Arrowtown Day 1.

We used to stay with beloved family whilst in the Queenstown area, but in summer the 3 hour time difference including daylight saving means our body clocks make us a bit antisocial – 7am is a completely reasonable time for Kiwis to get up but the only Aussies that want to be awake at 4am are the kookaburras who live at the end of our street. So we’d looked online and found River’s Edge cottage, a cute little two bedroom place right on the edge of Arrowtown. Like, right on the edge of town. Could be our new home away from home away from home.

Unloaded the car, washed some puke (remember the puke?), then headed to the river to follow the Anniversary Walk 10 minutes to town. Love it! Dappled sunny leaves, cool green shadows, a swimming hole with a  huge rock wall and a rope. Kids rafted downstream in inner tubes and I couldn’t tell whether the murmuring I heard was their voices or water bubbling over the rocks.

We had a late lunch/ early dinner at 2pm (our time) at historic The Fork and Tap on Buckingham Street – too bad we weren’t staying a few days longer as they have live bands on Sunday  afternoons in summer. Had a great time sitting in the sun catching up with family while the boys got reacquainted.

We walked back at about 9.30pm as the sun was setting, the late evening sunlight shafting through the trees.

Rory took ages, inspecting holes in trees, making rocketships out of fallen sticks, and collecting rocks to throw in the river.

I also took ages – taking photos – so we kept each other company while Finn and J took off ahead. We arrived at our turnoff just as the sunset lit up the sky and our hands started turning icy; it’s midsummer but even so there’s a dusting of snow on The Remarkables.

Got back to the cottage just in time to witness a jenga showdown and join the battle to get the boys in the shower.

Putting the boys to bed, I went to kiss Roars on the head. He put his hand up to stop me and said, “In this house the extructions said ‘no sitting’.” Hmm. He hasn’t banned me from bedtime for a while, what’s brought this on?

… Bloody daylight saving I’ll bet. Everyone already knows it fades your curtains and causes cows to spontaneously combust. It was even invented by a New Zealander… I smell a conspiracy. Or maybe that’s just the sheep.

– Michelle