Along the drive to Haast and then Wanaka, we notice that we are starting to get burned out on spectacular New Zealand scenery. Instead of properly oohing and ahhing over each new picturesque coastal view, soaring mountain and sparkling lake, we are beginning seriously to take these things for granted. Dave continues, however, to be amused and entertained as I continue to point out every flock of sheep (“Hey look! Sheep!”). Sure, he sighs and looks annoyed, and occasionally throws something, but I know he secretly loves it.

We stay at one of the huge and beautifully appointed Lakeside Apartments, with yet another stunning view of lake and snow capped mountains. Same old, same old. We decide to go to dinner and a show at Cinema Paradiso, a quirky little theater furnished with old sofas and recliners with a cafe that serves dinner during the intermission.

Unfortunately, the movie showing is Alexander. This is a bad movie. Bad. Really bad. Three-hours-of-my-life-I’ll-never-get-back bad. This movie has an excess of half-naked men clad in leather, an overused and exceedingly cheesy “eagle cam”, and really painful dialog. With the addition of a couple of ferrets, it might have been mistaken for Beastmaster. (This may not be a fair comparison… I remember Beastmaster as being much more watchable.) There was laughter in the theater during Hephaistion’s death scene. There was palpable relief in the theater during Alexander’s death scene. (Which may have been a little premature, as there was yet more pretentious and dull narrative to wade through.) Ugh.