Kawarau Gorge to Arrowtown

Destination: Arrowtown via Kawarau Gorge

After walking part of the Bannockburn Sluicing track, I headed into Cromwell to fuel up and top up with groceries.

Now that the fog had lifted, the day was second to none. Blue skies, along with a warm autumn temperature, made it a great day to travel. So, we set off along State Highway 6, which follows the Karawau Gorge - it's the main route between Cromwell and Queenstown.

I was looking for a spot to pull over to take some photos, and before long I spotted a sign indicating a rest area. As it was close to a busy road, I left the dogs in the bus. I was only going to be away a few minutes, while I took a couple of pics of the gorge and river.

As I was standing beside a couple of tourists admiring the view, a horn began beeping. It was a continual blast, not just a couple of toots. At first I didn't take much notice, but the incessant beeping sound made me wonder if someone's horn had become jammed? The couple beside me chatted about it and questioned why someone who be so insistent.
Then a thought flashed through my mind. Oh my goodness, could it be my bus's horn? 
Nah ... How could it be? But...maybe...just maybe???
And sure enough, my 'furry travel buddies', were the guilty party! One of them in their effort to get a better look of where I'd gone, had leant over the steering wheel, and yip - the horn was where they'd placed their paw! 
Haha ... thankfully others nearby, had also found it amusing!

Here they are, back on their usual perches, trying to look innocent!

Arrowtown was the next stop.
The avenue leading to the town centre is lined with colourful deciduous trees, displaying vibrant autumn hues. Arrowtown's first avenue was planted in 1867, the trees planted were Sycamore, Ash, Rowan, Oak and Elm. 

This picturesque, historic township, which sits beside the Arrow River, was established in 1862, during the height of the Otago Gold Rush. Thousands of miners flocked to the river and at the height of the gold rush the population reached 7,000.  

Arrowtown - known for its four distinct seasons and as an enchanted gold mining village, has many lovingly restored cottages. According to 'Google' there are over 60 historic buildings and features in the township.

As I drove through the town centre, I saw it was bustling with tourists. Cafes were overflowing, footpaths were crowded and everyone seemed to have a camera in their hand, savouring the moment. It was selfie-central!

It looked entertaining, but crowds aren't my thing, so I headed to the Arrow River. 

Ahhhh - it was bliss. Nothing but the crunching sound of fallen leaves underfoot, birds singing in the afternoon sunlight, the soothing sound of a babbling river, and just the tiniest hint of crispness in the air. Plus that earthy smell so commonly associated with autumn and last but not least, the kaleidoscope of colours. 

I scored the river walk, a 10 out of 10. It was stunning. Just imagine how popular it would be in summer. Here we were in May, and the swimming holes still looked inviting. Admittedly, I wasn't brave enough to validate it, but as for the dogs - they didn't give it a second thought!

Oakly - without a doubt, this little guy makes my world a better place - He's always by my side (my magnet, my shadow). I love him to bits.

My wee buddies enjoying the walk as much as I was. They're such great companions, always eager to go wherever I want to go and for as long as I like. As long as they're with me, they're happy. And the feeling is mutual. I love hanging out with my dogs - seeing them carefree and happy.

Forever hopeful a rabbit will hop by.

We left the River Walk and returned to the bus via quaint little side streets. On my right, was the hillside above the Arrow River. It was ignited with colour - golds, burnt oranges, shades of crimson, magenta and scarlet, plus various tones of green. It was as though the deciduous trees were farewelling the golden season as they prepared for winter. Their grand finale was impressive! 

When we got back to the bus, it was lunchtime. Time for a coffee and a bite to eat before setting off to Glenorchy. Sunlight streamed into the bus, so I sat on the couch, soaked up the sun's warmth, and had lunch. 

Not long after we'd bought the bus, we had the windows tinted. 

I hated the idea, of being like a goldfish in a bowl - visible, without any privacy. Having tinted windows is simply the best! We can see out, but people can't see in. And while having my lunch, I saw proof of how effective our tinted windows were.

A couple parked their car beside us, and as driver got out, he peered into the bus and must have noticed the windows were like a mirror. So he rearranged his hair and checked himself out from all angles - haha! If only he knew I was only a few feet away. Such a great way of people watching without being seen!

Next, we set off to Glenorchy. 

After navigating our way through Queenstown we were once again traveling along a country road. Previously, I'd only driven through Queenstown in a car, so I hadn't taken any notice of how undulating and narrow some streets were.  It's funny how you notice those things when driving something a little bigger (and slower). Even a few round-abouts through town were on an incline.

Driving along Lake Wakatipu was an absolute treat. It is such a long lake!

Being 80kms long, Lake Wakatipu is actually New Zealand's longest lake, and is the third largest (after Lake Taupo and Lake Te Anau). 

The 44 km scenic drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is all sealed. At a steady pace it takes about three quarters of an hour, but allow more for photo stops.

The road is reasonably narrow and hilly with several bends (some of them are tight), but it's an easy drive. 
My only *gasp* moment was meeting a tour bus on a narrow bend, he obviously knew the road, but I didn't! And, yes, I admit my blink was muchhhh longer than normal.

A few interesting facts I discovered about Lake Wakatipu. 

• Did you know that Lake Wakatipu has a tide? It rises and falls 10cm every 25 minutes. It's been said it's because of its unusual shape (it's kind of shaped like a comical lighting bolt). Maybe it's the result of atmospheric pressure? It would be interesting to find out why.
• Lake Wakatipu was formed 15,000 years ago during the ice-age and is the result of being carved out by a huge retreating glacier. 
• Long fin eels, brown trout, salmon and rainbow trout can be found living in Lake Wakatipu.
• This huge lake reaches a depth of 397m, which means the lake bed actually sits below sea level. 
• Five rivers flow into Lake Wakatipu, but only one flows out, the Karawau River

There are lots of popular walking tracks that start from the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road. Some are lake walks and others are through bush. Either way, I'd be keen to walk them all, but this trip wasn't the right time. 
Maybe next time,  when Bernie's with me ... then he can dog-sit.