I have a lot of time on my hands. I knew that going in, but for anyone who knows me, I’m not good when idle. I don’t do well with extended periods of nothing-on-the-agenda, and there’s only so far I can go without personal transport. I’m tempted to get on the bus to Wanaka, which is about an hour away, just to say that I went somewhere new. If I do, I hope I can find my way back.
In the meantime, I’ve found the most lovely hiking/walking/biking/running trail that skirts the edges of the lake from Queenstown Gardens to Frankton. (It’s almost 8kms – each way! – for those of you counting.) I’ve been out on it at least 3 times so far, and my FitBit is having a hard time keeping up. Even with all the running and outdoorsy sorts of things I did in Miami, this track is blowing my max steps out of the water. Plus, we’re living up Queenstown Hill at the moment – it’s about 500 meters up from the city center, so tack that onto the Gardens-Frankton tally, and you’re really working hard. I guess that since I have nothing better to do, I might as well work off all that wine we’re drinking!
Sometimes, this is what I must look like to the locals
I came across this nameless statue in the Queenstown Gardens on my way home from a good run the other day. I usually follow the path along the peninsula, but the day was gorgeous and I was feeling pretty healthy after my run (which, I can assure you, is not a regular occurence). I climbed yet another set of steps to the gardens themselves to pause and literally smell the flowers. The weather has been unseasonably cold and wet this summer, so the blooms aren’t what they should be. But it’s still a nice stroll through the rows of petals, past the tennis courts, and along the paved walkway through the official Gardens. When I saw this statue, I couldn’t help but feel empathy for her – I don’t know what she was thinking, but I wonder if this is what I look like to the locals when I’m planted in the coffee shop with nothing but my thoughts. Fortunately, I don’t think I’m the only one who looks like this. I hear that misery loves company – maybe the displaced-and-confused do too.
The Kiwis have one hell of a sense of humor. Everything is a little dry, a little witty, a little cheeky. I saw this sign in the Gardens and couldn’t help but laugh! Every city I’ve even been to has some version of the “Pick up your dog’s poo, please”, but this one cracked me up. Not only does it rhyme – not ONLY does it have an adorable caricature of a dog in the corner – but it ALSO has a proper swear word on it. Do you think the park and gardens folks in NYC would dare put the word “SH*T” on a sign? Please. The Kiwis are irreverent, and I am loving them for that.
As for the rest, well, I’ll let the town’s natural beauty speak for itself. Between the lousy, rainy, windy days, we get days that are sunny, brisk, and bright. In some ways, I feel pretty darn lucky to be able to spend time in the sunshine, getting some exercise, interacting with nature, and appreciating my new home. While idle hands are generally pretty dangerous, I am trying to learn to see it as a gift. And at the very least, I have some fabulous pictures to look at as a reminder.