NZ South Island for a special occasion

[Justinf]

Here you go @drron
Just cracked this one open.

 

[Lat34]

Here you go @drron
Just cracked this one open.

Love, love, love a good dark beer

 

[Justinf]

Unfortunately the weather didn’t look like cooperating for our Milford Sound fly/cruise tour.
Rain was forecast and it was even worse at Milford Sound itself.
The 10am tour was cancelled and we had to wait until 11am to find out of ours was going ahead, which is a bit daft as we were due to catch the shuttle bus out to the airstrip at 11am.
Sure enough by 11am our tour was cancelled so we rescheduled for the only other day we had available, Thursday at 10am. The day AFTER the wedding, as we would be based in Wanaka for the rest of the trip, this would require a very early start.
The forecast was looking much better for Thursday, not so for Friday.
Not to be deterred, we ventured out to Arrowtown, which is a historic gold-mining town about 20 minutes from Queenstown.
It soon became apparent once we arrived that this place is absolutely tourist orientated.
We live in Barwon Heads, which is manic in summer, but it has nothing on this place.
It was packed. It was also raining, but it wasn’t cold. In fact it was so humid, it was uncomfortable.
What also became apparent was that the town has tourist prices, but at a completely different level.
A coffee cost me $9.

 

[Justinf]

It was quaint, but there was no reason to hang around. We spent an hour tops just walking up and down the street.
A fridge magnet was selling for $26 in one of the souvenir shops.
We headed back to Queenstown, but made a detour to Coronet Peak, a ski resort.
Unfortunately the weather was diabolical and I couldn’t see much.

 

[Justinf]

We decided to try for a different view of Queenstown, but by now it was just too damn wet.
Note in the last pic that waterfalls had started to cascade down the mountain.

 

[Justinf]

It was futile.
We ventured back to the apartment and by 5pm, I cracked open this.

We then met up with my wife’s side of the family - sister-in-law, brother-in-law, niece and partner, niece and nephew and his new boyfriend at Pog Mahones Irish pub for dinner. I was super keen to meet my nephew’s new fella and I’m pleased to report he is just lovely.
I had a pint of Kilkenny and a pint of IPA, but as I have started a new medication, it basically makes my appetite nonexistent.
All I’d eaten all day was a handful of Pringles. It makes drinking alcohol pretty risky so after the stout and two pints and no dinner, I decided to walk back to the apartment around 8pm while wife and her sister continued on drinking margaritas at some bar until 11pm.
I was well asleep by then.
Tomorrow we have the dress rehearsal for the wedding, but before that we are going to a farm to do a tour mainly for my 7-year-old granddaughter who is obsessed with animals.
It will be cute just to watch her reaction to it all.

 

[NSun]

Enjoying the trip report. I have family in New Zealand so go a few times a year but have only been to Queenstown a couple of times and found it too touristy - I've driven there from Christchurch and Dunedin on separate occasions and found some places like Lake Tekapo more beautiful. Nonetheless, I've never seen Milford Sound and Wanaka and maybe I should next time.

My secret New Zealand addiction (that I can't go a day there without consuming) is Hokey Pokey ice cream.

 

[Justinf]

Enjoying the trip report. I have family in New Zealand so go a few times a year but have only been to Queenstown a couple of times and found it too touristy - I've driven there from Christchurch and Dunedin on separate occasions and found some places like Lake Tekapo more beautiful. Nonetheless, I've never seen Milford Sound and Wanaka and maybe I should next time.

My secret New Zealand addiction (that I can't go a day there without consuming) is Hokey Pokey ice cream.

It’s very touristy I agree.
Wanaka is too, but more relaxed and a slightly older crowd.

 

[Justinf]

With the farm tour booked for 11am and the wedding rehearsal for 2pm, we left Queenstown at 10am and back into the mountains we climbed in our hybrid Toyota Yaris.
The farm - Kind Farms - takes in orphaned or abandoned farm animals and they get to stay in their forever home.
It’s a glorious setting in the Cardrona Valley.
The tour wasn’t cheap at NZ$42.50, but it’s more of a donation and I’m very happy to hand money over for animal welfare.
The tour was led by owner Dale and her sidekick Holly.
I grew up on a farm, so it was nothing new to me, but my granddaughter Edith loves animals and it was worth it to see the smiles on her face.
The tour lasted about an hour and while not mind blowing, was a nice way to spend an hour on an absolutely gloriously sunny day. It was about 21 degrees, but felt much warmer due to a lack of a breeze.

 

[Justinf]

The bumblebees here are massive.

 

[Justinf]

Couple of pics of Dustin Martin at the end.
Edie loved feeding the lamb. I used to hate it as a kid as it wasn’t a novelty.

 

[Justinf]

After that it was time for a quick lunch before the wedding rehearsal and we stopped at a food van where we both had a blue cod burger. It was nice, but at NZ$24, pricey.

 

[Justinf]

By now it was time head out to the wedding venue, about 12km out of Wanaka.
The was a river and its water was a beautiful blue, although my pics from the passenger side of the car are ordinary and don’t do it justice. In fact the pics are bloody ordinary.

 

[Justinf]

The rehearsal went well and Edie starred as the flower girl. We’ll see how she goes tomorrow as the nerves kick in.
I got emotional giving my daughter away as a practice run so who knows what I’ll be like tomorrow.
The venue is stunning, but my daughter didn’t want anyone to post pics from it, so I will wait until tomorrow.
We went back to Wanaka and checked into our accommodation which is a residential unit with neighbours very close by. It’s about a 500 metre walk into the main town.
We went for dinner at the Paddle & Pint. I’d had enough of Irish/British themed pubs, but I had no say in it.
The meals were good although I could only handle about a quarter of a bowl of fries and two pints.

 

[Justinf]

I realise I am probably complaining about the cost of things a bit too much.
I’ll give it a rest.
It’s tourist country here so it’s to be expected.
Any prices I give from now on will be for reference purposes in case others want to know what to expect.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Late to the party/wedding @Justinf but very much enjoying your TR.
Keen to see how you fare walking down the aisle
Also to hear your thoughts on the car if it was the Yaris Cross Hybrid- just bought one.

 

[Justinf]

Late to the party/wedding @Justinf but very much enjoying your TR.
Keen to see how you fare walking down the aisle
Also to hear your thoughts on the car if it was the Yaris Cross Hybrid- just bought one.

It’s fine for zipping around town and shorter trips. Lacks a bit of grunt.
I do like the hybrid cars though.