Month: September 2022

And so on to our perennial winter favourite, Wanaka. We booked five nights in a house via Air BnB, with old friends Cameron and Maria. Cardrona is our preferred skiing destination, with the occasional dose of Treble Cone.

The forecast for the week looked good, so we purchased four day passes. Our first possible day on the slopes was frustrated by the ski fields being closed due to strong winds. So we had a quiet day around the town and Lake.

With the forecast for Monday favourable, we set the alarm early, and were on the Valley Quad chair just after opening. The morning was clear and cold, but the cloud lowered as the morning progressed. By midday we had light snow, and an early lunch. We continued skiing until around 2pm, when we decided to call it a day, and head for home. The forecast for the rest of the week is good, with the bonus of the snow top up.

Another two excellent days skiing at Cardrona. Tuesday was ”Bluebird”, but very cold, which is great for the snow condition.

Tuesday evening we had to take son Andrew to Queenstown airport, so it was an opportunity to catch up with old cricket friend, Russell Mawhinney.

Wednesday, another early start and on the chair lift at 8:30am. The forecast was not great, but it turned out to be a fine day. And no crowds!

The forecast for Thursday was very good, so up we went again, for our 4th of skiing in a row! Great snow conditions, with cloud clearing for another ”Bluebird” day. At the end of our days skiing, we had a drink at the Cardrona Hotel, before continuing on to our accommodation in Arrowtown.

We are delighted with our accommodation in Arrowtown! A spacious, warm, modern home in Cotter Ave. After 4 days in a row skiing, we have a day off. A coffee in town, then a beer at Arthur’s Point with Noel and Di Waterson, after their stint up Coronet Peak.

The next day .. ”Bluebird!” .. and we are up to Coronet Peak for the day. It’s busy, but it is a very efficient, modern and organised ski field. The snow is great, and we have a really enjoyable, final day on the skis.

With the Old Pharts having only recently returned from overseas travel, they were off again! Destination .. the South Island.

After flying from Hamilton to Christchurch, a Rav rental car was collected and it was off to Lake Tekapo for two nights.

By coincidence, friends Noel and Di Waterson were also in Tekapo, so we dined together one night, and skiied the Roundhill field nearby. We stayed once again at the Cairns Alpine Resort, this time in the Red Hut ( regular readers may remember the Old Pharts getting caught in a Covid lockdown twelve months ago. A planned two nights at the Cairns turned in to fifteen!)

Next stop, the Lake Ohau Lodge and a ski at the Ohau field. Unfortunately rain the day before created wet and sticky snow, which made for diffucult skiing. Dining at the Lodge is communal, and our fellow guests were Australian tourists who made interesting and pleasant company.