#30 - The Colors of Thursday in Queenstown

We awoke to sunny blue skies and a view of green, yellow and brown mountains with the snowy tops peeking through clouds, what a sight. And it occurred to me that if the Eskimos have dozens of words for snow, then New Zealanders should have hundreds of words for the different shades of green. 

                                      The view from Room 716 at The Rees Hotel

Remember when you got your very first box of 64, or better yet, 128 Crayola crayons and discovered there was green-yellow AND yellow-green? And pine and spring and forest? There must have been at least a dozen green crayons.

In New Zealand, there must be at least one hundred shades of green dotting the landscape from the trees that start bright green but have yellow tops, to the fields of lucerne (a crop grown to feed the animals), to the grazing fields at the sheep stations to the mosses and lichen in The Fiorland National Park.

If you are a color person, it is a feast for the eyes. I did ask a Kiwi if they had a lot of names for shades of green, but she looked at me askance as if she thought I was nuts. Perhaps they are just jaded ( jaded green, of course) by being surrounded by such beauty 24/7.

Today we did the lakeside walk into town, had our morning Joe sitting outside, by the water, in the sun, before checking in for our tour on the coal fired steamship TSS Earnslaw.

A 45 minute ride across the lake to a touristy sheep station for a delicious BBQ lunch, a walk about the farm and a fun demo of sheep herding sheepdogs (really Australian border collies) who obey commands and get those sheep exactly where the farmer wants. 

Now a word about BBQ here. We all know the Aussies and Kiwis love a good barby but if today is any indication, it only means cooking meat on a grill and certainly is not Texas BBQ or Memphis BBQ or any other kind we know at home. There is not dry rub or slathered on sauce but nonetheless, it was tender, moist and yummy. We ate everything from the lamb to the beef to the pork and chicken. Speaking of chicken, this is the second time we have had it on this trip and it just doesn't taste anything like at home.  Their chicken has a totally different texture, soft and smooth and if this is what no hormone, no antibiotic, no anything free range chicken was like at home, I would eat it all the time. 

Back in town, the day was still perfection, so we walked up to the gondola for a ride to the top. In about two minutes we were whisked up the sheer steep side of the mountain, bypassing a few brave sheep munching on the little bit growing between the rocks, and were looking down on the lake where we were just sailing.

A walk around, a sit to admire the scenery and then back down and into town for a drink before we walked back the 2 kilometers. After all, I had to entice Steve to do the walk both ways, and he the guy who wants to do the Walk of St. James, ha!

We arrived 'home' about 6:30pm and as is becoming our new way of travel, we didn't feel the need to hurry, shower and dress to go out again for another meal. Our room is so lovely to sit and look out, there is a nice washer and dryer to use for a dark load and clean jeans, and a bit later, after we finish our bottle of Pinot in the room, we can always walk down to the lobby for a drink and a bite. 

I recently read of a new study that said people get more happiness out of spending money on experiences rather than on things. New Zealand is the perfect place to do that whether it is a cruise on a sound, a boat to a farm or just a nice hotel to relax. We are good with full days and quiet nights to read or blog or watch a movie and soak in the view. I am not sure of the best way to describe what it feels like here except to say it reminds me a bit of Colorado with a lot of what I imagine Alaska looks and feels like. Pristine, green and beautiful.