Day 3: West Coast Trip: Lake Matheson, Haast, Lake Wanaka, Queenstown

We woke up FREEZING in our room. I could see my breath while I lay in bed. I guess the heater didn't circulate all too well. In fact, Ruben, Fiona, and Sadia decided to pile all their twin blankets together and sleep on the pull out in the kitchen area to share body warmth. Mallary and I also cuddled all night to keep warm! Lake Matheson is known for its incredibly peaceful reflection of Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook, and we found that it was only 6 kilometers from our hotel so we braved to see it in the morning. We then made the long drive from Fox to Queenstown, over 400 kilometers! We stopped at Knights Point, Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea, the summit overlooking Arrowtown, and checked out the nightlife in Queenstown. 

Lake Matheson's reflection of Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook (slightly disturbed by two ducks in the water).

Lake Matheson

Knight's Point. You can't tell in this picture but handfuls of seals dot the coastline below me. 

DETOUR! A tree fell on the road (intentionally cut down). This was a nice 30 minute pause in our road trip.

Kodak moment next to Lake Hawea

In love with New Zealand...with the help of Sadia's creativity.

 

Holding a snowball on the Summit of the Crown Mountain Range. This is the highest sealed road in all of New Zealand.

Queenstown wharf by night.