A very early morning start after a restless nights sleep ..... I woke up to both kittens purring very loudly and fast asleep at the end of the bed at 5am. I had close to a two hour drive to Wellington, and as I could have hit commuter traffic I needed to allow time. I had a great run and arrived with time to spare so had a mojo coffee at the airport then was on my way to queenstown. The weather is just glorious, not a cloud in the sky, warm and the mountains still have their snow dusting from last week.

I stopped into the remarkables shopping centre to check out a couple of the beautiful shops there. Then onto arrowtown for a walk around the town and a taste of the offerings at provisions cafe. They have a great jam and chutney line and I bought their cherry chutney and strawberry and peppercorn jam. I'll be back tomorrow for a sticky bun and some cherries ....

Amisfield winery with it's great Pinot noir beckoned so I decided to stop for a nice lunch. I am drinking three tasters of the Pinot noirs, and have eaten an amuse bouche of tapioca cracker with smoked duck and apricot sauce and rocket. I have salt crusted beetroot, smoked pureed eggplant salad with homemade cheese and foraged watercress, and polenta with cheese and herbs coming ....and it was unbelievable. You can have a mystery trust the chef meal and I will do this if I come back with foodie friends.

I returned to queenstown and checked into my hotel - the novotel on the waterfront, where I have been upgraded to a garden view king and it is a very comfortable room. I checked out the shops in the city, my favourite was a design shop in the oldest building in queenstown, it's a hybrid museum coffee shop art gallery garden complete with original peeling wallpaper and uneven floors. However, no shopping for me today. I hang around the waterfront soaking up the view, the atmosphere of everyone enjoying the sun, and listening to some very talented buskers. Dinner was at the eichardt hotel for tapas - chilli potatoes with capers, lamb tagine, pork belly and pickled fennel, and mini chocolate brownie. I am full of yummy food!