Christmas in Wanaka

Lake Wanaka

Well after giving Kip the best ever Christmas present of me being confirmed as an invalid by the doctors, we decided to stick to our plans and head to Wanaka, a lovely place about 45 minutes away from Queenstown. Here we would spend the next week chilling out and enjoying the sunshine over christmas. 


It has been weird leading up to Christmas, as usually in the UK there is a non-stop barrage of songs, adverts and deals to make you aware it is fast approaching the festive season. However, with our senses knocked out by having daylight until 10pm at night and it being lovely and warm (sorry if i am rubbing it in) - it just didn`t feel Christmasy.


Anyway, we ventured out on Christmas eve and did a massive shop for proper food, something that we have not done for a long while. Our wedding present from Lin & Mark (in-laws, for those that don`t know) was to have a meal out on Christmas day. However, we decided to not just have 1 meal out but in fact 12. That`s right, we turned it in to the 12 meals of Christmas. 

So Christmas eve approached and we chilled out at our hostel with a gourmet meal of...fish fingers, chips and baked beans ! Delicious. So midnight was fast approaching and we made sure we were in bed, ready for the big day.


We awoke on Christmas Day and headed for the 8am service at the local church in Wanaka. A lovely little place and a perfect dose of Christmas, carols and communion. We were very fortunate to start talking to a lovely English couple at the church (Bob & Sue), who now live in New Zealand and in the spirit of Christmas they invited us to their place in the afternoon for drinks !

We got back and had a nice breakfast, before opening a few presents under our make shift Christmas tree. After this we ventured out and went off for a walk along the lake edge and soaked up the sunshine. This was still a weird feeling, as last Christmas, Kip and I strolled in Windsor Great Park, in the Snow, freezing our noses off.

For our Christmas lunch what else could we have but a BBQ. So i was dispatched with tongs in my good hand and we cooked up a lovely Christmas day BBQ. After lunch and the obligatory snooze for Kip on Christmas Day, we headed over to Bob & Sue`s to spend a traditional kiwi afternoon. That`s right, outdoors, in the sunshine with a glass or two of something nice and chatting. We then ventured on to the neighbours house and were introduced to many more people from the UK etc who had moved to live in New Zealand. One of whom went to school at Farnborough Hill, only 3 miles down the road from our house in Frimley !!


After all that fun and excitement, there was only one way to wind down. That`s right, a cuppa tea, cheese, biscuits and a glass of port. Some Christmas traditions have to remain the same, regardless of where you are in the world. 

Boxing day was another lovely sunny day and more walks along the lake, followed by chilling out and enjoying the relaxing environs of Wanaka. Kip may also have had another little afternoon Christmas sleep (you know, to keep up with traditions).


Our final few days in Wanaka were spent with me mainly recuperating and not doing too much and avoid anyone walking into my shoulder. 

Although we did manage to visit the local funky cinema, which is the old town hall converted in to a cinema. The seats are an array of sofas, aeroplane seats and a bright yellow Morris Minor. 




We also went to Puzzling World, a weird place consisting of many optical illusions, puzzles and a mad maze that took us 45 minutes to complete. 

And so it was time for us to pack up Christmas and leave Wanaka. Our next trip was to work our way slowly up the West Coast of the South Island and find a suitable place to base ourselves for New Year.