Day 5 Queenstown
Christmas Day! I asked the girls not to get up before 6; they managed to wait until 6.08! They were both very excited to see what Santa put in their sacks/pillowcases.
They spent the morning playing with their new toys and playing game after game of hide and seek. It’s fun to be in a big house with lots of hiding spots!
We had lunch at the Lombardi Restaurant at the St Moritz Hotel in Queenstown. Lunch was nice, with a limited menu but some good options. We had a lovely time, the girls were such good company, and as a bonus, we had a lovely window view of Lake Wakatipu.
After lunch, we walked around the streets of Queenstown and along the lake. The girls skimmed stones and played at the edge of the lake.
We had a very different Christmas Day than usual - but it was good fun.
Day 6 Queenstown
The girls had a great night's sleep and woke up full of energy. We started the day with a “10-minute” hike along the Shotover River, the Oxenbridge Tunnel Track. We ended up spending an hour and a half! Partly because it took ages to get to the start of the hike from the car but also because we took our time enjoying the view, skimming rocks, and waving to every jet boat that shot past. We had a great time exploring. Miss 6 was really interested in all of the different colours of the rocks. We all went right down to the water's edge to skim rocks. It was a great walk that ended with a view of the Shotover River. We had such a lovely time.
At the lookout at the far end of the walk we were fortunate to see a family of five wild mountain goats who happened to be climbing the rocks below us as we were at the lookout. Such good timing!
After our hike, we went for a drive to Arrowton. It was gorgeous! It is an old gold mining town with the most beautiful little gift shops, lolly shops, and restaurants. It was bustling but had such a great vibe! Unfortunately, being Boxing Day, a lot of restaurants and cafes were closed, so we grabbed sandwiches from the supermarket, which were surprisingly good - the monkey bread was delicious!
There is an easy walk that starts right in town. We spent about two hours, but you could do it in half the time if you wished, it meanders along the path close to the river. It was a lovely easy walk, just spending time together, chatting away whilst navigating the puddles and mud. We all enjoyed it. It ended with a “shortcut” that involved climbing a slippery muddy hill. I went first and made it look really difficult. The three of them scrambled up like the mountain goats we saw earlier!
Speaking of goats - our next stop was to feed some goats in a farm paddock. The ingenious owners leave out jars of food which you can purchase for $2 to feed their goats. It was excellent fun; the goats were so nice and gentle. The girls thought it was hilarious and were giggling their heads off when the goats ate out of their hands. Great value for $4! The kids will love a little stop at Arrowbelle Feed the Goats!
I am not a daredevil by any means, so was never going to Bungee, but have always wanted to watch someone do it. The AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre has such a good set-up. I always imagined there would just be a bridge and people jumping, but there was a big building, a cafe, a merch store and multiple viewing platforms. Bungee jumping is big business! It was so fun to watch. I was so scared whenever someone was on the platform and then so proud of them for doing it. The girls were encouraging everyone and cheering them on. Seeing their instinct to inspire others and cheer them on was beautiful. It was so fun to watch, I could have stayed all day.
We had dinner at the Boardwalk in Queenstown. It was ok…but a bit too expensive for the meals we had. It is predominantly a fish restaurant so the girls had…steak and chips!
After dinner, the three of them had the “best ice cream they have ever eaten” from Anita Gelato.
A busy and long day. We were all exhausted, but happy.
Day 7 Queenstown
Off to the Onsen Hot Pools today. The girls were so excited to go! We got there a little early and waited in the foyer area. When it was our turn, they led you downstairs to your private room. We were in number 1. When they open the door to show you the room, the first thing you see is the gorgeous view out over the Shotover River. Spectacular! After a quick briefing by the staff member we all jumped in. It was really hot, so it took a minute to adjust, and then it felt wonderful. The “free” snacks and drinks were a nice touch. It was so nice to sit and relax as a family for the hour. We chatted, enjoyed the beautiful view, watched the jets roaring past and really enjoyed our time. When it got too hot the girls made use of the in-room shower to cool off for a minute. One hour was definitely long enough!
We got changed and headed to a cute little food spot a couple of doors down Rakou. The service was so slow as it was very understaffed, but the setting was nice. There are a few tables and some beanbags under shady umbrellas. The girls read the provided books and played noughts and crosses while we waited for the food. They have such a lovely relationship, and can happily sit and entertain each other for hours. The food when it arrived was average.
My little daredevils were keen to swim in the lake back in town. They dipped their toes in, shrieking with the cold, and decided they would put their batters back on and go in! The three of them went in even though the water was freezing. They spent about half an hour splashing about and were then happy to go. So proud of them for going in - they are so brave!
We got them changed (again) and headed to the Kiwi Park. We had pre-booked to attend the Kiwi Experience at 3 pm, so arrived just before that. The entry staff told us where we needed to go and also told us about the free bird experience afterwards. We were all hot and tired by this time, so we headed straight to the Kiwi Experience and waited for our turn to enter. They warn you about how dark it is but wow when you first walk in it is pitch black. So bizarre! You think you won't be able to see anything, but as they had advised us your vision does start to adjust and you can actually see well enough after about five minutes. You have to be absolutely silent, and it was pretty impressive how even with a large group we managed. The Kiwi are so adorable! You see them in their glass enclosures, fossicking around in the dirt, looking for insects. The guide was very informative. It was pretty cool to see them as close to how you would in nature as possible. The two female kiwis were quite brave, and did not mind having an audience, but the two boys were nowhere to be seen.
We headed back towards the entrance for the Conservation Talk. It was really good. They let the birds fly around us, the zoo keeper was really energetic and well-informed. We saw an owl, parrots, rats (I nearly screamed!), and a Toutara. Miss 8 was so excited to see the Toutara as she’d been reading about them recently. The keepers walked the birds and animals through the audience so we could all have a close look. The owl flew right over our heads. It was a very cool experience! And also nice to sit down for half an hour.
We’re off to Lake Tekapo tomorrow. Excited to get to Lake Tekapo and check out the town and where we are staying. Girls are hoping we can swim in the lake!