Departure

An alarm clock on any day is a chore. An alarm clock set for 3am is not for the faint hearted. Even worse if it's day one of your 'holiday'. But knowing the shuttle bus is going to turn up & possibly beep the horn before the clock turns 4; & the suitcase is not yet zipped shut, is motivation to not go back to sleep.

All things in, the zipper strained but remained closed & according to the house scales (still yet to buy a suitcase weigher) underweight.
Turned out the shuttle bus driver was a liftie at Smiggs the year Stew & I met.

Check in✔️
Clear customs ✔️
Find coffee✔️

Flight over I considered a nap but instead opted for glimpses out the window, watched Lion & some mindless game playing on my phone. Having forgot my kindle, I uploaded the app & concluded I'd need glasses to read on a screen that small. I'm a self diagnosed +1.0. Not perfect, but if I squint a little in one eye, that seems to correct it.

We reached the coastline of NZ with that long white cloud keeping the landscape below a mystery, but with a few small clouds parting a glimpse was offered of the rugged mountains below (Milford Sound) & we followed them across & into Queenstown which appears to be above the tree line except for the last golden autumn leaves still holding on tight, refusing to acknowledge winters approach.

About 200m down the street; opposite the little chalet I'm staying in, is Lake Wakatipu. The mountains in shadow as the sun quickly disappearing from their flanks surround the lake are breathtaking. Photos don't do it justice (well, mine don't) although that didn't stop me clicking away. Gut feeling is they may not be visible tomorrow. I have bets on there being snow before I leave next week.

Walked around the point; people playing frisbee golf, running & just soaking up the view. The rune stones are a fabulous photo spot - some patient & clever people (except the poor girl who was there & knocked a pile trying to add hers). Eventually ending up in the quaint town area taking, complete advantage of the lake & mountains surrounding it.

I settled on Indian for dinner - venison curry, masala rice & a local cider. Grabbed a few groceries & wandered back (the very long way) to my accommodation.

A little unpacking. A little photo sorting & a little investigating into what to do tomorrow. Very blessed there's an electric blanket too