QUEENSTOWN (NOV 2017)

Queenstown

I never thought I’d willingly wake up at 5am on my birthday, but on my 28th birthday I did the unthinkable for the best of reasons – I was catching a plane to the South Island for the first time.

Not even the screaming, kicking children behind me on the flight could dampen my excitement as we flew over the snow-capped Southern Alps. Although a lot of the snow had already melted, it reminded me of the scenery flying over the Rockies into Vancouver. I love the creased lines running through mountain formations, which look as if someone crumpled the scenery like paper and tried to smooth it out again.

We spent the first day exploring the centre of Queenstown. They call it “Little Switzerland”, and I think that is an accurate description. In a relatively small area are dozens of tightly packed shops and eateries. Some of the streets are paved in cobblestones and reserved only for pedestrians to enjoy. It’s lovely to be able to see the mountains from almost any vantage point, with their reflection mirrored on lake Wakatipu (New Zealand’s longest and third largest lake). I have never seen water so crystal clear. Gazing into the lake from the pier ten meters down, you can still see the pebbled lakebed with the occasional fish gliding past.

Queenstown is a busy global tourism hotspot because of its beauty. Not only for people who come on vacation, but for foreigners on working holiday visas. It was actually rare to hear a kiwi accent there. A lot of the staff at the eateries were from overseas. But regardless of whether you’re a local or a tourist, everyone gathers on the Marine Parade by the lakeshore in the evening to relax and enjoy the sunset against the mountain backdrop.

About 45 minutes from Queenstown is the rustic town of Glenorchy. Although there is nothing much in Glenorchy itself, the scenic drive there is beautiful. With golden shafts of sunlight beaming down between the mountains as a backdrop, lake Wakatipu really shines. It is a very winding road to Glenorchy though, so if you are prone to motion sickness be prepared. We stopped our car along the shoreline occasionally to dip our toes into the water and take a break, however, we made the fatal mistake of leaving our car windows slightly open, as it was a sweltering hot day. This meant that we were fodder for the blood-sucking sand flies that found their way in. Their bites are painful and excruciatingly itchy. How the bathers lying on the shoreline survived, I do not know. Tip: bring bug spray and never leave your car windows down. Write your last will and testament in case you are eaten alive while being distracted by the stunning scenery.

Queenstown is also the place to go for extreme sports, such as bungy jumping. The Kawarau Bridge there is actually home to the world’s first ever bungy, which approximately 38,000 people throw themselves off of each year. Next time, I will definitely put an extra tick on my bucket list and skydive. What is a birthday, really, without putting your life and limb in jeopardy?

Milford Sound

On our second day, we took a tour bus to Milford Sound. The drive to Milford Sound and back to Queenstown is approximately eight hours long, so it’s good to think about how you would like to make the journey. The advantage of taking a tour bus is that you don’t have to drive and you get to learn interesting facts about the region from your guide. The disadvantage is you won’t be able to stop and take photos wherever you like, as tour buses can only stop in certain locations, and you may get more motion sick than in a car on the winding roads out of Queenstown.

The landscape on the way to Milford Sound looked like an impressionist painting, with emerald green shrubbery, bright mustard yellow from the broom, and purple from lupines all blurring together. We had chosen a great time of the year to see the scenery, as the lupines had only begun blooming three days before we arrived. Broom and lupines are actually invasive weeds, so although they are decorative they are not actually useful, like fake pockets on clothing or perhaps if you are unlucky one of your co-workers. The glaciers had also begun to melt for summer, causing temporary waterfalls to stream down the mountains. Interestingly, some of them are taller than Angels Falls in Venezuela, the world’s tallest waterfall, but they cannot be counted because of their temporary nature.

When we finally made it to Milford Sound, we hopped on the boat tour through New Zealand’s famous fjord. Sailing through the wild green mountains gave me the feeling of being in a Jurassic Park film – I half expected a pterosaur to pluck me off the deck and carry me away in the wind. The pristine scenery was breathtaking and we were lucky to spot some of the world’s most endangered penguins nesting in the rocks. The captain of our boat lamented that on occasion disappointed tourists would come up to him afterwards and ask what exactly they were meant to see. I’m not sure whether they expected whales to suddenly appear and perform as if it were Sea World, but I really enjoyed the experience. When you live in a country, you don’t often tour and see the best it has to offer. Going to Queenstown and Milford Sound renewed my appreciation for the beautiful place I live in. 

Arrowtown

Visiting this pretty little mining town is a must to gain awareness of New Zealand’s history when it comes to discrimination against Chinese people. At the bottom of Arrowtown lies the historic Chinese miners settlement. Both the settlement and the museum in the centre of Arrowtown are very informative and interesting to walk through. I would highly recommend them. As a Chinese immigrant myself, standing outside these tiny little huts carved into the mountain, some of them no bigger than Harry Potter’s closet it seemed, reading about the horrible racial discrimination Chinese miners faced and their persevering spirits against the odds was incredibly emotional. Hard working and brave, all they wanted was to make enough money to send back to their families who they may never see again.

A cloud of dandelions had fallen on Arrowtown when I visited; so thick in places the fluff completely covered the ground in white and swirled around my feet like tumbleweeds. I imagined it was snow falling during the harsh Otago winter, the Chinese miners huddling together in a hut around a small fire glowing through the darkness, remembering where they came from and telling each other they would be all right.

*Special thanks to my wonderful mom for organising this trip for my birthday. I love you. 

Photos are copyright to Storme Sen