Dunedin – Queenstown – Arrowtown
On the day we flew from Wellington on the North Island to Dunedin on the South Island, Cyclone Gabrielle had made landfall and was moving across the North Island. As we sat in the airport, we heard flight after flight being canceled on the North Island. Thankfully our flight to the South Island was able to proceed. (The next day was declared a national state of emergency and we learned Gabrielle was one of the deadliest cyclones to hit New Zealand in over 50 years.)
Dunedin
Dunedin, pronounced more like two words: “Done Eden” is a smallish city (population: 130,400) that sits on a harbor on the South Island’s southeast coast. Besides its stunning coastlines, the area is rich in Māori, Scottish, and Chinese heritage. Dunedin also boasts beautiful Victorian and Edwardian architecture. In fact, New Zealand’s oldest University, the University of Otago is located here, and has been recognized as having one of the world’s most beautiful university campuses.
While we were here, we visited the world’s steepest residential street, the Dunedin Botanic Garden, and some swanky vintage shops. Unable to prepare our own afternoon chai, we opted for coffee and a luscious blueberry friand in a CBD café. Despite all of the building and roadway refurbishments underway (scaffolding and orange traffic cones didn’t make for great photos), we found the city clean and charming. We could see ourselves spending more time here in the future.
Queenstown
About a four-hour drive northwest from Dunedin, Queenstown is located on Lake Wakatipu in the Southern Alps. With its Colorado mountain town vibe, it was the first time in two months traversing New Zealand that we found ourselves amidst a sea of tourists.
The area was made for adventure! Besides hundreds of hiking and biking trails, you can go skydiving, ziplining, bungy jumping, canyon swinging, jet-boating, and of course you can ski the mountain slopes in winter (June to mid-October). Despite the hot sun and dry climate, the actual temperatures were relatively moderate. Nonetheless, the scorching sun prompted us to get some early starts.
In order to orient ourselves, our first easy-does-it hike was the Queenstown Hill Walkway.
Our second hike was the longer, steeper Ben Lomond Track. Full disclosure, we only went just beyond the saddle.
Arrowtown
A stone’s throw away from Queenstown, we spent a week at The Orchard Cottage in Arrowtown surrounded by wineries, mountains, and natural beauty reminiscent of Tuscany. The town was as pretty as a postcard too. An homage to gold mining towns of horse and buggy days; today, these beautifully preserved buildings house museums, shops, and cafes.
“Kia ora” is an informal way to wish someone well, such as hello, good bye, good luck, or thank you. Kia ora, New Zealand. We enjoyed getting to know you and we will always remember your stunning landscapes and Kiwi kindness.
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