From Queenstown to Lake Taupo

I felt really sad to be leaving Queenstown on Saturday. It was an early start for our flight; we said our goodbyes to Davie and Chanel, whose flight to Christchurch was in the afternoon, and set off for the airport. I love Queenstown airport - it's big enough to have a few nice wee shops and eateries, but small enough that you don't have to walk far to the gates. Our flights were via Auckland to Lake Taupo so our journey took most of the morning, it was very pleasant and we napped and read our books. 

By lunchtime we had arrived in sunny and breezy Lake Taupo and collected our hire car. The apartment which Jamie booked for us is brilliant; right on the lake, spacious and smart, with a swimming pool. Jamie has a real talent for finding beautiful places. Once we had settled in, we went for a walk along the lakeside about fifteen minutes into the little town, where we had a drink. I had a swim later and discovered to my gratification that there is also a hot tub! We could see a planet beside the moon; James checked and told us that it is Jupiter. The day was rounded off with a delicious Italian dinner at The Vine. 

Milford Sound

On Friday we all went by plane to Milford Sound. There are not enough superlatives to describe the day! What really made it extra special was the excellent weather; the sky was completely blue and the mountain tops were covered with snow so the views were spectacular. We boarded a little plane which took us on an amazing forty minute journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Jamie had phoned ahead to arrange for James to sit at the front beside the pilot! We went over the snowy mountains and looked down into steep valleys. We circled over the sea and it got a bit bumpy as the wind caught us! 

Then we went on a boat tour that took us right to the mouth of the Sound; the sides are really steep with waterfalls cascading down. The crew were very friendly and chatted to us about all the geology and plant life; we even saw a penguin on the water. There were complimentary hot drinks and cookies on the boat which was a really nice touch. As we are a bit "out of season" the boat was very uncrowded which meant that we could wander freely inside and on the deck, taking photos and enjoying the view. And then back we went on the plane for another amazing flight. What a day! 

Later we had a very special dinner at Ivy and Lola's restaurant. 

Steamer on Lake Wakatipu

The weather was more mixed on Thursday but the boys were very keen to ski so off they went for what sounds like a rather hair-raising day of wild skiing. Us girls had a much more relaxing day. We had brunch (of course!) and then indulged in a bit of shoe shopping. We then had drinks in a roof top bar which was gorgeous, heated by wood burning stoves and fires. At 4 p.m. the boys joined us for a sailing on the steamship TSS Earnshaw on the lake, which Chanel treated us to. They were cutting it fine after their skiing but made it just in time and came running on to the ship! It was a great way to see the mountains, the lake and the town, it is such an attractive area. You could also go into an area with a metal grille floor right above the engine room where you could observe all the workings of the engine; the coal being shovelled in etc. 

In the evening we had dinner in town in a nice grill house restaurant and had a very pleasant chat. 

Happy Christmas in July!

On Wednesday 25th we went back to the Remarkables for another day of lovely skiing. The weather was fabulous. The resort was promoting a "July Christmas" so lots of the staff were dressed up in festive costumes! This time Chanel did not have a lesson and went to ski with David to practise her skills. They had a fantastic time going down blues and greens and Chanel skied her first red run. Like me, Chanel's favourite run was the Sugar Bowl with its wide slopes and great views. I am delighted at how much her skiing has progressed. We all met up for a drink in the Ice Bar on the mountainside - great fun in great company. 

Later on we walked from our apartment down the hill to have a walk around the town; James and I had a drink sitting outside a bar overlooking the lake (it had an overhead heater which made it feel quite cosy) the young folk brought us Fergburgers later and we all watched a film - Guardians of the Galaxy - which we all enjoyed. 

Skiing at The Remarkables

On Tuesday morning we decided to go to a different ski area near Queenstown; The Remarkables. The access road was very steep with many switchback turns but Jamie drive it brilliantly. Chanel and I booked another lesson, this time with an instructor called Lewis. He took Chanel on a blue run and she was even better than yesterday. After our lesson she went to ski with Davie and they had a great time. Meanwhile James gave me a tour of the very attractive ski area. I was quite happy with my skiing and the snow quality was really good. It was a splendid day. 

And it was not over yet! Our next destination was the Onsen Hot Pools outside Queenstown. What fun! Each private hot tub was for up to four people so Jamie had booked two. Each hot tub was in a spacious three sided room, lit by candles, and one side was open to the mountains. The views were wonderful. We divided ourselves into a boy group and a girl group, although we swapped around later! We were also given drinks and snacks. The water in the hot tub was lovely and hot and we immersed ourselves in the water and chatted and took in the views as the sun set and the light faded. It was absolute bliss. 

Patagonia ice cream

Monday morning in Queenstown was quite snowy, but that wasn't going to put us off skiing! We went back up to Coronet Peak and Chanel and I had our lesson while the others went off exploring. Again Chanel was really good, however she had some trouble with the fit of her boots which Michelle was very helpful in sorting out. By the end of the lesson Chanel was able to take a chairlift and ski down a green / blue run. The others joined us for a run later. It was a good ski day all round; the snow eventually gave way to partly blue sky and we saw fantastic views of the lake at Queenstown with mountains beyond. 

After a quick visit to the supermarket, where we stocked up on groceries and toilet rolls, Jamie cooked us a delicious meal of spaghetti bolognese. David provided a bottle of his favourite wine Gert's Blend sparkling Shiraz, which he and Chanel brought from Australia. After dinner we went to Patagonia, a famous ice cream shop. It was fantastic! First you choose the flavour of your ice cream, which is on a lolly stick. Then you choose the kind of chocolate that it is dipped in, and finally an extra topping if desired - I chose dark chocolate ice cream dipped in dark chocolate, with toasted coconut topping. The others chose just about every combination possible! It was amazing! 

Skiing at Coronet Peak

On Sunday morning we woke to a beautiful sunny day in Queenstown. Jamie went to the airport at 8.30 a.m. to pick up Davie and Chanel and soon we were all having a celebratory breakfast together. It was so great to see them!

We decided to get the ski hire sorted out straight away. This involved the usual footering about, but the people in the hire shop were very efficient and soon we were loading six sets of skis, boots etc into the car. And off we set to nearby Coronet Peak  for our first afternoon of skiing in the Southern Hemisphere! James, Jamie, Aisling and Davie took off to the high slopes, and Chanel and I booked ourselves on a lesson for two. This was very much following the successful strategy I used when Cat was learning to ski with instructor Jeremie in Belle Plagne two years ago; it's more companionable to have two people taking a lesson together, and I find it useful to brush up on my technique. It worked well this time too. Our instructor was Michelle, a very friendly lady of about my age, and while she didn't have Jeremie's boyish charm, she was kind and experienced and quickly picked up on what we were looking for. Chanel was a star, she learned to turn very quickly and Michelle responded to that by teaching her more techniques. Meanwhile she gave me other things to practise. It all went so well that we booked another lesson for the next day. We skied until the lifts closed at 4, then back to the apartment where we had a convivial evening of pizza, chat, and a film (The Man from Uncle.)