Queenstown - Arrowtown - Wanaka

Thursday 23rd Nov 
I’m not ashamed to admit that I was a little hungover this morning haha because it was a great night last night, and because I’ve been in Queenstown for a bit now I don’t feel bad about wasting some of the morning! I have discovered however that being hungover when it’s hot out is SO much worse than being hungover in somewhere like Scotland! Only now, at 8:30pm has it cooled down a enough to be comfortable. It was over 32^c today!! HOT!!! 

As it was hot from early in the morning, I kinda just stayed in the hostel after checking out for a bit then went and chilled at a cafe called Balls and Bangles, which sells sweet doughnuts and savoury filled bagels, and Coffees, funky milkshakes AND has fantastic free WiFi!! Haha this is quickly becoming my favourite place! 

I then hopped into my car and drove up to Arrowtown, a quaint wee historic gold mining town. It was full on mid day heat wen I got there so of course I wandered in and out of th shops (cool and air conditioned!)  along the gorgeous Main Street. I’d say that most of the buildings on this street are listed buildings, my favourite were the rows of Miners Cottages restored to how they may have looked in the 19th century. 

  


After having the most delicious lunch at Provisions I headed up the a holiday part to set up my tent and have a wee nap! It was too hot to do anything!! 



I napped, and sun bathed, and read my book for a good few hours till it started vetting cooler and then I made some dinner in their nice kitchen facilities. 

After dinner, about 8/9 it was finally cool enough in the sun to go for a walk and enjoy the town without fear of getting crispy! I walked along the footpath along the river towards town and then took the road back to the campsite. It was dark my the time I got back about 10pm so I read some more and fell asleep.  All my photos I took on my camera as my phone had died so I don’t really have any pics from today sorry! 


I did pick up one of the town maps today at the info centre and I need to comment on how useful it is to have a very informative and user friendly map as a visitor!!

This map has a detailed town centre map, then a bigger one showing walking routes and the wider neighbourhood. There are lists of retail outlets, food outlets, top five things to do, walking routes and times, activities to do locally, accommodation, and gas stations/amenities etc. VERY HANDY!! 




Friday 24 Nov
 
 
Slow and overcast morning in Arrowtown. As I was heading for my morning hike however who did I bump into but James, the American dude from the sandfly infested campsite last week! It just goes to show how small a county that New Zealand is! He was staying in Arrowtown with a couple of pals on his day off as he’s now working in Queenstown. He invited me round for a coffee and a catch up, exhibition did and it was very nice to bump into someone I knew and catch up with our individual travels till now! :) 



I went back and had a wee bite of lunch at the Provisions Cafe again as it was lovely and I headed on up thto road to Wanaka where I’m going to be staying this weekend with Ross and his flat mates! 

I chilled on the shore of lake Wanaka for a bit before heading up to their flat though because, well how cool is it that there is a lake and a view like this right from the Main Street of Te town!

(And yes my legs have tanned from a blue/opaque to a vanilla!!) 

Shortly after arrivin at Ross’ place we were invited out to go sailing on his flatmatas wee boat! So cool! It was a perfect evening for it if not a bit too calm but there was enough wind that we got a nice wee 5k circuit in the lake before 9pm. Ross (with his granny leg) and his  flat mate Tom, and his pals Kate and Ian, all c came out too and we had the most lovely evening!  I also found out while we were out there that Tom not only went to Edinburgh Napier (as I did) but he also studied Ohotogeaphy (as I did!!) but graduated about three years before I started there! A small world indeed!! The Kiwis couldn’t believe that the two Scots on ththe boat, as much as they joke about it, actually knew each other by less than two degrees of separation!!
  

A great first night back in Wanaka!! 


Comments

Popular Posts