As part of my Queenstown trip, (New Zealand, South Island) it had been recommended to me by my fellow travellers to go and do something really exciting, something that I'd remember for the rest of my life.
If I couldn't find something to fulfill all those requirements in Queenstown then apparently I wouldn't find it anywhere. And so the challenge had been set. The only obstacles in my way were me. Meaning that I am a complete self confessed wimp who hand on heart dislikes any kind of adrenaline sports. I like swimming, and I like climbing but only when the latter is inside a nice climbing centre with lots of ropes and helpful instructors. About the most frightening encounter I'd ever had was sea kayaking with dolphins in Australia. (Well they do look like sharks!). I also love food, I'm passionate about it. I was a chef in a former life and it left me with a need to delight in all sorts of food experiences. Perhaps I could combine good food with just a little bit of adrenaline?
I was pointed in the direction of the Queenstown Rafting office, at which I had no intention of booking anything. I hate cold water, and as a rule, water in New Zealand is glacially cold, literally. I wandered into the office and pretended to be interested in all the death defying feats lining the walls (people pay to do this?). And then something caught my eye, it read;

"Experience gourmet food, luxury camping, and an area unspoiled and visited by only a privileged few; this is more than just a rafting trip."

Now this sounded like my cup of tea. Brandishing my credit card I innocently signed myself up for the singularly most amazing adventure of my life so far - The Landsborough Experience.

I don't know how best to describe it, but it started with a helicopter trip. This by itself was worth the money I'd spent. "The Landsborough Experience" as it is called, is a combination of tranquil scenery, glaciers, delicious home cooked gourmet style camp food, massive towering cliffs and mountains, and some amazing white water rafting. Admittedly I thought I was in over my head when I saw the rafts, but was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the trip. I was exhilarated and excited, my heart was pumping twice as fast a few times, but I always felt safe and superbly looked after by the guides, and more importantly I wasn't scared. The food was absolutely delicious, and all cooked on site. It was fantastic to sit down at the end of the day and enjoy the company of the new friends I'd made.

The scenery took my breath away, this is real Lord of The Rings country, it really feels like you are going places that have never been seen before, it's so rugged and beautiful. The link to the website is http://www.queenstownrafting.co.nz/landsborough/ and it very informative, with lots of pics. I had a fantastic time!