Lapping Up The Land Of The Long White Cloud
We had a bit of down time this morning, only making the deadline for breakfast by the skin of our teeth. The snow was thick on the ground and breathing in, we felt like our nasal hairs were being snap frozen. It was COLD! Sam and I braved the elements and walked down to the Main Street and along the harbour front, checking out the local shops and what they had to offer. We spotted a classic knitted jumper with sheep on it that Sam thought he’d like to wear for a laugh. The $680 price tag was somewhat of a deterrent!
There are some great little shops in Queenstown’s town centre and the quaint cobblestoned pedestrian mall is full of cute cafes and restaurants, none so famous than the iconic Fergburger. Today was the day we’d sample this famed fare and see for ourselves if it really was all it was cracked up to be. The wait time was a mere 20 minutes, a blip in the scheme of things, so Sam and I joined the queue in eager anticipation, salivating as we perused the extensive menu. With such delicacies as the Cockadoodle Oink, Sweet Bambi (wild fiordland deer!) and the Codfather on offer, it was a decision not to be made lightly. I settled on the Southern Swine Burger and the hype was all warranted. The whole family was unanimous in agreeing…it was scrumptious!
After lunch we had our second attempt at driving to Glenorchy – the last attempt aborted midway due to an abundance of cloud obscuring the views that made the drive so worthwhile. Skies were crystal clear today and the views were phenomenal, making the drive spectacular! Huge snow covered mountains rising up to the clouds from the pale blue lake, form a wall along its shore. The horizon a wavy line of peaks and valleys; clouds lingering in the troughs; the sun glinting off the water. We stopped a couple of times on the way, compelled to take photos and soak in the beauty before us. At one stop, we were joined by a living legend! Steve Waugh was our fellow mountain-gazer though I hadn’t seen him. Ross informed me when we got back in the car and I couldn’t believe he’d passed up the opportunity to take a selfie with Mr Waugh!
Down on the beach the ground beneath us was covered in sheets of ice; the ice encasing pebbles and tree roots. In some areas where the ice had cracked, the ground was bouncy – “nature’s own trampoline” as Toby called it. The earth was an almost liquidy grey clay like quicksand. It was like nothing we’d ever seen.
We continued around the pretty road until we reached the little (“little” being the operative word) town of Glenorchy – obviously better said in a Scottish accent. It was bitterly cold but incredibly picturesque. There was a wharf jutting out into the lake and a handful of other sightseers braving the Antarctic winds with us. Ross had walked a little farther ahead onto the jetty and I could see he had kindly offered his photographic services to a family of three, framing them nicely against the magnificent mountainous backdrop. Upon approach, I could see that family of three was none other than the celebrity cricketer, his wife and daughter! We’d been heading to the same place! As usual, I was star struck and all I could say was “it’s a bit brisk isn’t it?”, to which they nodded in agreement! They thanked Ross profusely and he told me later he had said “it’s an honour to meet you – you’re an absolute legend!” To which Steve had said “thanks mate!” Alas, still no selfie (but a thrill nevertheless!)
We had a necessary break in the Glenorchy cafe to thaw ourselves out with some hot chocolates, followed by a tense drive back to Queenstown – yours truly behind the wheel – as Ross awaited a conference call from work with very little reception on his phone. Those pesky mountains kept getting in the way and we had a blow by blow commentary of how many “bars” we’re appearing at any one time: “ooh 2 bars…no, 1 bar…oh no service…wait a minute, 2 bars….” Somehow he managed to connect with his corporate colleagues as the car became a mandatory cone of silence.
Our lunchtime Fergburgers had eradicated any hunger pangs we may have been feeling for dinner so we made toasties and prepared ourselves on the couch for the State Of Origin series clincher, which didn’t kick off until 10pm New Zealand time. We really needn’t have bothered staying up. What a drubbing!
