After finishing the hike yesterday, we drove about four hours to Wellington—and wow, what a drive. Twisty, turny roads, winding through rolling green hills dotted with sheep. Lots and lots of sheep grazing on those hills.
We arrived around 9 pm, checked into our hotel downtown, and called it. After a day like that, sleep was earned and we didn’t surface until after 8 am.
Breakfast was at Smith The Grocer Cafe, and it was outstanding. I went straight for another gluten free slice (clearly a theme here), this time chocolate caramel. Outstanding! I’ve already looked up a recipe to recreate it at home.
Side note: New Zealand absolutely nails gluten-free. It’s not an afterthought—it’s intentional, creative, and just as good.
Then it was time to return the rental and head to the airport for our Air New Zealand flight down to the South Island.
I ended up sitting next to Gregory and Helen, a couple from Wānaka, and Gregory gave me a full list of must-do’s for the next few days. Also—Air New Zealand, I see you! Snack choices (including gluten-free!), lollies (aka candy) being handed out, and even trivia on the drop-down screens.
Flying into Queenstown is next level. The plane weaves between mountains and yes, pilots actually need special training for this approach.
Queenstown: Welcome to The Adventure Capital of the World! You can bungy jump, jet boat, and skydive. In the winter there’s snow skiing. There’s also this surreal beauty to it. It’s the kind of place where you stop mid-sentence just to stare.
Queenstown sits on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, an 80 km long glacial lake. It’s surrounded by jagged peaks like The Remarkables that look like they were designed for a movie set.
Let the adventure continue!
We took a water taxi from our hotel across Lake Wakatipu into town—and honestly, this might be the best “commute” in the world.
From there, we headed straight for the Skyline Queenstown gondola.
The ride up is steep—but the payoff at the top is unreal. You get this panoramic view of the entire town wrapped around the lake, with the mountains stretching out in every direction. It’s one of those “ok this is unbelievable ” kind of views. But it’s believable because you’re staring right at it.
And then…we luged. If you’ve never done it, imagine a gravity-powered go-kart where you control your speed and race your way down a winding track. Equal parts fun and competitive. But, I will not be participating in the 2030 Winter Olympics. 😂
And because no day in Queenstown is complete without it, we ended at Fergburger. Massive, messy, ridiculously good burgers that somehow taste even better after a full day of adventure. They have a gelato place right next door and no vacation day is complete without a scoop!
Two days left in Queenstown…this story’s just beginning!
Christina’s Journey Journal 