Oh dear; time to leave Wanaka and only one more night in New Zealand and our camper van. It was a lovely morning in Wanaka and after a bit of sorting out, cleaning and some packing we departed the camp site and started towards Arrowtown our last stop. Only a few hundred yards from the camp site we encountered a detour and workmen were felling some more trees deemed unsafe after the storm of the 24th which caused significant damage in Queenstown and Wanaka. That night we stayed with Dave, Jess, Isla and Oli in Arrowtown and were oblivious to the chaos around us.
We stopped at the Lavender Farm just outside Wanaka on the road to Cromwell and saw it at its absolute best. The perfume was amazing and moist of the lavender was in full bloom. I think the LLW has decided to turn our paddock/downs garden into a lavender farm!
The Lavender Farm has a very nice cafe and after walking all around the fields, the LLW had a Flat White on her mind but quelle surprise the cafe only serves tea and only aromatic floral ones. The LLW was not amused!
We sped off in the direction of Cromwell and there we found a very nice cafe which was part of a garden centre. Our eagle eyed reader will have noticed that this is the second cafe attached to a garden centre we have visited; the previous one being in Petone just outside Wellington.
On then through the Kawarau gorge and the vineyards of Gibbston Valley to Arrowtown. First stop was a restaurant/pub called Fork and Tap where we planned to order pizzas for later collection. Arrowtown was buzzing and the car parks were full and we eventually had to park on a road out of town. Luckily this was the same road where Fork and Tap was situated so it was quite close. Orders sorted we had a wander around the old town of Arrowtown which was a mining town but now all of the old buildings including the Post Office have been reborn as shops or restaurants. It is a popular day out from Queenstown.
We checked in to our camp site and then went for a ride into Arrowtown and along the river
We stopped at the Lavender Farm just outside Wanaka on the road to Cromwell and saw it at its absolute best. The perfume was amazing and moist of the lavender was in full bloom. I think the LLW has decided to turn our paddock/downs garden into a lavender farm!
The Lavender Farm has a very nice cafe and after walking all around the fields, the LLW had a Flat White on her mind but quelle surprise the cafe only serves tea and only aromatic floral ones. The LLW was not amused!
We sped off in the direction of Cromwell and there we found a very nice cafe which was part of a garden centre. Our eagle eyed reader will have noticed that this is the second cafe attached to a garden centre we have visited; the previous one being in Petone just outside Wellington.
On then through the Kawarau gorge and the vineyards of Gibbston Valley to Arrowtown. First stop was a restaurant/pub called Fork and Tap where we planned to order pizzas for later collection. Arrowtown was buzzing and the car parks were full and we eventually had to park on a road out of town. Luckily this was the same road where Fork and Tap was situated so it was quite close. Orders sorted we had a wander around the old town of Arrowtown which was a mining town but now all of the old buildings including the Post Office have been reborn as shops or restaurants. It is a popular day out from Queenstown.
We checked in to our camp site and then went for a ride into Arrowtown and along the river
The bikes we purchased in Whangarei have been excellent; suiting us very well and being of high quality. The bikes we had hired last time in NZ were of very poor quality and with the extra time on this trip would have cost us more that buying new ones! The original plan was to ask Dave to sell them for us in Queenstown, but we liked them so much that we have explored bringing them back to the UK. We could have taken them within our baggage allowance but the logistics of four flights and two different airlines with a stopover just proved to be too difficult. Sending them by freight was simply too expensive. The LLW then had an absolute brainwave - ask Dave and Jess to look after them until we return to NZ next year. This was agreed with the Dixons so sadly this is our last ride on these bikes for a year!
Pizzas were collected and enjoyed by all, Isla and Oli particularly enjoying the ham, cheese and pineapple. We returned to the camp site for a little light packing and an early night.
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