Queenstown

So for our drive to Queenstown we again had beautiful weather, and our stop this time was to see the steam train the Kingston Flyer. We arrived at one of the train´s termini to be told that it wasn't due for another hour or so, so we just had lunch and continued on. But it turned out that later we passed the other termini just as the train was about to set off. So we just hung around for a bit and soon enough it was time for the train to literally build up steam and head off on it's journey. This was the first time I've ever seen a real steam train actually working, and it was a lovely sight, touched off, of course, with a few very noisy departing toots.

The road into Queenstown itself was another stunner - travelling up alongside the lake with the Remarkable Mountain Range on the other side. The town is famous for it's scenic location of course, but I have to say it really is completely justified.

The town also has a reputation as a major party town, but it was actually very quite while we were there, it being low season now I suppose. It's still a lovely town though and we stayed at a great hostel (Southern Laughter), so we ended up staying for quite a few days (although it was difficult to find a place for our first night, so we stayed at the expensive motor park).

We ate a couple of times at the famous Winnie's (where I had the best pizza I've tasted outside of Italy), and the Bunker, which was a lovely place with great staff, but overpriced I reckon.

We walked up to the top of the gondola ride, which was nice as it passed through nice forest. At the top we marvelled at the panoramic views. Then, of course, we had to have a go at the luge. I'd done a luge last time in New Zealand, but it was Sarah's first time, and it was a good laugh. Then we just hung out having our lunch at the huge restaurant there, that offers great views over the town, the lake and the paragliders (and raising my eyes to heaven at the 'auld guy next to us who couldn't understand how anyone could be 'mad' enough to do paragliding! For pity's sake, everyone I've ever met who has done a paraglide (including myself), describes it as a very peaceful, slow, relaxing experience (after the initial rush of takeoff I suppose), and each would have a hard time justifing the experience as an 'extreme sport' - it is called para-GLIDING for a reason).

Another day we drove out to Glenorchy, as it's supposed to be a lovely drive, and a lovely area (and we picked up our one and only hitchhiker - a German guy heading out to start the Routeburn Track, another one of the Great Walks). But it rained pretty hard that day, and the views along the drive were quite restricted, and the rain continued after we arrived. We just did a short hike around a lake, and then dried off in a nice little cafe before heading back to Queenstown.

The rest of the time we just chilled out around the town, or back at the backpacker place watching videos and having free soup in the evenings. And then it was the short hop to our next stop in the nearby town of Wanaka.