NZ Day 18 – Return to Queenstown

Yesterday’s snow on the high ground was still evident as we drove back to Queenstown. Loads of drivers including us were stopping to take photos of the white fields. Around halfway back we spotted a beautiful lakeside, snowy mountain view too perfect to pass up. As we set up the camera for a cheesy group shot along rolls up a Welsh version of Phoenix Nights’ Brian Potter with mobility scooter trying to sell us his marmalade and jams. It was almost scenic photo taxation.

We checked into our super luxury hotel, the Dairy for the holiday remainder which meant dropping off our mobile home for the last few weeks. We had mixed feelings of seeing it go but looked forward to not having to prepare our bed for 30 minutes and not having to suffer drafty cold showers.

As we drove back from the airport we spotted a couple of metal statues for mailboxes. We’d obviously stumbled across the local nutjob artist who’d welded a boozed up tin-man as a mailbox and tin-woman with kitchen sink. As I snapped away the nutjob creator reversed out of his drive laughing and explaining they were the most photographed mailboxes in NZ. He also said he’s yet to finish the female by adding a ball’n’chain.

Took advantage of the free afternoon tea and luxury of the Diary hotel room then prepared for another night on the town with James and Emma. Before meeting them though we had a cosy meal at Chop Chop, a Japanese/Asian mix restaurant. The food was excellent, they served Asahi and Sapporo so I was happy, and we discovered Shochu, a Japanese vodka which went down rather well. Bar Code was our next meeting point after being amused by the hotel’s toilets with each urinal having a photo of a woman either measuring, spying with a magnifying glass…you get the idea.

For novelty value we tried the Minus 5 bar, a freezer of a room with ice sculptures and ice based cocktails. To warm up we went next door to the Boiler House mixing it with the Hawaiian hen night. Ended in the Sky Bar before crashing back to the hotel.