"Diversion Not Applicable"

HURRAY!! Haast Pass wasn't closed, which means we didn't have to take the 12 hour detour. We still got up at a decent time though, which meant we got to have a nice leisurely drive.

The views were amazing. We started off on the coast road down to Haast Township, which took in temperate rainforest and massive cliffs.

Then we hit Haast Pass itself. Huge mountains, beautiful forests and the Haast River winding alongside the road.

As we came to Makarora at the southern end of the pass, the sun decided to make an appearance. We attempted to get some photos at Lake Wanaka, but we got bitch-slapped by nature again, so we fled in the car.

Fortunately by the time we got to Lake Hawea on the other side on the range the rain had stopped, the wind had dropped and the sun was well and truly out. We want to live here.

What should have been a 4 and a half hour drive turned into about 7 hours with all the photo stops we took. It was just that amazing.

We weren't so taken with Queenstown. The hostel there remains our least favourite so far. Cramped and full of drunk people. Ugh.