Once, twice, three times – three different years – I have been here to watch the sun send its rays in a final, flirting gesture towards The Remarkables, .

That first view I claimed as my own, a 12-month resident in this mountainous enclave. The second glimpse came quickly, a brief stopover on my way to somewhere else. And this, the third period of Queenstown, has been a two-week vacation inadvertently extended into seven. But, no matter how long I stay or how often I leave, always those snowy peaks await my return.

“I’ll be back” is a constant phrase among visitors here.

Something about the New Zealand town – it’s energy, it’s friendly locals, it’s reputation for adventure, or, simply, it’s incomparable scenery – strikes a note of nostalgia in everyone.

It is, I think, a reminder that – at least in some places – life can be a constant holiday.