Arrival in Queenstown (Day 1)

Yay! My Gorgeous Girls Safari to Queenstown has finally arrived and I am actually in Queenstown. I cannot believe it but it is true. The time has arrived for me to throw away all the stresses from the past 9 months and focus only on relaxing and enjoying myself on this ladies only trip.

View from Queenstown airport

It will be a week of pampering, shopping, wine tasting, good food dining and relaxation, relaxation, and relaxation! All that on top of enjoying the beautiful surrounds of Queenstown,

I also get to hang out with dear Maeve, who was such a joy to have during the Sardinia and Corsica trip last year. She has personality plus, that one! Oh dear, I hope she doesn't take it the wrong way when I say that. :)

We are staying at the Hilton Queenstown for the whole week. Thank goodness I don't have to unpack until I actually leave for home. What a lovely hotel, only less than 2 years old but located in a very beautiful part of the town. It is located right next to Lake Wakatipu and when you sit at the Pinot Pit, you actually see a portion of the Remarkables.

Kate, Mandy and Maeve

Kate Kennedy, a local Kiwi who actually lives in Sydney, but has known Maeve for years welcomed the group together with Maeve at the airport. And when we arrived at the Hilton, Mandy Kennedy (related to Kate by the way) who is the Marketing Manager of the Hilton greeted us personally and gave us a quick tour of the facilities. We all had a chance to have some pinot noir, pinot gris or sauvignon blanc and hang out at the Pinot Pit to introduce ourselves and just really chill out.

The view from the pit was just delightful. I could visualise myself sitting out there, with a glass of wine, some cheese and nibbles and shooting the breeze as I look out to the lake and surrounding mountain ranges.

Before we headed off for some afternoon private time, Mandy's husband David (also known as Kate's brother) told us some very interesting historical facts about Queenstown. Did you know that it used to be a gold mining town? Did you know that bungy jumping first started in Queenstown? And did you know that direct flights to Queenstown only started from 1998? He told us a lot more than that but I didn't think it wise to narrate everything back to you. Enough to get your taste buds going!

David Kennedy

By the way, I am enjoying my room and the very large bathroom. And look at the bathroom accessories! Flash!

Tonight, we are dining at Wakatipu Grill and I am looking forward to it (see the next post).

Hilton Queenstown
Peninsula Road,
Queenstown
queenstownhilton.com

Gourmet Safaris
Tel: +61 2 8969 6555
Website: gourmetsafaris.com.au