Day 5 : Wanaka - Queenstown

For me, Day 5 was really a great day. Not only was I able to feast my eyes on the stunning scenery all around me, there were some fun activities thrown in as well.

After a breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, muesli and yogurt we said good bye to YHA Wanaka Purple Cow and set off for Queenstown. Queenstown is a must-visit. This is my third time here, and I still love it to bits!!!

There are 2 routes to Queenstown from Wanaka. The first route via Cadrona would take us up and down the mountainous roads of Crown Range - the highest main road in New Zealand! This route is about 69 km long. The second route via Cromwell is less challenging and is longer at 117 km.

Because the weather was good, we decided to take the Crown Range Road, purported to be the more scenic of the two.

We crossed a plateau of farmland and drove steadily along Cardrona Valley, and stopped at the the historic Cardrona Hotel - one of New Zealand's oldest. I remember it being rather cold that morning

Cadrona Hotel

Once we passed Cadrona, the road twisted and turned as it climbed up the ranges.

Long winding road ...

The road fringes the mountain range ...

Before long, all of us exclaimed at the wondrous sight before us. Wow!!!! We had to stop at the lookout point to enjoy the picture-perfect view below us.

View from Crown Range Road

We lingered for as long as we could and then moved on. The descend was characterised with sharp turns ranging from 15 degree angles to 45 degree angles. We urged our driver to be careful. We breathed a sigh of relief when we finally reached the junction. Phew!

On the way to Queenstown is another small town called Arrowtown. It is a historic gold mining town.

The main street @ Arrowtown

The Lakes District Museum is located here, but which we did not go for. We merely walked up the street and back, browsing in some of the shops. Then we set off for Queenstown, the Adventure Capital of the World!!

Queenstown is really visually stunning. Its lake, Lake Wakatipu and its surrounding mountain ranges makes it the most beautiful place in New Zealand.

We checked into YHA Queenstown Central. Because it is by a main road, there isn't any parking nearby. We were instructed to park at the Esplanade which was about 10 minutes walk away. Again we had 2 bunk beds and an en suite bathroom. Our rooms were on the first floor, which makes lugging our heavy bags up the stairs a bit difficult.

The kitchen and lounge was on the second floor.

The kitchen

The fridges and recycle bins
YHA is committed to responsible tourism. I like.

The lounge

Luv the view from the window
See the tranquil Lake Wakatipu in the distant - the third largest lake in NZ

Lunch was pasta with bacon and mushrooms in a white sauce.

Pasta lunch

We decided to walk off lunch at the lake. There sits the Lady of the Lake, a historic steamship called the T.S.S Earnslaw.

The elegant T.S.S. Earnslaw

We then proceeded to the Queenstown Skyline Gondola, and ascended 446 m to Bob's Peak.

On the way up ....

Fantastic view of the mountains and the beautiful clouds No wonder NZ is called Aotearoa - the Land of the Long White Cloud

The amazing view of Queenstown from Bob's Peak Beyond the lake is a mountain range known as The Remarkables

At Bob's Peak, I sat on a chairlift for the first time in my life! It was fun! Not at all scary. The chairlift brought us to the top of the luge tracks.

Chairlift

Have you heard of a luge? Indeed I'd never heard of it before this. Basically, it's a cart on three wheels with simple braking and steering system. Sit on the cart and pull the handle to brake and steer it along the tracks at your desired speed. That day, we had purchased two ride because according to the tagline, "Once is never enough!!" Lol.

My hand was stamped before I was allowed to ride ... Lol ...

It is compulsory to for riders to take the scenic track the first time. It has a gentle gradient, easy bends and dips with several rest areas giving riders plenty of opportunity to stop and enjoy panoramic views. After a safety briefing, off we rode down the track. My friends and I were really cautious and we went real slow. Heck, I really felt like an old lady riding on a scooter. Lol. In fact, we even caused a traffic jam on the track!!! Lol.

We made it safely and went for our second ride feeling more confident of ourselves. This time, we were persuaded to go on the Advanced track. The Advanced track has a steeper gradient, banked corners, a tunnel, dips and hollows. This time, I threw caution to the wind and hurtled down the track. Wheeee! It was exhilarating!!

We lingered for a while at the Skyline Complex. There's a cafe, restaurant and a souvenir shop there before making our way down.

After a fun-filled day, we decided to eat out. There were plenty of restaurants in town, and we ended up at one called The Fishbone. I ordered a fish and chips. 2 Lemon fish fillets were battered and deep-fried to crisp perfection. The chips were served in a cone, with the fish stacked on top. I liked the presentation. Tartare sauce and ketchup were also provided. What's fish and chips without tartare sauce, right?

I suppose for the NZD$20.00 that I paid for my dish, the huge portion was expected! I ate the fish but ignored the fries.

My dinner

What a great day it was, starting from the amazing view from Crown Range, the gondola ride, the breathtaking scenery of Queenstown from atop Bob's Peak, hopping on the chairlift and riding the luge. I had lots of fun. I LOVE QUEENSTOWN!!