Day 18 – 24th November, Transport and toy museum, and Puzzle Town, Wanaka

Bit more of a relaxed day, and the views from the batch throughout are just too distracting so took a couple more before we went over to Wanaka

the blue of the water is just hynoptic and so clear

And there is hardly any one on this beach – amazing

So after a short walk we went across to Wanaka, and the toy and transport meseum – but got distracted by a great rainbox effect through the clouds on the way – this was the first horizontal rainbow i think i have ever seen!

Starting with the Toy and Transport mesuem – which Alistair Clayton could remember visiting so we went to see that – totally eclectic and if you get to Wanaka you should see it just to see how weird all this stuff is. We met the son and later the daughter of the guy who started all this. Originally into car wrecking and made his cash, but when he retired Alsyma’s started for him – so we went on a 12 year spending spree buying so so much stuff, and people donating various toy collections to them.

Its such a weird mix, in multiple hangers now

and captain scarlet and thunderbirds

planes

heavy canon

tractors aand diggers, and the list goes one

out the back nd ready to be ‘sorted’

and they are running a campaign to get a bunch of new zealnd native planes from the war and beyond in. However theres a planning regulation that non of the buildings can be over 9m.

So ‘no worries’ we’ll just dig a bloody great whole, park the planes in there, and build the building around them later! Here is the hole tacking shape

and the two front halves of a car

The list goes on including a wall (3000+) of commerative spoons

Just totally bizarre and way ahead of any expectations – the family are just kinda bonkers and have a legacy from Dads spending spree to sort

Well, what to do after that – puzzle world of course

A bit simpler but great fun

and the tilty room

and a very lifelike wax work – a little freaky

plus inventions you never really need

baby duster

the all electric hammer, very useful on the right day

and the baby dribbler

They also had a great maze made of boards you couldn’t see through – so about an hours worth of fun getting round that

and some great trompe l’oeil in the loos

It was then back to Hawae for that view

and down our flora dora parade

Its very difficult to get bored of this view and changing light during a day – and the weather again was just amazing

and that amazingly clear turquoise water

just so good

and a group timed selfie

Just amazing place to stay