Queenstown weekend

While in Queenstown the weekend of Sept 5-7th, we took a cruise on Lake Wakatipu on a 1912 twin screw steamer, the TSS Earnshaw. You cross the lake and see the Walter homestead (one of the first sheep farmers around Queenstown), view Cecil and Coronet Peaks, and enjoy the scenic landscape around Queenstown. It was fun, especially when we decided to hang out with the captain.

Dan pushed aside some 5-year-olds so he had a chance to steer. Really.

The Queenstown area is absolutely breathtaking. Several film locations from the Lord of the Rings movies are right around this area.

I kept asking why the University isn't located here instead of rainy Dunedin? This is Lake Wakatipu which we cruised around on the Earnshaw - it's also New Zealand's longest lake. The lake is very deep, its floor being as low as 100 meters below sea level.

This picture was taken from the top of Deer Park Heights where we visited all the animals.

Those mountains Dan is pondering towards are ski fields. We haven't done skiing there yet, and the season is over for the year already. Spring is here!

We had a great time in Queenstown, & the people we stayed with were really nice. They had alpacas at their B&B that we played with, and some sheep who were getting sheared when we were there. It was a wonderful weekend, and it was hard to leave on Sunday.