After days of constant driving and packed schedules, we finally had a day with no plans and no where to be so we let everyone sleep in a little. This is a vacation after all. When we eventually got moving, we headed into town to explore. We were in Queenstown; the last of the major cities for us to visit and easily our favorite. The city is set on the edge of a lake surrounded by mountains and has an infectious energy that invites you to seek adventure. From the paragliders overhead to the jet boats in the harbor or the street vendors. Everything about it was lighthearted and carefree and unlike any other city I've ever visited.
In all our research there was one restaurant that kept coming up. Fergburger was started in a garage in 2001 and has since moved, expanded, and garnered a cult-like following. I was skeptical. I've rarely been impressed with a burger outside of the US, but when in Rome... So we queued up in the line that snaked out of the restaurant and down the street. We were told it would be about thirty minutes which seemed a little crazy just to be able to place our order but the enthusiasm of the crowd had us thrilled just to be a part of this experience. When we finally got our food, we had a little picnic in the park. The burger was excellent. The buns were freshly baked from Fergbaker next door, the patties were big, and the toppings were fresh. I can attest that if you ever find yourself in Queenstown, Fergburger is most definitely worth the hype...and the wait.
One of my goals for this trip was to climb a mountain and this seemed like the place to do it. The five older kids joined me and we headed to a trailhead just minutes from the harbor. At the base was a gondola that took you part way up and not wanting to miss out we hopped on board and enjoyed the view and the shortcut. At the top of the gondola ride was an alpine luge and once again we couldn't pass up the chance for another adventure. By the time we were done with all that the kids were exhausted and ready to head back down but dad was not. This was our only chance so I pushed them on, perhaps more like a merciless orc master than an inspiring wizard. Either way we moved onward and upward for several hours. We enjoyed views of the neighboring mountains, the lake below, and the friendly mountain goats. We didn't quite make it all the way to the summit but we reached the section just below called the saddle and then I relented and started our descent. Back in town, some of us chose to cool off with a quick dip in the chilly lake while being serenaded by the street musicians as the sun set behind the mountains. A perfect end to a perfect day. As long as we don't think about tomorrow's early morning wakeup and eight hour drive.
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