Woke refreshed - as you would after you've had ten and a half hours sleep. Hit the road by 9.00am and pulled in at a roadside touriste sheep shearing gift shop cafe for a light b'fast. As with all these types of place on the tourist trail it wasn't long before the busloads of Japanese tourists descended on the place.
Got going again before the hordes and continued south. More of what we had come to enjoy - spectacular scenery all around with some reminiscent of Canada and some no doubt unique to NZ. Beautiful wildflowers along the side of the road (though we later heard that the purists would like to see them destroyed as the weren't native - seems that the Australian Democrats & Greens don't have the monopoly on wankers). For a few miles hundreds and hundreds of stone cairns some small and simple and others quite large. Probably a local landowner came up with this simple but effective way of getting all the rocks on his block cleared - just do a couple and people will line up to clear your land for you. The area was known as Lindis Pass.
Stopped in at a big fruit barn at Cromwell which is situated on the end of Lake Dunstan. Sure is no shortage of water over here with lakes around every corner. Looking back along Lake Dunstan you could see the surface of the lake glassed out for miles - a barefoot water skier's dream. After loading up with fresh fruit (this is the fruit bowl of the South Island) we followed a gorge to an old gold mining site at Kawara ( now a well attended tourist site) before continuing on to Allentown.
Allentown is part of the historic gold mining trail and the tidy & attractive township features some historic old buildings as well facades of shops being done in an old pioneering theme. Had blue cod and salad and a pint at the New Orleans Hotel - pretty good too. Wandered around the streets for a while and stumbled into the "Remarkable Sweet Shop". A good play on words as the main mountain range in the area is the Remarkables and the selection of sweets was also remarkable. To keep the driver alert we loaded up with nougat, peanut brittle, buttered rum drops etc. A very pretty little town and well worth the short detour and a couple of hours.
Back on the road and past yet another lake (Lake Hayes) through Frankton and into Queenstown. Like a big Airlie Beach - but on a lake instead of being on the ocean and about 10 times bigger. All the major hotels & holiday chains are here (Soffitel, Rydges, Outrigger etc) and squillions of apartments, motels & B&B. Even saw a couple of residences here and there. Looked for ours everywhere and eventually had to ask for assistance - not a good sign.
No wonder we couldn't find it. It was not in Queenstown but in an area about 10 t0 15 minutes away at a spot called Arthur's Point which could be renamed as the arse end of nowhere. We were booked in here for 4 nights but there was nothing to do out here away from the action in Queenstown & it was totally unsuitable. Quickly summed up the position and told the hotel staff that this wasn't what we wanted and to scratch us. The hotel had a cancellation policy of one night so we decided to have a quite night and move out next morning.
Sat around and wrote up the diary while Jean went for a walk. Then had a quiet dinner before retiring for the night. Just before retiring the obligatory busload of Japanese arrived and moved in. I think about 3am they started to get ready to move out with much yabba yabba and opening and closing of doors. Finally peaceful again about 5am and a chance to grab a bit more shuteye.
Can I just say that this is the strangest place I have ever seen. Accommodation was in either the East wing or the West wing - a pool - sauna - bar - restaurant - games room and a TEN PIN BOWLING ALLEY! All this and miles from anywhere. The bar didn't open till 5pm, the restaurant would seat about 150 patrons but the eight there that night for dinner (including Jean & I) sat outside until the sandflies - about half the size of a house fly started landing in Jean's wine and attempted to gnaw off my left leg. All in all probably not a bad place to stay for a Womens Weekly bus tour.
Anyway, so ended day 5.
Visit: www.queenstown.co.nz/
White Cliffs
Stone Cairns
Among The Wildflowers
Sheep Crossing
Paddock Art
Lake Dunstan
Kawara Gorge Goldmine
Kawara Gorge
Arrowtown Post Office
Back Streets Arrowtown
Two Old blokes And a Beer
Arthur Point Walk
Alpine Coronet Arthur's Point
Stone Cairns
Among The Wildflowers
Sheep Crossing
Paddock Art
Lake Dunstan
Kawara Gorge Goldmine
Kawara Gorge
Kawara Gorge
Arrowtown Post Office
Back Streets Arrowtown
Two Old blokes And a Beer
Gallery Arrowtown
Arthur Point Walk
Arthur Point Walk
Alpine Coronet Arthur's Point
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