Final days in Queenstown

Monday, December 16, 2013

Originally, I had planned to only spend 5 nights in Queenstown and then move on to an area called Wanaka about an hour north. However, when I fell madly in love with Queenstown, I decided to just stay put and make a day trip out of Wanaka. 

Wanaka is a beautiful town located around Lake Wanaka. It's like Queenstown used to be before the adventurers showed up. It's also gives off a more sophisticated feel

I caught a bus from the iSite location and make my way around curvy mountain roads. 

I'''m dropped off at the Log Cabin right on Lake Wanaka, which is their beach front. They've pre diced at 70% chance of rain and that it will be cold, but there's not a cloud in the sky and it gets up to 75. I'm boiling with my boots and jacket, but it is a gorgeous town. 

Lake Wanaka:

I grab breakfast at a great buffet and decide to check out Puzzleworld, which is in all the guidebooks and has been recommended to me a few times. It's a 25 min hike out of town, so I make my way.

It's a great interactive museum for kids and adults. It has two parts. One side is an outdoor maze. which take about 2 hours to complete. I skip this part because I've just hiked for a half hour. The other side is all based on optical illusion. It blows your mind away. It's hard to describe, because it's such a sensory overload. Everything, every room is illusions. One room messes with your senses so much that you can't walk. There are outdoor sculptures, holographs..... I wish I could bring my 9 year old nephew what a treat! (Check out their website - link above)

I make my way back to town. It's hot now, and I'm exhausted and of course, my feet hurt! I want to check out a movie theatre that I've heard about though called Cinema Paradiso. I don't have the time to watch a movie there, but I stop by to see if they will let me peek in.  

Like everyone in New Zealand, the gal behind the counter is as sweet as can be. I order a beer and sit in the cafe. The theatre sells beer and wine. Also, you can order all types of food there and bring it into the theatre. Every movie, even though they're first run movies, has an intermission, where you can run the the loo, or grab another drink. The seats are old couches, the back of a car, etc... During the intermission, she lets me sneak in and take this:

I finish my beer and decide to walk around town a bit more spending waaaaaay too much money. :) I decide to get a coffee at Ritual Coffee and Espresso and I finally meet the only asshole in New Zealand. I guess there always has to be one. I said my please and thank yous to the idiot, but he was just a terror. Not exactly the way I wanted to end my day. 

I check out some of the stores on the waterfront. It's a beautiful quaint town, and I wish I had more time to visit it; however I don't regret staying in Queenstown. Wanaka is a great place for couples, newlyweds, perhaps older people. Perhaps one day, when I'm a "we", I can visit it again. 

I get on the bus and find out that I'm the only one headed back to Queenstown. My bus driver, John, is another Scotsman. He's separated from his wife, and as he put it, banished to Queenstown. He's been in New Zealand for 12 years. We end up chatting about politics and how he ended up on the other side of the world. He wants a smoke so he stops the bus at a great spot and suggests that I go take a photo:

We finish the journey and say goodbyes like we're old friends. The people I have met on this journey!

I'm tired and hungry, and it's dinnertime so I make my way back to the sushi bar from the other night. Keita remembers me and treats me like gold. I need to sleep so I say goodnight to another wonderful day. 

Day 16, Tuesday, December 17, 2013

It's my last day in Queenstown. I wake up very emotional, which stays with me for the entire day. I don't want to leave this place. But the next leg of my journey is about to begin. 

I spend the day quietly...reflecting on everything I've done se far. I meet Sunny for lunch. She's leaving for the North Island today. What a great gal!

Afterwards, I make my way back to Brazz for a drink and to write postcards. It's my nephew's b'day so I call him at $2/min to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEX!!! even though I'm a day ahead.

I finish up, and putter around a last few shops and have dinner back at my favorite place, the Sushi restaurant. Keita greets me and asks if I'm a local. hahah!!! I have assimilated. My last few hours are spent listening to live music at Pub on Wharf

What an adventure New Zealand has been. It has touched my soul and I KNOW I will come back. 

xoxo