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Part 3 of 7New Zealand's South Island, 2019

Queenstown, the lake and the wind

Tricky streets on arrival, some of the best views of the whole holiday, a quiet day in town and a windy day on the Skyline Luge.

By Thawaio1 min read24–26 November 2019 · Queenstown

Sunlight glittering on a wide blue lake between steep hills, seen from above a row of houses with dark roofs, with a small boat on the water and mountains in the distance.
Lake Wakatipu from Villa del Lago, 25 November.

After Aoraki/Mount Cook, we continued towards Queenstown.

A milky green river running through a rocky gorge, with steep slopes of grass, scrub and bare rock rising on both sides under a blue sky.
A river gorge on the drive towards Queenstown, 24 November.

Arriving in Queenstown

Near Queenstown there were quite a few roundabouts, and some of the streets were tricky to navigate or to park in. Even so, I remember Queenstown as a lovely place.

Villa del Lago

We stayed at Villa del Lago, overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the mountains around it. For me, the views from there were among the best of our whole holiday in New Zealand.

A deep blue lake below a large brown mountain, with a long wooded shoreline and houses on the far side, seen over the rooftops below. A glass railing is at the right edge.
The view across the lake, 25 November.

A quieter day in town

As I remember it, 25 November was a quieter day. We drove into the town centre and walked around. We bought groceries, and I cooked meat for the family.

Purple lupins and willow trees on a grassy shore, with clear turquoise water, a small boat pulled up on the stones and wooded hills across the lake.
Lupins on the lakeshore.
Jet boats and a small jetty on clear blue water, with jet skis out on the lake and mountains beyond.
Boats on the lakefront.
A wide paved street corner in the town centre, with parked cars, a few people walking and a steep wooded hill behind.
A street in the town centre.
A white bowl of cooked meat with broccoli, carrot, cabbage and mushrooms on a grey kitchen bench.
A bowl of meat and vegetables at Villa del Lago, 25 November.

Skyline Queenstown

On 26 November, we went to Skyline Queenstown. I rode the Skyline Luge, about twice.

It was very windy. I had hoped to try some of the aerial adventure activities, but the wind meant I couldn’t.

A chairlift climbing a rocky, grassy slope under grey cloud, with riders in helmets seen from behind and luge carts hanging beneath the seats.
The chairlift, with luge carts hanging below the seats.
Looking down over curving luge tracks among trees and grass, with the town, a wooded peninsula and Lake Wakatipu below under grey cloud.
The luge tracks, with Lake Wakatipu below.