Christchurch to Queenstown (CHC-ZQN) on Qantas 737-300
I have enough time for a couple of drinks and another bowl of yummy soup while catching up on some work on the computer. I'd noted the flight was delayed due to the late inbound, and was slowly getting ready to go when the lounge agent comes into the computer room and asks if I'm on this flight because they are paging me in the terminal.
It seems the agent had not announced the flight over the PA but individually talked to lounge guests about boarding but I'd gotten missed somehow. So I scoop up my things and rush onboard where they are getting ready to close the doors. Last on again!
Another full flight, although this time I am lucky to get about the only spare seat alongside. As we take off over the plains I notice the spring growth is highlighting the bumps and hollows nicely in the subtle colour differences of the grass - from the ground the plains appear almost pancake flat, but from a low altitude it is clear they not at all flat with many patterns laid down by the old paths of the many braided rivers tearing the mountains down and depositing the debris along the way to the sea.
The skies are relatively clear, with extensive cloud bank on the main divide and to the western side of the Alps, and only high cloud on the eastern side. Great views of the mountains (except the highest peaks) and the southern lakes. There is a lot more snow than my previous flights to Queenstown, but none (left) in the valley floors. We fly at lower than normal altitude to try to make up some time.
As we descend through the valleys and basin towards Queenstown there is a neat optical effect on the many puddles of water and streams of snow melt, at the right angle there is a brief shimmering reflection amplified by the mica that is prevalent in this region. As we fly along the shimmering moves along to the next set of puddles and streams of snow melt.
I enjoy the descent, which follows a slightly different path than usual, going deeper into the Arrowtown basin, turning sharper over Lake Hayes and passing to the right instead of the left of a particular hillock on final approach - thus forcing a tighter right hand turn over the river moments before touchdown. Its a bit hard to describe but the approach into Queenstown is fantastic and a must for keen flyers. (The flight path out of Queenstown is also spectacular, but in my view not as good as the one in. Yes the approaches are strictly one way as there is barely enough room for a 737 or A320 in the airspace let alone 2 aircraft. Sometimes if aircraft are coming in too close to one another - as can happen with the Air NZ and Qantas flights being scheduled at basically the same times at certain parts of the day - the second one does lazy circles over Lake Dunstan about halfway between Wanaka and Queenstown.)
There is a short walk across the tarmac, and it isn't as cold as I was expecting given the low altitude of the snow line which explains the extensive snow melt run off.