Queenstown Christmas

Apparently they've had a white Christmas back home.

I just mooched round the shops, after I found Deer Park Heights was closed & bought some cool paua stuff for the hair.
Then I booked a sail on the SS Earnslaw, which goes up the lake & back.
While I waited to go aboard, I sent loads of Happy Xmas texts & had a text-chat with George, Di & Lesley.

On the boat I opened the bottle of botrytis Sauv Blanc I'd been saving, & chomped on Andy's chocolate. The choc looked like a lump of lava, after all the melting & hardening it'd been through, but it was lovely with the wine.
Captain, Lisa, was very helpful, pointing out some stuff & another lady in the steerhouse (called Tracey) took over & filled me in on a few local legends.

It was quite overcast, & not very warm, so I went back & got ready for dinner. This was oysters & champagne, followed by lamb shank & merlot, & finished with a gorgeous chocolaty thing washed down with more sweet Sauv Blanc. Tell you, never had it before, ever, & then twice in 1 day?
I had a nice seat looking out at the sunset on the mountains & Queenstown, & my new paua stuff went beautifully with the hand-painted silk scarf I'd bought in Nelson.

Then it was bed, as I planned to go to Mavora Lakes on Boxing Day.
OAO