Hanleys Farm

We're in Airbnb #2 in one of Queenstown's surrounding suburbs, Hanleys Farm. Hanley's also happens to be where we'll be renting our house so it's so much closer to feeling like settling in. In a way, NZ suburbs are like US suburbs but really they're more like little pods of neighborhoods. When you mail anything to the suburbs, the overlying city we're all part of is still Queenstown. There isn't even a coffee shop here or restaurants- just a pump track. Everyone also has to have a P.O Box since the mail carrier doesn't go this far. 

Fun fact, Hanleys is adjacent to a bougier neighborhood called Jack's Point. They have some slight beef as the Jack's Point people would like to not be associated with Hanley's riff raff. They're walking distance though so people from both burbs like to stroll over to the clubhouse to grab coffee and eat at the restaurant. When the town's water was infected with cryptosporidium recently, Jack's Point had their own water source so they didn't have to boil their water. One kind citizen did pop a hose over the dividing fence so Hanleys peeps had access to it.

Overall burb life here isn't bad. We had initially wanted to live in Fernhill or Sunshine Bay right next to the CBD (central business district) proper but it's interesting how your perspective shifts once you are an actual local. Like yes, bars are super cool but also tourists and constant construction are not.  It's more like being in South Boulder where it's definitely bikeable/ uberable/ and bussable but you don't need it in your face all the time. It helps that every view is gorgeous here. We back up to the Remarkables which are umm remarkable. It's also something being next to a gigantic lake and river. I had no idea I really needed a big body of water near me in my life. 

I also love that I pass the cutest sheep driving into work and there's a little walking trail nearby where you can be very close to cows. Walks with the Ruby dog are very serene and she is loving all of the new kiwi-land smells. 

Pictured: a very misty Hanleys Farm looking towards the Remarks and Ruby and my walk around the Kelvin Peninsula (an adjacent-ish burb)