Picture Perfect Queenstown and Arrowtown

Arriving at the  home of the first bungy jump, we were impressed with its quaint beauty.  Nestled along Lake Wakatipu with The Remarkables Mountain range as the backdrop, Queenstown was the perfect stop to revitalize from our adventure packed days in Te Anua.  We stayed in an upscale hotel right up the hill from the town center.  We both decided we could get used to the creature comforts provided -- a bed much more comfortable than anything we have slept on since leaving the states ---- ahhhhhhh --- such luxury!!

SS Earnslaw Steam ship on Lake Wakatipu

                          Teatime at a funky little cafe before the entrance to the Queenstown Gardens

Lily pad pond in the center of the Gardens ---- a lovely coastal and hillside walk through well labeled trees.

                              David always gets that mischievous glint in his eye when he  finds me new friends wherever we go -------
You can tell there was a crispness in the air typical of autumn weather --- but we had NO rain ---- how blessed are we?

As always we find the steepest walking tracks ---- this is a view from the Queenstown walk which turned into the Queenstown Hill Walk ---- it was worth the views.  And we got to walk off some of those muffins and scones --- quickly becoming a morning tradition.

Now on to Arrowtown for another picture perfect autumn day.  We were able to take a city bus and spend the whole day exploring, hiking, shopping, and eating.  Arrowtown was an old gold mining town in the 1800's.  It is chock full of history and historical buildings and a beautiful river walk.  I will start with pictures of the Chinese miner's settlement that has been recreated to represent what was there in the 1800's.  The lives of these miners was unbelievable ----most were only in their late teens leaving home to make their fortune.  Life was so hard ---- long days/ poor shelter/  little food/  language differences -----Yikes ---- they were brave!

This is the store and gathering place of the settlement.  Let's just say the opium pipe was passed around quite a bit here.

                                       A typical mud home - dirt floors/ no windows/ chimney right by the door

                              Enjoying the walk along Arrow River --- Fall colors just beginning

Detour up a hill for a lookout over the town

Then off to the Lakes District Museum where the gold rush era of the 1860's comes to life.

Of course, I enjoy the little school house

And David was taken by this underwater gear created for underwater mining ---- I don't believe it ever worked but David was thinking of giving it a go -----Hmmmmmmm

The next day we were off to meet our train to Dunedin.  Since we were the only folks taking the coach that day to the train, we had a personal guide who made stops along the way and gave us all the history of the area.  He was such a great guy -- a retired sheep farmer who drives the coach 2 days a week because he enjoys it.  He lives in Wanaka, just over the mountains from Queenstown and clearly loves the choices he has made in life.  So glad we got to meet him.

This is a dam on the way to Pukerangi

And a one room school house just as it was when it closed in the early 1900's.

All aboard the Tairi Gorge Railway ---- an old steam train

                                                     View from the train

                               And yes we arrived at the magnificent Dunedin railway station---
Not only is the outside beautiful ---- the inside has intricate tile floors and ornate ceilings ---just                    gorgeous!     I will reveal the ins and outs of Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula next time ----
                                                   Stay tuned