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

Te Anua -- Gateway to Fiordland National Park

Our descent into Queenstown amidst a vast display of very rugged mountains was our first view of the renowned south island.  The airfield is tucked between mountain ranges and must require a bit of skill for landing.  We exited the plane right on the tarmac and immediately boarded a bus for  Te Anua which would be our base for our first excursions.  The views were incredible, the road very windy at points, the lakes breathtaking as we entered New Zealand's largest national park.

We walked around Lake Te Anua and enjoyed viewing local wild birds at the Bird Reserve.  Te Anua is a beautiful little town with cafes and stores along a quaint street and just steps from this beautiful Lake.

Lake Manapouri is claimed by some to be the most beautiful lake in New Zealand.  We crossed this lake before driving over Wilmot Pass to our Doubtful Sound cruise.  It was chilly and just spectacular.
At this point it is important to emphasize that all these pictures do not do justice to the overwhelming vastness of nature's paintbrush here on the south island.  It is gobsmackingly impressive!

David in the tunnel which leads to the Manapouri hydro power station which is underground in a cavern 200 meters below the surface of Lake Manapouri.  So we not only traveled through Wilmot Pass, we also bused down under the mountain.  Needless to say, just getting to the cruise was a whole experience in itself.  David was totally in his element.

These are the 7 underground generators --- yes we were way underground -------

                      View of Doubtful Sound from the top of Wilmot Pass ----- Beauty beyond words

The following pictures are from the cruise ship ----- I'll let the pictures do the talking -------  spectacular fiords, bush-clad hills backed by mountains -----

This is a small permanent waterfall.  Because we had a beautiful clear day--- 1 of 8 for the year --- we did not get to view all the temporary weather related waterfalls that usually pour along the fiords.  Apparently 2 out of 3 days a year rain and the others are usually cloudy.  So we had a very unusual day which allowed our cruise to go further than normal.

                                         Fur seals lounging on the rocks and enjoying their sunny day

That's just a taste of Doubtful Sound.

Our next day was an equally breathtaking day.  When we arrived in Te Anua we checked out the i site and decided to take a water taxi across Lake Te Anua to Brod Bay which is the start of the Kepler Track.  Recommended highly by David's colleague and described by the locals as one of the most spectacular hikes we decided to give it a go.  We were able to hike straight up, past the bush line up the grand Mount Luxmore.

Crossing Lake Te Anua

Through the gentle beech forests

Along the ridge

The mighty Kepler Mountains

Majestic Views

Tea Time at Luxmore Hut

Reunited with my friend after a spectacular day of hiking.

That ends the  first stage of our adventures on the south island ---- stay tuned for more  of this incredible trip-----

In Mike's Memory

Three years have passed since we've seen Mike's smile or felt one of his big hugs.  Following are some pix, Mike's scrapbook pages and poems written by Mike, Me and Emily Dickinson in Mike's Memory.  We love you Mike and miss you every day.

Where I’m From

I’m from a brick house

Love engulfing the walls like insulation

This is my world

An everlasting home

My everything

I’m from the whiff of freshly cut grass

The smell of dogs

The scent of the hot tub’s steam

An aroma of the afternoon’s sweet breeze

My nose is kept busy

I’m from humming computers that keep rhythm

Noises of barking dogs in every direction

The clamor of metal pots echoing in the kitchen

Shouts of sports commentator’s booming voices

My ears are kept busy

I’m from rich flavors in spaghetti

Tastes of hearty chili

Samples of home-style cookies

Bites of roasted chicken

My mouth is kept busy

I’m from soft blankets in winter

The feeling of a warm pillow early in the morning

The soft bubbles of a hot tub’s jets

The essence of a thick rug beneath your feet

My sense of touch is kept busy

I’m from a brick house

Endless spirit of family

Indestructible memories

My everything

by

Mike Weiss

My Hugging King

Sparkling Blue Eyes

A smile known to melt any heart

reaches arms up

encircling grandma, grandpa,

mom and dad,

sisters, brother,

friends

The Hugging King

Sparkling Blue Eyes

now outlined by wire rims

 arms reaching down

enveloping grandma, grandpa,

mom and dad,

sisters, brother,

friends

The Hugging King

Gone too soon

Eyes now closed

sending robins

hugs remembered

smiles memorized

Always

My Hugging King

The first stanza of this Emily Dickinson Poem on my painting reads:

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul ----

And sings the tune without the words ----

And never stops - at - all

Love You Mike