On the Slopes by Lunchtime

It’s possible to take an early flight from an eastern capital in Australia and be lining up at the lifts above Queenstown, by mid-afternoon, The Sydney Morning Herald’s online sports reporter Scott Spits explains. “Taking in the magnificent vistas during the final minutes my descent to Queenstown is enhancing for the soul. The endless snow-capped peaks viewed from up high took me (my previous trips to Queenstown had been overland). I soon realise I’m about to enter a cliché — a Winter Wonderland.”