Off Piste in Queenstown

After our adventures in Fiordland, we were hoping to catch some skiing in Queenstown. We'd booked Evie into daycare for two days and had our lift passes at the ready. Best laid plans...NO SNOW! The worst start to the season in 50years.

Ah well; fortunately we could still enjoy the luxury of a good hotel and city totally catered for tourists. We took in amazing views from long walks and were wowed by the spectacular scenery of the Southern Lakes.

Andy perfects his Pram Poses

Dusk in Queenstown

The closest we got to the mountains, the top of the Queenstown skyline gondola.

Top of Queenstown, The Remarkables ski area behind us

We visited the quaint goldmining town Arrowtown and brought Evie a memento of her travels, a pounamu tiki necklace

Evie sporting her new necklace

Of course, travelling with Evie isn't always smooth sailing. Unlike Mum and Dad, she wasn't a big fan of the hotel, so we took to hiding in the sauna while she settled, eating our Thai there one evening

Desperate parents, staking out the hotel sauna

After all the adventures in Queenstown, we still had hope for making it up Coronet Peak and Treble Cone as we had a week in Wanaka. Yet again, the lack of snow meant we were rewarded instead with beautiful sunny winter days, but no skiing. We tried mountain biking, went on lakeside walks and climbed Mount Irons as well as treating ourselves to a babysitter for a Sat night out.

Lake Wanaka

Some of the walks were the usual work out for Andy and I, always opting to carry Evie in the sling, and at 5 months she's getting pretty heavy. It was a steep climb to the top of Mt Irons, but we loved the 360 of the Southern lakes at the top.

Top of Mt Irons in Wanaka

Lastly, we couldn't have left central Otago without indulging in more wine tasting. Particularly, Mt Difficulty in Brannockburn for a delicious lunch and even better Pinot.

Enjoying Mt Difficulty

Fun in Fiordland

Travelling with Evie involves stopping regularly, which means we visit more random new zealand towns than the average traveller. Gore is one of those, there aren't too many reasons to stop, but as always we found something to entertain us...this time ice skating

We arrived in Te anau the next day, at 'Fire bath' cottage where we hoped to enjoy the Fiordland. However lake Te anau itself is also stunning. We savoured many spectacular walks around the lake and in the surrounding area.

Late afternoon at Lake Te Anau

'Fire bath' cottage of course has its very own outdoor bath tube heated by a log fire. It's an entertaining experience, although it took hours to warm, we enjoyed a soak under the stars.

Fiordland boasts both Milford and Doubtful sound so we split the fun between us. Andy craved a little more adventure and went for a day kayaking in Milford and I took the leisurely day cruise through Doubtful.

Doubtful sound is a fjord with three main arms, formed from glacial activity. There are many imposing waterfalls and an abundance of sea life, including bottlenose dolphin, fur seals and penguins.
As it is only accessible (other than by sea) via Wilmots Pass road it is more remote and eerily silent than anywhere I'd visited before.

Starting the day on a misty morning with a ferry crossing over lake Manapouri, there was already a magical vibe. After a short drive along Wilmots pass through beautiful rainforest, I boarded the Sinbad for a 3 hour cruise through the sound. I was lucky enough to see playful bottlenose dolphins and fur seals but the majestic valleys and gushing waterfalls really take your breath away.

Looking out towards Doubtful Sound

Milford Sound

Kayaking Milford Sound in winter raises the stakes as you really don't want to fall into the cold water. The day begins with a fantastically scenic drive along the Milford road, followed by squeezing into a double kayak for a close encounter with nature. Luckily Andy's kayaking partner was Roger from Switzerland: his kayaking skills were equally as smooth as the strokes of his tennis playing namesake.