After last night’s dinner we slept in a bit. No point getting up too early – it’s always cold outside. We did wake up to a clear morning, which was a vast improvement on yesterdays’ rain. Unfortunately, the rain had stopped prior to the temperature dropping low enough for it to turn into snow. The upside to that is no ice on the road, This was the view from our room this morning.
I have to say that I was very impressed with everything about Millbrook despite the weather precluding any activities on the golf course. It is a beautiful setting and there seems to be some real thought gone into the layout. Many resorts look so much better on the website, but we agreed that Millbrook is quite the opposite.
After a breakfast in ‘The Clubhouse’ we reluctantly left Millbrook heading for the Shotover Jet boats. We had done this the last time I was in this part of the world, some 16 years ago. I’ve done jet boats at Huka Falls and on the Gold Coast, but this one is more spectacular as you are taken at high speed through Skippers Canyon. The surrounding mountains make it a spectacular experience. The route heads under the bridge in the next photo for about 7 KMs in very quick time.
According to my calculations they run at least 5 jet boats in rotation, burning 40 litres of fuel each 30 minute run. Quite wasteful really… but lots of fun!
With the adrenalin rush satisfied we headed back towards Alexandra. We stopped at Clyde, the town just below the imaginatively name Clyde Dam. This dam was completed in 1993, mainly for power generation. It was controversial at the time, because it submerged a lot of good orchard land as well as the Cromwell Gorge, an up and coming tourist attraction at the time. The main street of the town is under preservation orders, so any development needs to align with the historical character.
We stopped for a late lunch at Oliver’s Restaurant where we had eaten 16 years ago on our first holiday to the South Island. After lunch we checked out some of the shops including an art gallery. The artist-in-residence (it is her house) told us that although Oliver’s was great last time we came through it had had a few different owners over that time. The original owner, Fleur, had developed a profitable working relationship with the Germans that came to build the dam by being open all hours of the night. She also offered accommodation in the adjoining lodge. Later owners didn’t seem to show the same business acumen.
From there it is a short drive back to Alexandra where we hunkered down for the night. I’ve checked the forecasts for Mt Cook and am hoping we can do our rescheduled flight to the glaciers tomorrow… so hope to have lots of photos for tomorrow’s blog.
Until tomorrow
Rob's "Beats Working" Blog 