I don’t think Queenstown, New Zealand is exactly what the Queen had in mind for her namesake. While Queenstown is elegant, majestic and grandiose in its physical beauty, the city has a heart for adventure less like a queen and more like that of English adventurer and seaman Captain James Cook who discovered New Zealand and its native Maori people.

While the queen resides many miles from this remote Pacific island, Queenstown has a queen of sorts of its own. You can even stay at her castle. Louise Kiely has been in the hospitality business in Queenstown for 29 years, which might earn her the coronation of Queen of the town. If that’s not enough, she was crowned Queenstown’s Socialite of the Year as well. Louise hosted me at her castle, the Queenstown House, a boutique hotel with 15 unique suites. Louise took me in with her family and friends to give me a taste of the “Queenstown Experience”. The hotel overlooks the city and the bay but provides easy walking access to downtown Queenstown. Besides the stunning view, the pre-dinner cocktail gatherings, fireside sitting rooms and rose filled patios were a potent cocktail that facilitated an amicable connection with the palace’s most interesting guests.

The evening brings out a buffet of nationalities, ages, and persuasions to the Ballarat Street/Mall Street area in a flurry of activity, nightlife and superb people watching. The range of upscale and modest dining options abounds. Try Fishbone, Pier 19, Captain’s Restaurant, Beefeater and Winnie’s; you’ll be off to a great start. You’ll notice that just about everyone’s happy in Queenstown. Enjoy, eat and rest well or stay up late, but the morning and day will bring an entirely different side of Queenstown to light.

A new adventure begins by day in Queenstown. Queenstown by day might be more aptly named something like Redbull City. It’s the southern hemisphere’s extreme sports capital and one of the largest tourist town’s in the southern hemisphere. Daytime brings such fare as canyon swinging, heli biking, glowworm spelunking, glacier exploration, and flightseeing. Or perhaps jet boating and the more typical entrees of world-class bungee jumping, luging, heli skiing, snowmobiling, paragliding, hangliding, photo safari’s, quad biking, fly fishing, white water rafting, kayaking, skydiving, 4×4 touring, wine tours and Lord of The Rings Tours are more to your fancy. Recreational offerings span the seasons and summer and winter each draw about half the annual visitors. In summer, the surreal turquoise colored glacial runoff of the Shotover River and Lake Wakatipu provide the backdrop for all the adrenaline infused activity. In winter, the dramatic beauty of the mountains and glaciers highlight the landscape. Easy access to four skiing areas is a short order from Queenstown.

Queenstown is also the main launching point for Fiordland National Park where you can find the famous Milford Sound, Milford track and glaciers. The Fiordlands are the most rugged and unexplored part of New Zealand, providing yet another variety of unparalleled scenery in what many consider the most physically beautiful place on earth.

When planning your trip, remember the seasons are of course opposite in the southern hemisphere versus the northern hemisphere, so Queenstown can get you out of cold weather in winter and out of the heat in summer. Two weeks never seems like enough time especially if your trip takes you to other parts of the country. However long you stay, your trip will be a royal adventure.

Explore more at http://www.queenstown-nz.co.nz/, www.queenstownhouse.co.nz

Barclay Nelson writes about outdoor and urban experiences. Read his stories on www.cocktailatlas.com, www.carladynews.com and www.travellady.com

Louise Kiely with Diva Susan Boyle and Monsignor Bernard Kiely in London.

Susan had just sung and met the Pope in the UK and the Kielys were off to Rome to join His Holiness at the Canonisation of Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia s first Saint.

Susan was very humble, sweet and a delight to be with. We are thrilled with her ongoing success.

Canonisation of Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop

I was very honored to attend the Canonisation ceremony of Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australiasia’s first Saint on October the 17th at St Peters in Rome. My brothers Peter and Bernard were with me along with many friends.

What an exciting time, seeing the Pope on three occasions including a concert inside the Vatican walls, where His Holiness sat about 15m from us. To be present with the Holy Man celebrating mass for our Saint , all overwhelming.

We met,Cardinals, Arch Bishops, Mary Mackillops, St Joseph sisters, all interesting well educated, caring people, who all warmed to the legacy left by this wonderful woman who did so much for the poor and under priviledged in our countries.

She is a person I have always felt close to, maybe her coming to Arrowtown and setting up a school there or the great sense of peace I have always felt when visiting her tomb and museum in North Sydney. Her faith and perseverance when faced with sickness and adversity was not portrayed as heroic or religiously exotic but as an ordinary person who dared to make a difference.

I am inspired, it does rub off, I loved the whole experience.

Thanksgiving mass for St Mary MacKillop

19th October , Thanksgiving mass for St Mary MacKillop at St Pauls Outside The Walls in Rome was the culmination of the experience of a lifetime, my brother Bernard and the Aboringinal Deacon Boniface Perdjert con celebrated the mass with at least a hundred priests supporting CardinalPell. Mary MacKillop would have been delighted with the presence of the Indigenous people from both New Zealand and Australia, the sound of the didgeridoo was very moving. This was really Australiasia’s day, the service was mainly in English which does not happen that often in one of the worlds iconic churchs.

St Peters Square

Fr Peter Tipene from the Hokianga,Peter Kiely, Louise, Arch Bishop John Dew, Monsignor Bernard Kiely after the ceremony in St Peter’s Square.

Dinner at the Piazza Minerva

Her Excellency Liana Marolla, the former Ambassador of Italy to NZ hosted a reception dinner at her residence in Piazza Minerva.

Back row:

HE. Liana Marolla (Former Ambassador of Italy to New Zealand), Adriana Bembo, Admiral Paolo Bembo, Louise, Milanese Architect Maurella Boifava (who restored the historic residence of the Italian Ambassador in Wellington, as featured in NZ House & Garden), Hon Consul Peter Kiely, Francisco Zampetti.
Front row:

HE Laurie Marks (New Zealand Ambassador to Italy), His Grace Archbishop John Dew (Metropolitan of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand).

Ghost Hunting in Ireland

Rick & Margot Hawley,our Henley hosts.

Is this where we got our cooking skills?

Henley UK. Hosts Margot, Rick Hawley with Mary chris Doyle and David Richwhite.

Roly Ellis hosting in Dublin at the famous Rolys Restaurant.

Dublin Friends.

Aimee, Lesbos,Greece.

Home At Firsts, Irish host Anne in Pukane

Ghost Hunting & finding Great uncle Jack Griffin.

Cafe Paradiso, CORK.

The Girls feasting at Ballymaloe

Famous Ballymaloe with Hazel Allen & Robyn Bryant.

Mayoral Reception in Clonmel with Mayor Phil Prendegast, helping us find Kiely relatives.

New York

Croatia - Louise and Anna Thorpe

Croatia - Geoff Meek and boat girl

Croatia - Rachel"s squid cooked by Louise

Croatia - Captain Thorpe

Croatia - Waiheke wine courtesy of the Ashers

Croatia - Aimee's new residence

Mother and daughter

Croatia - Bob, Geoff, Earl and Rainer

Poppy, Aimee and Ben

NY - NZ girls Ruth McLeod, Investment NZ; Maggie Macombie, Air NZ and...

NY - Girlfriends central park

NY - Margo Hawley and Mike Jones in W1

NY - Consul General NZ NY hosting at her residence

NY - Rachel, Lou, Chrissy, Jojo and Anna

NY - Emeralds Steve B and Loulou lunchalot

With cousy-y-bros Ian and Sue Leah and Blake

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