Driving to Queenstown


The drive from Franz Josef to Queenstown is over 400kms. Some of it is on straight roads, some of it is long and winding roads, some of it is on very twisty roads indeed. It is not possible to describe the scenery that was probably out there somewhere for the first 150kms, because the mountain mist was still obscuring everything. We think the scenery was......well, very scenic. 

We can't describe the scenery for the next 250kms either. This is not because we didn't see it....we did. It has nothing to do with the weather either, because it was now perfect - high white cloud in a blue sky with sun throwing dramatic shadows across the rocky crags, sparkling on the azure waters of the lakes and rivers and warming the air. We can't describe the scenery because we ran out of adequate superlatives. We can try a few...awe-inspiring, magnificent, breath-taking, stunning, beautiful, fabulous....the views can neither be described nor photographed.  You have to be there.    

One 40km section in particular took us along the shoreline of one lake on our right hand side before turning left through a valley between two mountains and following the shoreline of another lake on ourleft hand side. The first lake was set against a backdrop of majestic rocky mountains, the second more open with forest covered hills in the distance rising to the sky and seemingly beyond before narrowing to take us through a gorge with craggy rocks and waterfalls.  Scenery, wow!!

It would be hard to find a more beautiful drive anywhere. 



This is the scenery that inspired the Lord of the Rings films and in the peace and tranquility of this amazing mountain scenery, I'm sure we could hear Elvish being whispered through the trees. 

Once back out into open country, we drove through miles of New Zealand's fruit and wine growing areas before coming into Queenstown, a busy, bustling town on the edge of......oh no, another picturesque lake. 

Our hotel room looks out over the lake and across to the Remarkables, a range of mountains whose name is sufficient to describe them perfectly. 

Dinner at Finz overlooking the harbour and the mountains was superb. We have descibed this country as being much like England, so what better way to wind up the day than with fish and chips - in this case Elephant fish. Very delicious, goodnight!

 

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