We were supposed to go to Queenstown in August, 2021. But, the lockdown (due to the Delta outbreak - which is still ongoing) had derailed our trip, and as a result, we have had to move it to December. Unfortunately, as a result, skiing that we had planned for the trip was no longer on the cards as by this time, it is summer (although we did see snow on the plane and also on the mountains in Queenstown itself). But, there were many other exciting and fun things that we did in Queenstown.
We left Auckland on the 19th of December in the morning. The flight to Queenstown was one and a half hours ââlong. After checking in to our hotel, the first thing I did was to go on the hydro shark jet at lake Wakatipu, which is the lake that the city itself surrounds, which was fun and exciting. It leaps up into the air - and also goes underwater as well. Then, we had lunch, and later in the day, we went to the below zero ice bar.
The next day, we went to Arrowtown, about 15 to 20 minutes out from Queenstown by bus. There, we did window shopping, bought a nice rain jacket and went to The Remarkable Sweet Shop, a nice little shop that is known in the area for selling unusual fudge and candy. We then went gold panning - unfortunately, I had no luck finding gold. We had lunch with a cheese platter and a cocktail before heading back to Queenstown.
On the 20th of December, it was a big day for me as I was an adrenaline junkie, and I did my first bungy jump - at AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge. Initially, I was nervous (I had to admit) as I had never done a bungy before, but I was more excited than nervous. But, it was really fun and it was also not scary - as people would describe it as. After the bungy jump, we went to Gibbston valley winery for a 2 course lunch (which came with wine) - and we did a tour of the cave and also did some wine tasting!
Then, on the next day, we headed to Cromwell, Central Otago, where we did cherry picking. We picked a lot of cherries and stone fruit (we had to finish some on the trip but we could fit a box or two back for home). We wanted to visit the Cromwell heritage precinct, but unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to do so.
The next day, we went aboard the TSS Earnslaw, sailed across the lake to Walter's peak, where we had a delicious BBQ buffet lunch. It was a very nice cruise, and the views from the boat were scenic and spectacular.
Later that day, after the TSS Earnslaw cruise, we went to the Onsen Hot Pools, which had a spectacular view of the Shotover River. We were also given complimentary juice and snacks at the pool. We spent one hour in the pool, enjoying the stunning view, and taking photos and relaxing. After the pool, we headed back for dinner in the city and headed back to the hotel.
We woke on Christmas Eve, to yet another adrenaline fueled activity - the Nevis Swing. The swing was a 70 meter drop, going by a 300 diameter arc. It was really fun, although not for the faint hearted due to the sudden drop and the fact that you're suspended a long way up from the bottom of the valley. This activity is only accessible by the AJ Hackett bus, and I had to cross a suspension bridge (which swung a bit when I walked across) to access the Nevis Swing, which happens to be one of the biggest swings in the world.
After the swing, we headed back for lunch - then we got ready for the Christmas Eve buffet dinner at the Skyline Gondola. It was time to dress up glamorously - I wore a pink satin slip on dress, with an Alexander McQueen scarf and my YSL clutch (clutch pictured in my blog here). Then I slowly and carefully made my way up to the gondola, which was a bit difficult given that I was wearing stiletto heels, and we enjoyed a few rounds of dinner, accompanied with a glass of wine, then two rounds of dessert. The dinner was absolutely delicious. Making our way back was a little more challenging, as my feet was totally worn out from walking and the heels.
Christmas Day at last (which was also the final full day of our trip) - I went jet boating and did indoor skydiving. We had lunch and then walked along the waterfront - beforehand. Later, we had Christmas dinner - a three course menu (including dessert) with a cocktail. The next day, we headed to cookie time cookie bar to have a small dessert, before finally packing up - and leaving to go home back to Auckland.
Overall, it was a fantastic trip - I cannot wait to go back to Queenstown again, it is an adventure playground - like they say. The food was also delicious - from delicious meals to good hospitality. My favorite dessert places is Cookie time cookie bar - and Patagonia chocolates dessert place at the waterfront. Queenstown has something for everyone - from adrenaline fueled activities to wine tastings and pamper time. It is also a very beautiful city surrounded by a lake Wakatipu. If you are not from New Zealand and want to visit once the pandemic ends - I highly recommend Queenstown as there are lots of things to do all year round.
Photo on blog cover by Peter Luo on Unsplash
2 Comments
|
AuthorI am Natalie Dunn. I am a feminist who believes in gender equality and rights for everyone. I have many passions in life such as fashion, beauty, adventures and travelling. Archives
April 2023
Categories
All
|