The sun was beating down, Lake Wakatipu aqua and glistening under the hot New Zealand sun. The locals, the visitors, the travellers who can't quite bring themselves to leave - like me, were absorbing all that Summer in Queenstown had to offer. 

The sweet melody that was flowing so beautifully from the busker by the lake, the addictive and tantalising scents coming from the never ending army of people carrying the double scoop of Tramontana and Forest Fruits from Patagonia, that make you yearn for a choc chip cone but you know your non-existant beach bod couldn't take it, and those toddlers, so defiantly ignorant of that bike they stamped their feet for last week and made such a scene you received those sympathetic looks from the sales assistant - now the novelty has worn off and the excitement has been replaced by the greedy, arrogant ducks that use Queenstown as an all you can eat buffet, waddling away with such attitude when you refuse to give them your last bite of chorizo. I watched, I smelled, I sympathised. 

And it was then that I saw it. Sitting by the lake, taking in the beauty of Queenstown, I saw it. Although I think I saw it. Like a biblical tribute, the water parted and out came a green fin, then a hand...

Perhaps it was sunstroke, perhaps there is an untold legend of Lake Wakatipu. Whatever the reasoning, I saw a mermaid.

Check out our Instagram for more pictures from this photo shoot - RockiesQ

A big thank you to our model and her mum!

Face paint by 'Queenstown Face Art' - sgillan@xtra.co.nz