Feb 2008

Upon arriving in New Zealand, we quickly realized that Kiwis were very health and environment conscious. This wasn’t a difficult thing to get used to after spending many years in Boulder. I appreciated their countless recycle bins and thought nothing of the organic, vegetarian, and gluten-free call outs on every restaurant and cafe menu. However, the town of Wanaka pushes that Boulder likeness even further. And at times, I feel like we haven’t really left home. Only now, all the Boulderites have funny accents and have traded in their Subaru Outbacks for an unfamiliar Japanese import.

Wanaka is an aesthetically pleasing little town at the foot of the mountains, just like Boulder. You can be at countless trailheads or ski areas in less than an hour. Each trailhead parking lot is packed with bike rack equipped vehicles, and each ski resort floods with trendy skiers and boarders during the winter months. Goggle tan lines and eccentric matching ski outfits are a common sight at the après ski hotspots that serve tasty, local microbrews. One difference I've been able to extract is that the ski areas have no trees, and therefore, no runs like Coloradoans are used to. The resorts resemble the back bowls of Vail - treeless and steep.

At the cafe where I work, every other customer modifies his or her order with soy, skim, gluten-free, or vegetarian options. The hip, hot mommies come in for coffee/play dates with their jogger strollers. They're all wearing snazzy sneakers and work out clothes (that are expensive, no doubt), as if they've just been out on the trails.

Almost all the shops in town are locally owned and operated. There was a big fight against the corporate giants when the New World grocery store moved in. I can only imagine the feelings of resentment around town were similar to those felt towards the Home Depot when it moved into to challenge Boulder’s independently owned McGuckin Hardware. It has been rumored that as pay back, New World charges outrageous prices, and that it is the most expensive grocery store in the country. Lucky for us, we eat many free meals at work. There is one other corporate-run business in town: a Subway. But that’s the closest you'll get to fast food around here.

There are cyclists everywhere. If you've ever driven the streets of Boulder (and now, the surrounding areas, seeing as how the triathlon trend is spreading like wildfire), you'll understand the craziness that ensues when half the vehicles on the road have only two wheels. In addition to road bikes, every one owns and regularly uses a pair of running shoes. I often find myself feeling guilty or lazy since I seem to be the only resident (temporary or long term) who is not running. I have looked into buying some shoes (they were thrown out of the "take" pile in our mad packing rush) but sneakers are expensive here. A decent pair would cost about $200. At least. And what would biking and running be without swimming? There is consistently an overwhelming group of hard bodies at the pool every morning. And they're all fast. I try and stay out of their lanes, especially since I'm still having a rough time adjusting to circle swimming on the left side of the lane. My flip turns wont cooperate. I'm obviously not an ambi-turner.

We absolutely love it in Wanaka, although we find it strange that we traveled 10,000 miles to end up staying in a place that turned out to be so much like home. Interestingly enough, we aren’t alone in our travel preferences. Brody has met two other CU graduates at his job, and they've introduced us to two more Buffalo alumni that have taken up residence in Wanaka. I suppose its "shoulder to shoulder" across the world.