New Zealand: South Island

Two years ago in Queenstown, we had only a single, drizzly day to explore its charms. We vowed to return, never thinking we actually could. And yet here we were again for 4 lovely nights, not a rainy day in sight!

We checked in to our 2-bdrm apartment at Best Western Cranbury Court, an easy walk to the center of town. The first afternoon we spent lunching on tapas, shopping, and strolling through Queenstown Gardens. My kids discovered a playground by the beach, a fabulous climbing tree, and two different rope swings that we returned to many, many times!

We began the next day with high thrills on the Shotover jetboat. Zooming through a river canyon, narrowly missing rocks, spinning again and again in 360 turns, this was 25 minutes of pure fun! We were excited to follow in the footsteps of previous celebrities, including Prince William and Princess Kate. Our ride got full smiles from everyone on board, though unfortunately for some riders a few days later, their boat hit a rock and flung everyone out into the freezing water, resulting in multiple injuries.

We packed some lunches for the afternoon and hiked to the top of Queenstown Hill. There were many complaints from my kids on the steep hike up, but once there we were rewarded with a lovely picnic spot and amazing views! Here's my family in the "Basket of Dreams". =)

The next morning we visited Kiwi Birdlife Park and enjoyed a rare opportunity to see these birds up close during feeding time at the two kiwi houses. Later during the conservation show, we were introduced to the incredible tuatara, endemic to New Zealand and resembling a lizard, though not in the same category. A true "living fossil", the tuatara is the only surviving member of its order, having flourished 200 million years ago. Unique features include spines down its back, a third eye, the ability to lower its body temperature and hibernate for years, and a lifespan of well over 100 years!

After, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch and wine tasting at Amisfield Winery and Bistro. Sipping wine at our table in the shade was the perfect, indulgent treat!

We spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the charming, gold-mining town of Arrowtown. My kids tried their luck with panning for gold in the nearby streams, but no-one struck it rich this time.

Abigail and I spent the next morning in Paradise, literally! I had booked a "Ride of the Rings" tour through Dart Stables, and after arrival and orientation, we enjoyed a 1.5 hour trail ride through the protected lands of the stunning Dart River valley. We rode through the forests of Lothlorien, saw the tree where valiant Boromir died, and marveled at the valley spread out below, backdrop to the great fortress of Isengard.

The rest of my family met us for the afternoon. We took an easy, forest trail to Lake Sylvan and enjoyed another picnic. How I love the outdoors when the weather is fine!

The next day we drove over the mountains to Wanaka to spend our last two nights. We visited the Toys and Transport Museum, and my kids played on the rotating gunner while mom and dad sampled beer from Wanaka Beerworks at the cafe.

Lake Hawea Hotel was the perfect retreat for us: only 15 minutes from Wanaka, an upstairs bedroom for the kids, delicious food at the restaurant, and a private balcony overlooking gorgeous lake/mountain views.

I had planned a 10km hike the next day (Rob Roy track), but due to rain we changed our plans and did the Diamond Lake/Rocky Mountain summit hike instead. This was the third mountain I made my kids climb in the last two weeks, and by far the tallest, but the views from the top were spectacular!

We ended the day with a bit of fun at Puzzling World (our second visit, but Abigail was dying to do the maze again!) and dinner at Speight's Ale House. (Looking forward to spending less on meals back home, but you can't beat the beer selection here!)

Our last full day in New Zealand was mostly transportation, driving back to Queenstown then flying to Auckland. We did manage to squeeze in a girls trip to the Bead Shop, where we made some necklaces to take home with us. After two weeks in kiwi country, it was finally time to return to work/school/daily life, but our happy memories and love for this beautiful land will never fade!