On the Life List

"The Life List". We all have one, a list of places we absolutely must see in person. The danger of making a list of anything like this is that we'll treat it like a check list - "Grand Canyon, check; Kathmandu, check; Zambezi River, check" - and not take the time to really experience the places for what they are and how they inspire.

Yesterday, I spent some time in the town of Glenorchy here on the South Island and decided that it's a mandatory addition to any mountain person's life list. Glenorchy is at the North end of Lake Wakatipu, the same lake with Queenstown (capital of adrenaline junkies, fur-wearing Aussie ski tourists more interested in shopping, and late-night Euro-club Red Bull and Vodka joints) on its South end. Queenstown ends abruptly as one drives North on Route 6A along the lake and in its place are some of the most incredible views of water and mountains I've ever seen. Glenorchy is a world away from Queenstown and is the kind of two-block water-side valley-floor village I imagine is in the remote upper reaches of Alaskan rivers. There's not much to the village - a welcome center, caravan park, numerous trailers, and a few trading posts and outdoor adventure centers. The Glenorchy Cafe resides in an old Victorian house and is a cozy spot with excellent food, a little funk in the way I like a little funk in my cafes, and an outside seating area with the best view of any restaurant this side of Kleine Scheidegg.

Sit, drink a glass of the region's wine, listen to the water flow by, and watch as the afternoon light and gentle breezes make the mountains come alive. It's difficult to convey just how beautiful it is in Glenorchy. So, as a consequence, the only thing I can do to overcome my inability to articulate the awe inspiring nature of the place is to post a few photos and insist that you put Glenorchy, New Zealand on your life list. Next weekend I may head to Milford Sound and again will likely struggle to describe it as my list gets longer.