Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Queenstown is really picturesque, a town on a lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and is renowned for its thrill seeking activities. Naturally this makes it tourist heaven, it is quite busy for a country the size of England with only 4 million peeps. (and 40 million sheep fact fans).
We booked to do the jet boat ride on the Shotover canyon, fantastic scenery (I must think of some other variations of that phrase as there is so much of it here). This boat goes 80 km per hour and does 360 degree spins about 2 inches from the canyon wall! And you can imagine what I was like in the back seat "Excuse me son, you were a bit close to that wall back there...." My friendly suggestions about his driving were ignored as he headed for yet another rock. All in good faith!! Got soaked and screamed a lot.
Then got a cable car to the top of the mountain overlooking Queenstown for some great views and a couple of luge rides down (basically a go-cart crossed with a sledge). Lots of fun.
Next activity was bungy jumping, sadly for medical reasons I could not participate which was a great shame as I really wanted to jump 43 metres off a platform with nothing more than a towel and a few elastic bands round me ankles to stop me hitting the river bed with my face but I'm sure I will get over the disappointment...
Brave boyos Stephen and Nick got weighed and off they went to the platform. Nick went first, looking as relaxed as one can be, a beautiful dive and a good few boings later he was back on terra firma as we watched Stephen do the same. I shouted words of encouragement from the side "Go Baby Go!" as he dived gracefully from the platform and went up to his chest into the river below.
Bloody Loons.
Next activity was Milford Sound coach trip, cruise and scenic flight, which is the photo on this page, very beautiful. Hopefully the pictures we took will do it some justice. Nick sat next to the pilot in our 6 seater Cessna plane ride, he was dead chuffed but I was worried he would lean on a button or something.
After all this excitement, Nick felt he just had to have more and booked himself on another bungy, this time a 134 metre jump from a cable car, we didn't go to watch but saw the DVD, 8.5 seconds of freefall is a long way!
Stephen and I had other exciting things to do, like picking up our hire car that I got off tinternet without knowing what type of car it was...we are now the proud owners of a Toyota Pulsar for the next 51 days! It is such a joy to have a set of wheels, although I haven't driven for nearly 8 months I am sure its like riding a bike. test drive tomorrow, taking Nick to the airport then we are back to two again and off!
- comments