The Eve of Suze birthday (End of Milford Track)
We came back to Queenstown around 7:30pm by bus.
Through a bus ride from Milford Sound, The Divide, Te Anou Down and then Te Anou most of hikers
we had been with during Milford Track got off one by one.
To my utter amazement a couple started straight Routeburn Track at The Divide after getting off from the bus.
I enjoyed fulfilling emotions emanating from inside after two big hikes appreciating NZ peaceful views
out of car windows and dosing off for some time as well.
I really liked finding purple lupins on the endless fields near Te Anou along with yellowish unknown
flowers there.
Queenstown welcomed us and I realized it's a small town but buzzing with tourists and busy traffics
after quiet mountains.
We had a yummy Thai food for dinner before trudged back to our accommodation.
It's already after 9 pm but the bright sun was still lingering around us.
Suze's Birthday : Ben Lomond Hike
We all slept in due to no actual plan for this day rather than from being tired.
We decided to do two things for the next two days in Queenstown before going back home.
One: Hike to Ben Lomond
Two: Bike Trip at Arrow Town
We booked a bike trip for the next day and went to hike at Ben Lomond on Suze's birthday.
She might have wanted a more relaxing day but she willingly agreed.
3 years back when we first visited Queenstown me and Eddie did this hike while she was staying at the hotel
and this time I really waned to go there together.
It was an amazing memorable hike for me then experiencing unblocked panoramic 360 degree's of views
of beautiful Queenstwon sprawled surrounded by pristine clean blue Wakatipu Lake far down
and permanently snow capped far-away mountains after numerous folds of nearby mountains
under the purest blue sky.
Also I loved most of all open tracks which made me feel absolutely liberated.
We had the cable car ride first and had a simple lunch at the restaurant.
I told Suze it's an easy walk from there.
I tend to forget about hardships of hikes once it's done and on top of that it was 30 degrees of Celsius that day,
From the beginning we struggled with extremely hot weather.
OMG...I mumbled mainly to myself who wanted to do this hike on such a hot day after two big hikes
here?
Of course it was me.
Suze was determined not to be distracted so didn't respond me much but definitely we shared the same
miserable feeling then.
And we laughed about it later.
It was one demanding walk for sure.
But it was worth it as usual at the end.
We started our walk at midday( crazy!) and finished around 5 pm.
We enjoyed gelatos at the Sky Line Restaurant like rituals.
On the way up the staff working in Sky Line( cable car company) took a photo of us without asking us and
then they showed it to us on the way out.
I purchased our photo 3 years ago as it came out really good.
It was expensive but I didn't hesitate a minute even though Eddie didn't want me.
This time the photo was not good at all and I was surprised the price got higher than before.
We enjoyed our dinner at a Japanese restaurant downtown.
And then spent time at the beach of Wakatipu lake enjoying the sun set with
millions of other tourists there.
Restaurants facing water were filled with people sitting outside leisurely enjoying their meals and these holiday ambience
and a few buskers singing nearby gathering attentions from people passing by.
People were sitting on the sands, others like us sitting on the banks between pavements and sands.
Seagulls were aggressive trying to attack and grab burgers of people next to me.
It was such a memorable enjoyable time then there.
We strolled around the small town alleys browsing shops and immersed in touristy environments.
It's always good after good hikes relaxing like this acting like tourists for a short time base.
Arrow Town
Early morning Arrow Town bike people picked us up at our hotel.
It was a quick drive from Queenstown to Arrow Town.
I was both excited and nervous about this bike ride.
I liked trying a new thing but in fact I was not very confident about riding a bike.
But there were only 3 of us and we could do at our own pace.
We could stop whenever we wanted to.
First as they suggested we took a stroll to town centre.
It was a pretty little town which still kept mining era's buildings.
For us there was nothing more to be honest.
A lot of shops were visited by tourists.
We leisurely walked back to the bike shop and enjoyed freshly brewed coffee at a café
next door.
It was a really pretty rustic place situated in the middle of beautiful field next to the river.
I bought a country style simple canvas bag there at NZ 50 dollars on which Kiwi bird was embroidered.
We rode from there to Gibbston winery along the river.
First we were very ambitious as if we could finish all the tracks on the map provided and could come back to the shop by bike.
I remember I first pedalled the bike getting out of the town and rode fast by the river with cool wind blowing
into my face and caressing my hairs.
I felt a newly acquired accomplishment already.
But soon after several on going uphills I felt exhausted.
My calves started feeling stiff too.
By the time we saw the winery after around 2 hours' ride we felt it's enough.
We parked our bikes safely and entered Gibbston winery to have lunch.
It was a beautiful place with flowers and trees in the nature and food was wonderful too.
After lunch we arranged Bike people to pick us up there.
It was a wonderful day for us doing a different thing as a tourist but still a little bit of physical activity.
We wanted to go to a Thai restaurant we liked 3 years ago for dinner.
They were like street humble Thai food and very yummy with very reasonable price.
Unfortunately their food was not so good as before.
We were disappointed about that place actually.
On the last night at Queenstown we walked around town for last time after dinner.
I felt it's about right time for us to go home.
It was one of the most perfect and magnificent trips ever in my life.
Lucky with almost everything!