Ka kite ano

Until I see you (New Zealand) again

Top of mind

Another leg of the trip comes to a close! It’s been nothing short of … surprises? Excitement? Unexpected weather? I definitely learned a lot about travel preferences. I don’t regret how it all played out. We certainly got a one of a kind experience that will make a great story to be told at Thanksgiving and future trips to come.

Also I realize I’ve been writing and saying “tenses are high” over the last few days but the expression is actually “tensions are high”. I’ve been accidentally saying the tenses (past, present, future conjugations) are high, which is nonsensical.

10/24

Today went almost exactly as planned and there were no cancellations! I ended up having a free morning unintentionally so I ironed my clothes for lunch later and watched Power Rangers Reanimated - a love-letter to the franchise through animated bits made primarily in Australia and featuring the original performances by the actors who filmed in New Zealand in the early 00s. And yeah it was awesome and I’ve seen it like 3 times already.

I rode a high speed jet over Lake Wakatipu, thus checking off the “action & adrenaline” portion of the trip. I listened to Dookie front to back through my 3 layers and complimentary jet-themed buff as we were yanked around on the lake.

The water was so choppy that the water was shooting up from the underside of the pier, and in the boat we were just scooping water up and into my seat. Also it was raining and cold. The good news? It’s Labor Day weekend here and I was able to get a nice (dry) pair of shoes at a discounted price. To the 4 stores I walked into and tried shoes on, I am deeply sorry for trying on shoes with drenched socks.

While waiting in line I chatted with two young local dudes whose friend was one of the boat drivers. One of them showed me their Halloween costume idea - Snoop Dogg - and I suggested zombie facepaint might be a better idea.

It wouldn’t be a New Zealand trip without bumping into my cousin and his husband once again. Their trip had to be rerouted due to the weather and they were bouncing between hotels with any open vacancy over the next few days. Seems like everyone was getting screwed!

Earlier in the day it was totally sunny and clear which would’ve been perfect for the gondola and lookout views. Luckily for me it was raining hard and well into the evening but I at least got to see the city at sunset and it was kinda nice to do it alone with some introspective music.

We closed the day with a small crew of us sitting around the hotel fireplace reflecting on the trip - our favorite moments, our “next times”, and our “what we’d do different;y”, as the hotel staff slowly turned off all the lights, giving us a strong hint to retire and wrap up this dang trip.

What I ate

There was this movie that came out a few years ago called The Menu - you’ve heard? Spoiler alert: it’s about a fine dining experience where everyone is murdered. And in a metaphorical sense I was murdered by lunch (at another vineyard)* which was served in a similar fashion.

Have you ever eaten a leaf? Or a rock? Or perhaps even an antler? Look no further than the tasting menu I got to experience here in Queenstown. Of course everything was inspired by living here – the wildlife, the memories of a chef from North Island, the respect for cuisine and the culture.

The leaf: a wine flavored fruit rollup stuffed with rabbit meat and served on a miniature bush with moss and ferns to match.

The rock: 4 edible rocks served on a plate of non-edible rocks. Objective? Find the 4 that you can actually eat

The antler: deer milk ice cream molded in the shape of a deer antler and affixed to the top of a deer skull. Served with “blood caramel” (not actually blood, so I’m told).

Our final team dinner was an ode to going home, and we dined at a Texas-themed BBQ restaurant featuring a gigantic 15ft gun in the middle of the room. I stuck to drinks only, and headed to “The World’s Best Burger”** across the street at a beloved Queenstown institution open til 5AM. The burger itself was almost as big as the gun from earlier and the burger bun was oh so rippable.

What’s next

I’ve got about 2 hours before I need to mosey on over to the airport where I’ll meet my fate on whether or not I’ll be able to leave. I may see what my cousins are up to, otherwise maybe I’ll brave the cold for one last wander.

Appendix

*Amisfield lunch dining experience

** Fergburger