Hanmer Springs is famous for their hot-springs. But I said I need to earn the right for that first (including sauna). So I hiked up Mt Isobel.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/canterbury/north-canterbury-and-arthurs-pass/hanmer-forest-park-tramping-tracks/

As I thought the proposed 5-6 hours are more like 3 for me I extended the hike a little bit 🙂
I was a bit unlucky with the wether as it was raining lightly when on the top – but the thing that bothered me more was that as soon as I was down it was all sunny and blue sky (changes very quickly in NZ). But hey – I had so much luck with wether so far (also tomorrow) – so not that bad.

Well then, I finally made it to the springs and wanted to use the sauna. Not that easy…. They only have “private sauna” where you need a booking. When I arrived at like 4pm the first lady made some effort and offered me 30 minutes at 4:45 and another 30 minutes at 5:45 – which was ok for me. But she wasn’t able to book it and asked for another lady that now said the first time would be 6pm to enter the sauna (at that point I was standing at the counter for 15 minutes already) – she asked me if I just want to enter the hot-springs then – but I was so pissed of by then that I turned around and left 🙂
So I drove all the way to Hanmer for the springs – and ended up not going… LOL