Can you imagine; in the mean time we have been to Hong Kong and now are in The Netherlands. Its bloody cold and I have an enormous cold. We had the best Welcome on the Airport you can hope for and we have seen our house for the first time.
Of course all of above will be handled later, now I still have to finish New Zealand and I don't know yet if it will be one or two more stories. Depends on how I feel and the time I have.
OK lets start; from Manapouri we drove to Kingston, a very small village at lake Wakatipu, as usual the drive was great and lots to see on the way......
Here at Kingston I had booked a tent on a Glamping, Fred wasn't amused; "how can you book a tent for Heaven's Sake" he said. But we had the most lovely accommodation you can imagine....
The bed was great, its very cosy and everything you need is there.
Because the drive was only a few hours we were early at the park so we had some time to go for a walk....
Lake Wakatipu
At the end of the little town we found an old train station....
Former station.....
I love these flowers, it is New Zealand but they look like the Kangaroo Paw....
Because this area of the Southern Island is the most beautiful, I wanted to spent a fair bit of our time there so our next stop was again very close, now we go to our Airb&b in Arrowtown which is just outside of Queenstown.
During our drive along the Wakatipu lake we pictured this.....
We passed the Devils Staircase and stopped to take a picture....still don't have a clue where I was looking at, didn't see a Devil nor a Staircase....
Anyway, its beautiful...
Before coming into Arrowtown you have to pass Queenstown and because we were very early we decided to go to the Gondola first....
It was sooo crowded we could hardly get a parking spot. Luckily after driving several rounds, someone left a spot just in front of us so we could snug in....
In stead of ski's they hang bikes on the cabin, in the back you can see someone hanging, he/she just did a Bungy Jump , brrrr......
And then you come at the top and step out of the cabin, it takes your breath away....
This is still lake Wakatipu.....
and here at the bottom lies Queenstown.....
When you see this it looks like a ski area in winter but it is not. A real Ski area is opposite, at the mountains you look at; called "The Remarkables" ski area. There also is a ski area near Arrowtown.
You could go a bit higher and go down to the restaurant level by Luge (sort sleigh)....
Or you could go paragliding.....
or go for a loop walk......
and watch others do the scary things....
Movie time
When we came down, safely by Gondola, we went to our Airb&b in Arrowtown, during the search for our accommodation we stranded in the centre of Arrowtown and were amazed by the beauty of it...
And then we arrived at the Airb&b.....
very relaxing with a glass of wine.....
Enjoying the view!
Next day was a bit "ruined"...
We had heard a strange noise under the car and already thought it were the brakes. We called the company we hired the car from and they sent a mechanic.....
Well, we are used to this aren't we? It were the brakes, totally worn out!
We got another car but of course half day was gone which meant that the trip to Glenorchy I had planned had to be cancelled.
Instead we went to the centre of Queenstown and afterwards we were so glad we did because it was very lovely, we had a great time...
Queenstown and the surrounding area contain many locations used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
we had great weather and it was pleasantly busy....
This guy could play piano!!
Queenstown is situated on the shore line of Lake Wakatipu. It is at a relatively low altitude for a ski and snowboarding centre at 310 metres above sea level on the shores of the lake, but is nestled among mountains.
The 100-year-old twin screw coal fired steamer TSS Earnslaw
From Queenstown to Arrowtown are several ways to go, we decided to go via the Shotover Gorge...
Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town in the Otago region and is located on the banks of the Arrow River in which gold was found in 1862....
There are many well preserved buildings used by European and Chinese immigrants dating from the gold mining days of the town.....
It must have been very hot in summer and cold winter in these little houses....
So glad it isn't like that anymore....
This was it again people, still have much more of New Zealand but now I have to go back to work on our new home. Hope to be back asap.
See you then!
Cheers!
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