Queenstown

Posted on Monday 4 June 2007 at 08:23 - Post Comment

This weekend we decided to take some time out and so went across the country and visited Queenstown. We managed to get a deal to stay in a lovely 5* hotel for not alot of money, just by listening to a rather nice chappie from England about a holiday club we had no intention of joining.

We got there on Saturday afternoon, after a a longish drive of about 6 hours. We did stop at some spectacular views on the way and it was great to see some of the country we have not yet seen.

When we got there we went straight to the room, and unpacked. Meanwhile, 'The Staff' parked our car for us in the complementary valet parking area.  Nice, eh?!  We then went to town to check out the town center. It is a really lovely place, however it is currently between the summer season and the ski season, so it was very quiet.   Just the way we like it.

That evening, we had a lovely time in our spa bath!  It was so relaxing and it had a tv set in the wall at the foot.  It even had it's own (waterproof) remote control. Luxury at its best, and it's given us some wicked idess for our house when we get around to building it.

The following morning, we went for a walk around the lake edge that Queenstown is set around. It was a lovely crisp and sunny day, and the views were absolutely amazing. Check this picture out - we ourselves think it looks photoshopped - it's not, believe me!  We were sturggling to get a decent pic, and then this young lady just stopped and offered to take a picture and she must have been gifted - or was the offspring of David Bailey - as the result is simply stunning.

 Out of about 800 pics we took ourselves, this came out as the best for a simple landscape.  It really was one of the longest walks over the shortest distances we've ever taken as we kept stopping to gawp at the scenery.

The afternoon we spent wandering around the various attractions, including the 'underwater world which gave a view of the life beneath the lake surface.  This life is basically trout and eels.  Oh, and the odd diving duck.  But let me tell you - these were BIG trout.  10kgs + and I would have killed to get one on a rod and line.  Still, after we'd had enough of the fishiness, we did a lakeshore walk which was very relaxing.

That evening we went to Minus 5 - an ice bar in  the center of town. Amazingly, the temperature in this ice bar was - yup, you've guessed it... minus 5 degrees C.   In there we were served vodka cocktails in ice glasses, whilst looking at some quite stunning ice sculpture.  It was a great way to spend 1/2 an hour - and believe me, with the shoes I had on you wouldn't want to be in there any longer.  Frostbite was not something I was keen on taking away from the experience.  Oh, and we got these very fetching parkas to wear.  You wait, they'll be all the rage this Winter....

There were all sorts of different sculptures - fish, dragons, bears, penguins etc.  As usal I had a few too many and tried my luck, which resulted in a fin around the face.

Ton, the cheeky minx, thought she'd show the bear how to do a REAL growl...

He got scard and ran away, so we decided to neck the drinks and make a move.  Dinner was a great Thai meal and then it was back to the luxury of a lovely warm hotel room and an evening of decadence.  No more than we deserve I feel!

So, Monday swiftly arrived and we're still in Queenstown.  Why?  Oh, forgot to mention that today is a national holiday as the whole of NZ celebrates the Queen's Birthday.  Never heard of it in the UK, and it is only on the other side of the country that it is a celebrated day.  Go figure...

Another morning of mooching, coffee, breakfast and a bit of a walk, and it was time to head home.  And what a drive.  Never in my life has a 6 hour car journey been such a pleasure.  Clear blue skys, white peaks all around, empty roads and plenty of time in which to enjoy it.  It was all I could do to keep 50% of my attention on the road - full attention was not an option.  We stopped several times just to absorb the views around us - and it was at one of these lakeside stops that the breeze dropped entirely, and gave us the most spectacular lake reflections to which these pics barely do any justice.

And this one:

Flippin fantastic, and a great weekend all round.  En route we passed Mount Hutt - the local ski area - and it really is only an easy hour and a half away.  We both can't wait for winter proper now, as the views of it have given us a real longing to get back on skis.  Everything comes to those who wait...

So, a big thumbs up to Queenstown - an apt place to be on the lady herself's birthday, and an even bigger thumbs up to the South Island of NZ.  As good old Del Boy from Peckham would put it in 2 succinct words:  Luvly Jubbly