Lunch in Queenstown

Tuesday 3rd March
I had a pleasant stroll around Queenstown yesterday evening and enjoyed its holiday vibe! It felt strange and slightly surreal to be wandering about on my own on the other side of the world. Even when it was completely dark there were lots of people sitting around outside on the grass, someone rather hauntingly playing the Harry Potter theme tune on a piano on the quayside, music spilling out from the bars. After such a hot evening there was an absolute downpour during the night. I could hear the rain battering down outside as I lay cosy in my bed in the hotel I had booked. This morning I went for a walk along the side of the lake and then had a late lunch sitting outside a café at the harbour while finishing my French assessment which I needed to email to my tutor. It was not easy to concentrate as I was distracted by the beautiful surroundings and also the wee birds hopping around the tables. I was just finishing my coffee when I got a message from James to say that he and Jamie were just arriving from Glenorchy. They came to join me and recounted their many adventures; they have had a brilliant time and told me some very amusing stories. It was great to see them and after some packing and repacking of luggage so that James could return Jamie’s rucksack, we set off to Arrowtown to the picturesque Fork and Tap restaurant, a favourite of Jamie’s to which he also took us in 2017. The last time we were there we sat inside because it was winter but this time we luxuriated in the leafy green and pleasant beer garden at the back. All too soon we had to part ways; Jamie had a three and a half hour drive ahead of him back to Dunedin, and James and I headed about an hour to Wanaka for the next couple of days of our holiday.