Queenstown

  Queenstown, New Zealand
Monday, October 31, 2005

Hello everyone and here is the next update from New Zealand.






After we left Franz Joseph it was a short drive to the next town of Fox Glacier. This town also has a glacier that is easily accessible and we wondered if the mints where named after this place!!! We still don't know!! The car park is quite close to the glacier so we drove up and took this picture!







At the car park we had our first of many encounters with Kea's. They are a bright green alpine parrot and are protected. They can be very mischievious and people often find their windscreen wipers missing when returning to the car park. Farmers used to blame them for attacking sheep and would shoot them but no more!!!



We were heading for Queenstown with an overnight stop at Wanaka. Again as before the scenery was great, here are a few examples!!



(A little like highway 1 to Mendocino don't you think)



The Southern Alps and Lake Wanaka!



There is not much in the way of things to do but go to Puzzling World. We met up with Del and Sophie who we had seen a couple of times throughout the south island and went with them.

This is a place with various puzzles, a maze and optical illusions. This is the Hall of Following Faces.



Chris couldn't resist it!!! People have always said he needs a rocket up his bum!!!



We had a fun couple of hours and agreed with Del and Po (sorry Sophie couldn't resist it)
to meet in Queenstown for a few beers and stuff.

Just before Queenstown we visited Arrowtown, a former gold rush settlement.



We met the guys out for a few beers in Queenstown, it was quite cold in one of them as you can see!!!



This is Minus 5, a bar constructed totally of ice. Literally quite cool!!!



You are only allowed in for half an hour which is long enough anyway.



We spent the first night in Bumbles backpackers and they had given me and Kelly a red stamp on our hand for free beer at the World Bar. Sophie and Del gave themselves hickies on their hands and like magic free beer for all.



Oh by the way did we mention we were in Queenstown.....there are a few pictures in the album above. We really lucked out with the weather!! Here is one of our favorites.



We all took a gondola to the top of Bob's Peak for a great view of the city and Lake Wakatipu.







We also took a few rides on the Luge. It's a concrete twisting track which was very fast and great fun. Here is Chris and Sophie crossing the finish line.



Queenstown is the world capital of stupid and extreme things to do. Anything from Bungy, Canyon Swing, River surfing, Paragliding, White water rafting and Jet boating....you get the idea. And all the above come in various levels of madness.

The four of us had decided to Jet Boat along the Shotover river at speeds of up to 80km/h, then take a helicopter ride to the start of the Whitewater rafting site.



The whole day was fantastic, Kelly almost pooed her pants in the helicopter as the pilot took us straight up over a mountain and manuevered a sharp left between a canyon. We couldn't take any pics of the helicopter or the rafting because cameras and water don't mix very well.

The day after we all went out for karaoke...(Chris wouldn't let it lie), but we ended up winning about 25 free drinks. It was worth it in the long run.

We really enjoyed Queenstown, the campsite was great (nice organ), weather nice, we found the best burgers in the world..the Fergburger, and we had a Fergtastic time with Del and Po....the best beer is free beer!!!!

The next update is of Milford Sound and some of the best scenery you can see anywhere in the world but just as a taster here are the Remarkables mountain range in Queenstown. These were used in the Lord of The Rings as Mordor!!!



Next update in a few days!!!! Bye