DAY 11 – LAKE TEKAPO TO QUEENSTOWN
I’ve to say that Lake Tekapo and, especially, the accommodation we were staying at made it hard to leave this beautiful scenic place.
After breakfast, I walked around to admire the beauty of the lake and soak it all in, before it was time to head to our next destination.
We left Lake Tekapo around 10:30am and our first stop was at the “University of Canterbury Mt. John Observatory.” The views from the top of the mountain were breathtaking.
Next was a quick stop at Punatahu –
The longest Irrigation System –
Vineyards –
Gibbston Winery Music Festival –
We has initially planned to visit Gibbston Winery to checkout the vineyard and do wine tasting, but they were having a music festival at the winery, so Vall was able to connect with one of the musicians who was performing at the festival, and was able to get us free entry into the festival. It was a very cool experience to hangout with the locals and listen to the music bands while soaking in the scenic beauty surrounding us.
Queenstown –
We got to Queenstown around 8pm and checked into the Haka Lodge. My room which was on the top second floor did have a nice view so that was a huge plus, inspite of climbing the stairs and sharing the bathroom.
After checking in, we went to the city center for dinner and drinks. I did like the vibe of this town and was excited to explore it next day.
DAY 12 – QUEENSTOWN
It was nice to wake up late without having to rush to get ready for the next destination. After breakfast, I left the lodge to explore Queenstown.
I stopped at the Queenstown Art Center to admire the work of local artist, which was so inspiring. Also got to meet the potters who were making some cool pieces.
Walking through the Queenstown Gardens was a serene and peaceful experience. Who knew that “Frisbee Golf,” can also be a game, which you can play in the park area.
View of the Magnificent Mountain –
After wandering around, I was super hungry, so stopped by “Teapots” restaurant for lunch. Had the yummy Jackfruit BBQ Burger and it was delicious. Across from me, I spotted the grumpy looking couple. Can people even be grumpy in this beautiful town?
I enjoyed exploring restaurants and boutiques are around the Queenstown Mall area.
This town also has lot of cool art galleries. My favorite was Tim Wilson Gallery. Tim is a local artist who paints mostly NZ landscapes from his memory and uses a special technique so that as the light levels are adjusted up and down the paintings transform, evoking a powerful sense of being in the very environment depicted. It was a magical experience and if you’re in Queenstown make sure to visit his gallery.
After a fun day of exploration in the center, I headed back to the lodge to relax and take a cat nap.
In the evening, met up with Burto and Vall, to go for dinner with their friend Don, who is a Maori Spiritual Healer and I was very interested in knowing more about him. We had some great conversations and I’m so glad to have met Don and his girlfriend.
DAY 13 – QUEENSTOWN TO WANAKA
As I looked at Don’s business card in the morning, it had the logo which resembled intertwined 88 or double infinity. That was my sign to reach out to him to see if he had any opening today morning before we left for Wanaka. He was booked in the morning but was able accommodate me at 12:30pm, which was cutting close to my departure time at 2pm but I decided to make it happen.
Before meeting Don, I walked around the city center and had the yummy hot chocolate at Patagonia.
Took the bus to Don’s studio in the nearby town. His studio had the beautiful view and met his adorable dog. His healing energy and method was wonderful and he was able to pin point the cause of some of my body pain while using pressure points to help relieve the pain.
After the amazing session, Don offered to drop me off at the lodge, and we got there just in time as the bus was ready to leave at 2 pm. During the ride, I learned a lot about Don’s life and how he got to be a Healer. I was truly inspired and intrigued to come back to Queenstown to learn from him.
We made a quick stop at Arrowtown for an hour, which has cute shops, restaurants and boutiques. I was too hungry to explore this tiny town, so opted to have lunch at a Thai restaurant instead.
Wanaka –
We got to Wanaka around 4pm. After Burto drove us around the town and provided us information about what we can see and do, we checked into the YHA. After staying in the beautiful YHA at Lake Tekapo, this one was nice for one night stay but doesn’t compare at all with the Tekapo one.
The weather was too cold to explore at night, so I opted to make a pasta package meal for dinner.
