After getting adjusted to summer in January, and catching up with the day we'd lost crossing the dateline, we went to the Visitor Information Centre on Shotover Street and booked a stay at the Kinloch Lodge for the next night. Our plan was to drive to Kinloch, just past Glenorchy, and have FunYaks pick us up at the Kinloch dock the morning after our stay there. They. would take us on a fun river trip, then deliver us back to Kinloch so we could drive back to Queenstown from there.

Unfortunately, it was pouring rain the next morning. We decided, in. view of the weather, to cancel both Kinloch and FunYaks and stay at the Heritage for an extra night. Typical of New Zealand, cancellation was done pleasantly without any hassle, even though it was rather last minute.

Earnslaw outing

The rain stopped around noon and our son suggested that we take the Earnslaw steamer trip across the lake, since that is a nice thing to do on a gray, overcast day. We got our tickets for the 2:30 sailing and boarded at the Steamer Wharf. The Earnslaw is one of the few remaining coal-fire-driven steamboats in the world. It takes, a ton of coal an hour to keep it going, and there are catwalks so you can watch the coal being shoveled during your trip.

Fitted with comfortable seats and tables, and windows all around, the Earnslaw provides a lovely way to see the lake.

Only a few minutes away from Queenstown you are in an environment similar to Doubtful Sound. We ventured out onto the deck, even though it was blustery, to enjoy the peacefulness of the surrounding mountains. An enthusiastic sing-along takes place inside the cabin if you'd rather do that. The boat docked at Walter Peak Station and we disembarked to tour the station and have tea.

Walter Peak Station is an old sheep station which now derives most of its income from tourists rather than sheep. We toured the station, seeing some of the deer that are raised for meat, and watched a sheepshearing demonstration. We also watched a well-trained dog shepherd a group of sheep down the hill.

Tea was served, in the station's former homestead, filled with antiques. It was lovely to enjoy good tea and pastries while looking at the beautiful. garden facing the lake.

The Earnslaw returned us to Queenstown at 5:00. While some of us try to avoid strictly tourist attractions, the steamer experience has earned its reputation and was a great way to enjoy a gray day.

Music and theater

We settled into our rental home in Kelvin Heights, across the lake and a 15-minute drive from town. There is a well-maintained walking and bicycle path that follows the lakeshore, so one could walk to town in about 1 1/2 hours. There also is a shuttle bus to town from the World Market shopping center in Frankton, which is about a 40-minute walk. Frankton is where the Queenstown airport is located.

That evening, a preconcert drink on the patio at McNeill's Cottage Brewery put us in the mood for a rock concert at the community center. The performer, Dave Dobbins, is very popular in New Zealand; the style of music is similar to that of Jimmy Buffet.

There are frequent theatrical presentations and concerts in town, and the Visitor Information Centre usually has information about current and coming attractions. Queenstown Shakespeare does innovative productions during the summer season. For example, last year they staged "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in Queenstown Gardens. There also is a multiscreen movie theater on The Mall.

Wine tour

The Wine Trail was our next nonadventure activity. The central Otago region is working hard to develop its wine industry and is producing some fine pinot noir and sauvignon blanc wines.

Lance Benseman takes up to 16 people in his comfortable van to visit four wineries. The second stop, Gibbston Valley, includes a tour of the cave and a delicious lunch. Lance has a special area reserved on the outdoor patio for his group, so we got to chat with some of the others while listening to live jazz.

The drive to Gibbston Valley includes a great view of the famous bungee-jump bridge, which is the closest many of us ever want to get to that dangling cord over the river!

In all, 16 wines are tasted on the tour, and each winery has capable staff conducting the tasting. We learned a great deal and purchased several bottles to take home. There are a great many New Zealand wines that are not known in the U.S. as the production from many of the finest vintners is too small to export.

The sauvignon blanc is a particular favorite of ours, as it is very herbaceous. We were told that Amencans are generally used to a sweeter "sauvi," as that is what California produces. The pinot noirs being produced compete well with the best Oregon vintages, and will get even better as the vines age.

Andrew recommended that we speak with Johan at the Wine Deli to make the best wine selections. The Wine Deli also has a nice selection of gourmet chocolates, sauces and cheeses.

Some hiking

It was time for a hike. We drove around the lake and through Glenorchy and hiked a bit to a waterfall. A little tricky for me, but my Trek walking stick really helped.

Then we drove to Paradise. This is a homestead of many acres, with hidden cabins (wood stoves) and a darling thatch-roofed sauna. It is a stunning location and we walked all around. The views across the valley are quite spectacular and the area deserves its name. A lot of the filming for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was done here. Our son pointed out "ponds" that had been created especially for the film.

Still in a hiking mood, we spent several hours the next day doing a very popular walk near Bob's Cove just outside of town. This hike has a great variety of terrain and views, from meadow to mountain ridge. We felt we'd earned our delicious dinner at The 19th that evening.

Arrowtown

Andrew's partner, Fiona, is the education specialist at the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown and she invited us to spend an afternoon there. Arrowtown is another "tourist" activity that is well worth doing. There are bus tours daily, but if you have a car it is an easy half-hour drive.

Located on the Arrow River, Arrowtown is an old -- and very well-preserved -- mining town. It was the scene of one of the earliest and largest gold strikes, in New Zealand. The museum helps one to understand the impact of gold mining and the history of the area.

A short distance from the museum one can visit the old gaol (jail) and the historic Chinese village. Many miners came from China and experienced a lonely and hard existence.

When your feet are tired, get some ice cream and sit by the river for a while, as we did.

Casinos

That evening we enjoyed Asian fusion for dinner at Surreal and then checked out both of the casinos. Many Queenstowners opposed the casinos, which opened about a year previously. I found them to be fun; they are smaller and more intimate than any in Las Vegas. The dealers are young and, friendly, there is little smoke in the air, and we had a good time. I even won NZ$40 playing blackjack.

Dining in

Because we were staying in a home, we were able to barbecue frequently. The lamb is superb and lamb chops are only about US$1.99 per pound. Of course, mussels, smoked salmon and many varieties of sea-food are plentiful and fresh.