Twizel

Before we head to Wanaka… It’s a weird hypocritical thing to be annoyed with the number of tourists in this picture. But then… I’ve appeared in many photos as an “unknown tourist” of people I’ve never met. It’s also a cultural irk of mine to see people ruining a beautiful picturesque photo by shoving their face in front of it. But this is travel, I guess. Try enjoy the scenery, and do a bit of Asian-spotting if you feel like it.

Twizel is the largest town in the Mackenzie District (in Canterbury) but we drove through it for the most part. It's known for having one of the cleanest, driest and darkest skies in the world, and is a popular place for astronomers.

Wanaka

Or Wakanda, as Kyle calls it. This was his favourite town to visit, for reasons that surpass my understanding. It was freezing cold, but our AirBnB was situated on a lovely quiet stretch of road that had a fantastic view of the mountain (name unknown). The town feels small, and has a strong community feel to it. Something that probably contribute to Kyle’s interest in living there.

Wanaka is considered a resort town, which now that I think about it, might be what attracts Kyle to it.
It's also a relatively popular filming location, boasting settings from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and A Wrinkle in Time.

We're heading to the west coast now and be ready for some of my favourite photos!