch treat. The weather was warm enough that we were able to sit out on the beach and enjoy the view across the lake whilst we ate our desserts. After a couple of taste tests we are pretty sure that the lemon sorbet and chocolate macadamia nut are our favourites, but we also think that we will need to head back there for some more testing, just to be sure!
Although we have done the drive from Wanaka to Christchurch a few times now, it is such a beautiful journey and always looks a little different depending on the season. After leaving Wanaka you climb up and over Lindis Pass, which is 971 metres (3,185 feet) above sea level. The scenery as you cross Lindis Pass is different from much of that in New Zealand; the hills are a little more rounded and covered in tussock grass making the area seem less lush and tropical than we are used to seeing here.
After descending Lindis Pass it isn’t long before you start to pass the various lakes which make the central part of the South Island famous.
The colour of Lake Pukaki is always dramatic, and with the sun shining on Mount Cook in the distance we stopped to admire the views.
A little further back towards Christchurch you pass through the town of Tekapo which is located on the shores of Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo doesn’t have the same blue colouration that Lake Pukaki does, but with the surrounding hills covered with fresh snow it was nice to see the lake in a different season after our visit in autumn.
From Tekapo the route continues through the Mackenzie Basin and as we left the high country, the countryside changed again and the green fields of sheep and cows that form the Canterbury Plains were visible almost as far as the eye could see. Crossing the Canterbury Plains doesn’t take long and soon we were back in Christchurch in time to get ready for the week ahead.