Today we fancied doing a ‘tramp’ as the sun was shining and we drove to Wanaka to check out weather report at the ever-helpful DOC Info Centre. It looked set to be fine so we headed east along the bumpiest 30km track following Matukituki River upstream, over nine fords to Raspberry Creek car park. The walk was so worth it though: ferocious winds whipped us up the valley and made crossing the river on the long swing bridge a bit scary. Ancient beech trees afforded protection from the worst of the gusts as we climbed above the tree line to spectacular views of Rob Roy Glacier. Here huge waterfalls were tumbling down over ledges but were swept away by the wind seemingly not to reach the bottom. We witnessed an avalanche and made friends with a kea – a clever alpine parrot that has adapted to its harsh environment by begging and often helping itself to food carried in rucksacks. Clouds gathered as we turned tail and were blown back through the forest, passed skipping lambs in the fields and kicked up more dust on our return drive to Glendhu Bay. As we set up camp at Lake Wanaka the rain started.
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