Day Five, Wanaka, Lake Hawea, and WIne!

Well today we didn’t quite know how it was all going to work.   Pete and I are checking out of the Kingsgate as we are moving to the Mercure Hotel on the other side of town to attend the AROC (Alfa Romeo Owners Club) AGM.     Also we were picking up friends Fiona and Bruce (who also belong to AROC) at the airport, getting them to their loan car (they have friends who have a bach/crib at Wanaka, who leave a car at the airport) and then??   All we knew was they wanted to go to Wanaka. 

So all that done, the big discussion was had!   Fiona was keen to wine taste but we could only do a minimal amount or we couldn’t do Wanaka and back!

First stop at 10am was Amisfield Winery at the foothills the Crown Range and only a few minutes drive from the airport.    Only Fiona and Bruce did tastings as it was too early for the rest of us!

Going up the Crown Range - looking back

The drive over the Crown Range was completely different than I had imagined.  There is a steep climb up then it plateaus out and is quite flat.   We drove through Cardrona which again was not what I expected.  A small settlement with the famous Cardrona pub and that was it!   It was some distance to the Cardrona Ski Field which is actually off the main road.

Famous Cardrona Hotel

Another long windy drive down into Wanaka where decided to have lunch.   Found a nice pub on the waterfront.     While there we saw a lot of familiar Alfa’s being driven around.  All obviously together on their way down to Queenstown.

Lake Wanaka

Next mission was to find Fiona and Bruce friends crib which turned out to actually be at Lake Hawea not Wanaka as I thought, about 20 minutes from Wanaka.   We played follow the leader and eventually we found the crib – right on the lake front no less!!!!   Section was a good quarter acre and the crib appeared to be one of the original cribs in the area.   Must be worth a bomb!   What a fantastic spot.

View from the front of the Crib!

Pete had the return trip all sorted – yeah right!   We eventually arrived back at the main highway to go south back Queenstown via Luggate and Cromwell (again!) Only problem was we encountered road works which slowed us down.  

So you know where we are going here is a map: http://goo.gl/maps/i0qSu

On the way we detoured and called into Pisa Moorings which we had seen from the other side of Lake Dunstan a couple of days before.   It was not a resort but new subdivision and some properties had moorings.   Again in the middle of no where!

Back in Cromwell Fiona and Bruce wanted to go to the Wooing Tree Winery which has come highly recommended.   The Winery has a little café as well, which meant we could have afternoon tea once we had done some tasting of course!  We tasted and bought the Blondie, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and were able to shared case with Fiona & Bruce, which meant we could get a discount and free freight back to Auckland.

As it was getting late we headed back to Queenstown

As we need to collect our luggage from the hotel and drop Julie & Dave off.   We are keeping the rental car as they fly back to Auckland on the Saturday while we are staying on until the Sunday.

At check in at Mercure we were treated like royalty!!!  Fussed over and I was called Mrs. Kelly etc!   Hmmm they knew exactly who I was as I was the only one from the club arriving that used a wheelchair and I had complained when originally booking at being charged for the hotel portion three months out!  I don’t mind paying a deposit but not the full amount in advance!    Anyway it was worth being fussed over as check in was chaos!    Total Registration for AROC AGM was 94 and the car park full of Alfas and the odd rental car!

I had booked as accessible room with a standard shower (which had a small lip and would provide a shower stool) with a Lakeview.   Well Room 107 was a joke.  Yes accessible as it was large and on the Reception level, but a Shower stool in 700 x 900 stall was ridiculous.    We had a think about it and asked if we could change to a properly accessible room but alas no as hotel full to bursting.    So we were going to have to make do!   Wish I had taken photos.

Anyway we had a more pressing engagement – Registration and Pre-dinner drinks and socializing to do!    The reception rooms were full to bursting as not only was there all of the AROC there was about 4 busloads of tourists!

 

Dinner wasn’t part of the package so we decided to book Waterfront where we had been on the first night. Pete booked for 6, and on the way in we realized he had made a mistake so I had to call ahead and increase the number to 8.     We collected Julie and Dave and headed for the restaurant.   While waiting for the others to arrive, another AROC couple turned up, so we had to hastily arrange for them to join us!   The restaurant was very accommodating and we had a really nice night.

One very annoying thing was I decided I need to use the toilets.   We were told they were accessible.    OMG Toilets definitely not accessible friendly – goodness knows why anyone thought they were.   

Day Two - Glenorchy Cromwell and wine

We has a reasonable nights sleep.  Bed is a King – so 2 king singles put together giving us plenty of room and comfy enough.    The usual morning routine with showering – send Pete in first to ‘test’ the shower out!      As the bathroom was so large, using the shower was easy and there was good pressure and temperature was good to control. 

We decided we should dress for the cold, well me at least with thermal leggings as I got such cold legs yesterday.   Pete doesn't seem to feel the cold.  In years gone by he would try and get away with shorts all year round, but as he has got older he has become a little more sensible!

We did the trek across the hotel and met Julie & Dave in Restaurant for breakfast.  They had managed to get a table by the window as the view is very good.     The buffet was the usual fare but coffee very mediocre.    Although the staff were attentive they appeared a little less confident, which made me wonder if this hotel may be a training hotel.   Mind you, if that were the case you would expect some staff to be very efficient but that did not appear to be the case.

We decided we would head off about 10am for Glenorchy which is North West of Queenstown, meaning one drives through the town centre and up the right hand side of the lake.    Initially we came across a couple of campervans which made me think we might spend the entire week following then!   But not so, thankfully.

The drive along the lakeside road is absolutely stunning and I kept asking Pete to stop and take photos.      Saw “The Earnslaw” steaming up the lake from Queenstown to Walter Peak Station, which runs a number of times a day.   We had been planning on doing the trip but seeing all the black smoke belching out of the boat we were completely put off!!!    Plus Walter Peak is not that far up the lake and driving by road you get to see the same scenery.

Look at the smoke coming out of the smoke stack!!!

So Pete stopped several times and took great photos.  Each time we turned a corner we were all saying WOW!     Along the way we saw some very expensive houses on the way down private roads. 

I took this as I thought we would see heaps of backpacker vans!   But no thankfully.

The windy roads

Walter Peak Homestead across the Lake, where the Earnslaw stops

This photo is my screen saver!

We arrived in time for morning tea at Glenorchy, so found a small café and decided to site outside in the sun.   It was lovely sitting in the sun and the views were absolutely beautiful and it wasn't long before I was starting to peel off the layers!   The sun was out and it was only chilly if in the shade and wind.   With hardly a cloud in the sky it was warmer!!!     At Glenorchy there is not actually much there.   It is a very small settlement and some places looked rather run down.     

After having a nice cuppa we drove out towards Rees Valley and Routeburn Road.  We went as far as the turnoff to Kinloch which is around the top side of the lake and headed back towards Queenstown.     Driving back the views were just as stunning.

The turn around point at Rees Valley

On the way back to town we saw plenty of wild goats on the road side.   Dave spotted an old van on the side of the road, so we had to stop, photograph it and work out what it was.

What a bargain!

As we had to go back through Queenstown we decided to have a short stop at hotel for toilet stop and to refresh.

As it was late morning we thought we should head out again, so off to Cromwell for lunch.  The views completely different as the road to Cromwell is very rugged wine country.   

I took these photos for our friend Bob who has a very small collection of farm vehicles

After a quick look at the old Cromwell town centre (from the car window only) we were all getting rather hungry so we thought we would look for something in the new town centre.    A drink and sandwiches from a bakery was just the ticket.

Old Cromwell Town

Old Cromwell Town - we didn't go in

The man made lake which covered the original Cromwell Township - it was moved to it's present location.

As Cromwell (and Central Otago) is wine country it was appropriate to head off to wineries towards Bannockburn.    Our first winery visit to Cere although supposedly open but on arrival we found the door was locked and pressing the bell did not result in anyone answering.   Bad luck for them.

From Cere Winery

From Cere Winery

Back at the intersection we turned left and then right into Felton Road where we thought we would have more luck.   Our first successful winery was Mt Difficulty http://www.mtdifficulty.co.nz/.   Interesting building and stunning views (again!!!)   We tasted wines – Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, resulting in a purchase (of course).  There is an award winning restaurant but we had eaten and the prices were way up there!!!  But I have it on very good authority dining is a wonderful experience.   May be next time.

From Mt Difficulty Car park

Ah - the photo of Dave - it is one of the challenges of holidaying with Dave to get a photo of him!

The entry to Mt Difficulty Tasting Room and Restaurant - we have to return to dine here as it has a wonderful reputation, but we didn't have time this visit (and it was too late)

Julie and Dave were keen to check out Felton Road Winery just down the road. Unfortunately there was only stair access to the tasting area, but on inquiry we so we were taken via the wine making area through the back door to the tasting area.   All high security as they were in the middle of dispatching the latest vintage.     Here we tried Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and made a small purchase.  Well its too tempting not too!

On the drive back to Queenstown we stopped at Roaring Meg which is rapids and two power stations, and the name of one of Mt Difficulty’s wines!

Roaring Meg (managed to just catch Julie in the photo!)

Then it was a quick stop at the Remarkable Shopping centre for supplies which is Franklin’s nice new shopping precinct.   Just out of Queenstown and close to the airport.

We were back to hotel 5pm, and for Pete it was a big day of driving.   As it turned out I didn't need the thermals as temperature got to 15 and very rather warm in the sun.

Again, drinks at Julie and Dave’s after a short break!

We went into town again and this time dined at a Tapas Bar “Eicharts”  http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g255122-d1639340-r124452977-Eichardt_s_Bar-Queenstown_South_Island.html which had been recommended to Julie by her physio. The menu was impressive and we shared 6 tapas’ between the four of us, which was sufficient, leaving room for an ice-cream!

From the restaurant window we could see people walking past with ice-cream so we decided this was a nice way to finish the day.     It was a little cool walking along the waterfront but we were well wrapped up.  The Ice Cream Shop was doing a roaring trade and we had to queue!