Queenstown, New Zealand

After my final trip on the Intercity bus, I arrived in Queenstown.  I booked my stay at the Sofitel Queenstown using British Airways Avios points.  Generally its a bad redemption to use airline points for hotels, though I didn't have another use for the points in the near future and the Sofitel looked like a great property.  While you can get more value using airline points for flights, sometimes I think it makes sense to just use them for something you want that you don't want to pay cash for so long as the redemption isn't a terrible value.  Given all the devaluations that occur with airline points, where airlines and hotels keep increasing the number of points you need for a flight or stay, it is also a bad idea to hold on to points for an extended period of time.  The Sofitel was quite comfy and I was happy with the booking.

Queenstown was the biggest town I'd stayed in for at least the past week, though it still was certainly walkable.  Like the rest of New Zealand it was quite scenic with great views overlooking Lake Wakatipu.  I could not stop photographing it as the sun set. 

For dinner I sat at cafe along the lake and started with a mulled wine as it was beginning to get a little chilly.

The town itself is right on the lake and there are lots of little shops and restaurants.  Queenstown probably had the best food so far in New Zealand (though Wellington is my next stop) with some healthier options and lots of local seafood.

A great light local fish.  I forget what it was called!

The most hipster thing I'd eaten in a while.  Pumpkin with black quinoa and some other seeds, grains and flower nonsense.

The Kiwi's I met (PS - I absolutely love that New Zealanders are called Kiwi's) continued to be so friendly.  I spent some time with some folks who were from elsewhere in New Zealand and were staying at their family lake house; the views were stunning.  Yes, I took a picture out the window of their house.  Whatever, you only live once folks. #living.  In this photo you can sort of see how as you move back from the lake, there are rows of homes that wind up the hill.

Some of my best photos of Queenstown I actually took on the flight out en route to Wellington.  So skipping ahead a couple days here are those.  This photo gives a great view of the lake, the city and then the mountains behind it.

This was the view after just another minute or two of flying, so just outside Queenstown.

Here are a few more snaps from the plane as we flew north towards Wellington, we're probably a couple hundred miles north of Queenstown now. This is Lake Tekapo and the range of mountains near Mount Cook.

Note the Air New Zealand logo in the top right corner on the tip of the wing of the Airbus A320.

Though before I get I ahead of myself, prior to leaving Queenstown I took a day trip to Milford Sound and went bungee jumping off the Kawarau Bridge!  Those posts are up next!