Feb 28
Weekend work involving C. Otago Pinot Noir, old school Packards, fush and chups, wedding crashing and shotover jetboating!
Mixing business with pleasure sure worked for me this weekend!
It was a lazy start to the day on Saturday, sleeping in til 9, and taking a good 3 hours to get on the road. I was so happy to be driving to Wanaka! I'd never been there before and was soaking in the views of the drive up there through the Cardrona valley. The sun was shining and I was grooving to the sounds of Creedence Clearwater as those cute little cotton ball aka "fairies" floated over my windshield. I waved at the famous Cardrona Hotel and headed toward Rippon Vineyard & Winery. Wow, what a spectacle! No wonder the music festivals held there are epic! It is positioned right on the hill on the side of Lake Wanaka and looks out over the vineyard, lake, mountains and the cute little island next to the lakeside.
I wandered through the Saturday market, old school Packard cars, sussed out a potential retailer in the art store there and bought some yummy fish and chips for lunch. I watched the families, lovers, kids, and ducks brave the frigid waves of the lake. Heading south to Cromwell and not finding too much luck on the door front. This climate is completely different to how I expected it. It is dry and arid with an almost desert feel to it. Drier than I even imagined! I had images of green farm lands and native bush - no idea why! High expectations of Middle Earth? Thanks to Peter Jackson...
Later I splurged on a burger from Ferg's - world famous burgers!! SO yummy and paired well with my Monteiths Original. I then dragged myself out of bed for the best start to the day ever which consisted of bacon & eggs + the shotover jet boat ride of my life!
Gold panning has been postponed so I'll have to give you an update on my irish luck at a later stage...
