New Zealand #3 - Banff on Steroids - Queenstown, South Island

We have a really great night in our new cabin, partly because it is roomier and better-equipped than the first one we had to take because it was the only one available when I booked about 10 days ago, but more likely because we discover electric blankets! Every cabin we stay in from here on has an electric blanket or comforter on the bed, and usually it's just enough to turn it on for a half hour before calling it a day, just to warm the bed and make it cosy! Great idea! Really great idea!

Queenstown, looking from the beach on to the waterfront.

We sleep almost 12 hours, finally getting over the time change from Oz, and wake to a day that's going to be sunny and 20 Celsius, the cloud and rain having moved on. After a nice late breakfast of croissants with jam, grapes, honeydew melon, pineapple, and the two cakes we bought in Glenorchy (post #2), brightonbonnie takes the opportunity in our nicer cabin to have a relaxing morning while I explore the caravan park taking the pictures of the surrounding mountains you saw in post #1.

Typical Queenstown: 1912 coal-burning steamer TSS Earnslaw and a parasailer about to lift.

Well refreshed, we decide it's time to explore Queenstown. Our first experiences there were marked by lots of traffic and lots of people. The adventure tourism capital of New Zealand, we expected it to be busy, but it was too much so. One example: Fergburger was featured on CNN Travel in 2015, asking the question 'Best burger joint in New Zealand? Or the planet?". Our first pass, the day we arrived, there was a line-up out the door in the rain of about 50 people. The second pass, today, it was much the same. Not many places to sit, folks eating outside on street benches, or just standing. Later, we are told the secret by a Canadian friend living in Wellington who learned this from Queenstown friends: phone in a takeaway order, come in and go right to the counter, walk out and eat! And he assured us they really are the best burgers ever! But not during our time in Queenstown - on our to-do list for our next visit! In the Canadian Rockies there is a similar tourist destination called Banff, and at one point during our walk round Queenstown I remark to brightonbonnie 'this is Banff on steroids!', and she quickly agreed.

Some interesting architecture and a local landmark - built in the 1860s during a gold rush!

Parking is easier to find this time on the far side of town heading out to Glenorchy, and from there we walk back along Lake Wakatipu and into the town. We get a few things including postcards at a pharmacy, then check out restaurants and settle on Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar, sitting in the upstairs verandah bar looking over The Mall, having a great pizza with New Zealand beer (Tui) and wine. The only downside is given the great music in the bar we have to listen off and on to an absolutely awful street singer below us, who butchers, among other songs, brightonbonnie’s favourite, 'Hey Jude'.

The Mall pedestrian precinct. Tourists in their gear, students in theirs!

Like most tourist towns there are a lot of restaurants that rely on location not their food. Winnies proved to be a good choice, great food and a funky feel, with a verandah overlooking The Mall and a roof that can open to the sun!

As we head back to the car just by chance, among all the crowds, we run into the Australian-Indonesian family we met on the road to Glenorchy yesterday, and are able to give their son the Inukshuk we belatedly wished we'd given him on our first meeting - karma!

The parasailer finally up and likely enjoying the view! In the background, the Remarkables.

Some more views of the town...

...and a final typical Queenstown moment, a young couple having coffee by the lake, watching someone trying to elevate with a jetpack!

So we finally have a nice day weather-wise, and - after our initial concerns about how busy the town is - have an enjoyable time in Queenstown.

PS - if you've enjoyed this post please check out my first two New Zealand posts, the previous 19 posts in my Australia series, and the 3 before that as we started our 90 day roadtrip in Tahiti!

And please join us in my next post as we head across the Southern Alps to the west coast!

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!steemitworldmap -45.031511 lat 168.663383 long Queenstown South Island New Zealand d3scr