Wanaka Wastebusters + Damper Bay Walk

Wanaka Wastebusters was at the top of our list when we left Lake Hawea a couple days ago heading for the Glendhu Bay campground. Open 9 to 5 seven days a week, this grand recycling effort is a perfect way to recycle used goods or find treasures of your own.

Big stuff, little stuff, and every bit and bob in between. Art found a critical charcoal grill piece here.

Indoors, I gorged on used books, tea towels, and pillow cases.

Art thought he might be able to turn this into an actual helicopter, but better angels prevailed (honey, did you forget your rotor?).

We cut through Wanaka town on our way west to Glendhu Bay.

This might be the prettiest powered campground we've stayed in. Virtually nobody here and endless views to drink in. Plus a brand new shower-toilet building.

Looking north from our campsite.

Yesterday we walked what turned out to be eight miles along the lake, almost to Damper Bay outside Wanaka.  Do the autumn colors seem strange to you in North America? This Central Otago region just brims with color in the fall.

There's tremendous variability in the lake's shoreline. Here we're walking through what's lake bed in another season, about 100 feet up from the current shore. It's not dammed, so perhaps the waters rise at the spring thaw.

I wasn't quick enough to catch this dotted line of lambs, all of whom turned their heads in unison to stare at me before trundling off. My, they're quick.

Probably 60F and sunny, perfect for a good hike.

 

As Fox Mulder would say: I want to believe. Not spaceships, but rather otherworldly lenticular clouds, my favorite sort.

Before we close, a New Yorker cartoon that speaks volumes (though some of us journalism junkies get more than our fix online)...