Hey, macky....

[Bruce Tackett]

Ever been to Wanaka? It's listed as one of the most beautiful small towns in the world.

edition.thrillist.com/s/best-small-towns-world-db52aa8dedce4d8c?utm_campaign=bestsmalltownsworld-8bda99d7853e46a3&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=oat&utm_term=HOMEPAGE_US

[macky]

No Sir, I haven't.  The only places I've been in the South Island have been Christchurch,  but mainly Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island,  

marlboroughnz.com/the-marlborough-sounds/


www.google.com/search?q=photo+of+queen+charlotte+sound+nz&rlz=1C1CHBD_enNZ904NZ904&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=qZb0tRRg7c6ljM%252CVY1CbQJS_I3oPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSMwiFdLiMnWUnGzI6ZMuOqMythaQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwilx5rN0PTrAhUKA4gKHXIFCUAQ9QF6BAgKEDE&biw=1366&bih=585#imgrc=qZb0tRRg7c6ljM

Wellington-Picton ferries 1954, 1961-68-73.  Navy launch 1966. Fishing boat 1974. If circumstances were different re family, I would shift to Picton as quick as I could pack my bag. 

Places like Wanaka are further down the South Island huddled in between the mountains down there, the highest which is about 12,000ft.  Quite a few lakes as can be seen in your photo. 

 www.google.com/maps/place/Wanaka/@-44.8370916,170.6409761,7z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0xa9d5461db9ec2d6f:0x500ef868479c1e0!8m2!3d-44.6943222!4d169.141694

If you're ever over here it's easy to just hire a car or a camper-van and run about the place, but in the winter you'll often need chains on the wheels if you go down there.  Up in the north of the North Island where I am it hardly ever snows at all.  

[Deuce Gunner]

Wow! That's not how I picture a mining town where the rarest mineral in the world is mined, is supposed look like. Oh wait, I'm sorry. I was thinking Wakanda. Wrong city, wrong continent. 

[Bruce Tackett]

Sept 19, 2020 7:12:48 GMT macky said:

Up in the north of the North Island where I am it hardly ever snows at all.  

That's right. Things are topsy-turvy in your part of the world. We once drove south from New York to Florida. On the trip, I decided to note when I'd see the first palm tree. It was at the southern end of North Carolina.

Thanks for posting the travel log.

[Bruce Tackett]

Sept 19, 2020 11:01:37 GMT Deuce Gunner said:

Wow! That's not how I picture a mining town where the rarest mineral in the world is mined, is supposed look like. Oh wait, I'm sorry. I was thinking Wakanda. Wrong city, wrong continent. 

Interesting. A little research shows that Wanaka, NZ was a mining town.

[macky]

Gold mining has a big history here in both North and South Islands.   www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/heritage/heritage-topics/mining-gold/

Most people here have only a vague idea of how extensive it was.