Time for some action

After a laid-back and rather uneventful final few weeks in Wanaka, it was time to have some fun in Queenstown. For just under a week we would be proper tourists. Wanaka had allowed us to save a few dollars, so we had decide to spend it on some of the more exciting actives Queenstown has to offer.

We arrived early and checked into the Novotel. Normally this would be a bit out of our price range but one of the perks of Ambre’s job is that she gets sweet deals at hotels. It actually worked out cheaper to stay there, get a room with a lakeside balcony, en-suite, and use of the jacuzzi than to stay in a dingy hostel.

 

We didn’t have much time to relax though as our day of arrival was also Ambre’s birthday. She had already expressed her lack of excitement when it came to bungee jumps, so as a present I bought her a paragliding flight. So we drove up to Coronet Peak, where she ran off a cliff with a big kite behind her, piloted by a crazy mexican. Slightly smaller then the average paraglider, Ambre struggled to get enough speed for the kite to lift them straight away. It was pretty funny watching them hurtle down the hill, scraping their knees along the grass, and then screaming off into air. Once up in the air I think she really enjoyed it. It certainly looked fun, but I was saving my not so hard earned dollar for something else. For an evening activity we had a nice meal and as most visitors do, drank some vodka in the Ice Bar.

Our next booked adventure was canyoning, but for only the fourth time in two years, it was cancelled due to the water levels being too high. The snow melt had hindered our days activity. Luckily the ‘Thunder Jet’ is a weather proof activity, so the next day we went bombing around Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau River on a jet boat. The boat skimmed across the water, speeding alongside rock faces, trees, and through a dam. I usually hate organised tours and touristy activities but this was right up my alley. The captain did stop every now and then to tell us a little story but the breaks were welcome relief from the cold winds that were battering our faces, and allowed us to regain some feeling in our cheeks. I ended up cold and a little wet, but very happy with out Thunder Jet experience.

 

 For a change of pace, we did something that I thought I would never do. We visited the wildlife sanctuary, and went to see the kiwi’s. To my supprise I really enjoyed the whole thing. Just wondering around the forrest was pleasant enough, but the animal show was actually a lot of fun. As for the kiws’s… they were a bit boring. We couldn’t really see much in the darkened room and if they had just put a fluffy pillow at the back of the enclosure, I would have been non-the-wiser. One thing is for sure, if I ever get a pet, it will be a possum!

The snow melt had subsided a bit, so a couple of days later than planned we were able to go canyoning. The water was freezing, and the pace a little slow. However spirits in the group were high and the heart was beating fast. We zip-lined across the canyon to start with, before abseiling down and wading through the icy water. After some of waterfall jumps, more abseils and a couple of hours in the canyon we arrived home in need of a warm drink.

 

We moved out of the hotel for our final couple of nights and were guests once more at Lee and Oli’s bachelor pad. Our final day was my favourite day in a long while, as I finally got to enjoy Queenstown’s famous bungee jumps. Luckily our visit coincided with locals weekend and even luckier, they accepted me as a local, despite having lived in Wanaka and leaving the following day. A half price bungee is an opportunity too good to miss, but to do all three was even better value.

 I had hoped to start small and finish with the Nevis Bungee. But the guy in the shop insisted the only way they could fit me in was Nevis first. So at 9 o’clock in the morning I jumped on the bus and headed for the 4th largest bungee in the world. I had expected it scare me, and thought that I would be at least a little nervous. The girl sat behind didn’t help as she was literally crying with fear. But as the bus approached the edge of the cliff we saw another lucky punter hurl themselves of the pod, hanging 134m above the canyon floor, supported only by wires. Surprisingly it looked like insane fun, and I now couldn’t wait to jump. Sure enough when we got out there and it was my turn to jump, I had a smile on my face. This was soon replaced by impulsive screaming and obscenities. When all was said and done, I loved it and couldn’t wait for the next two.

In town I met back up with Ambre who decided to forgo the stress of a bungee and do a little shopping. We headed up the gondola and even had time for a couple of luge runs before the final jump of the day. Bizarrely it was snowing and there was a nice covering of snow when we got out of our gondola. This made luging a little chilly, but jumping into the depths of the snow covered forest was lovely, as was the entire week. Living in Queenstown last year was real joy, and being a tourist there was quite different, but equally brilliant.

As usual there is a little video of the season to accompany my words. If you haven’t already seen it you can check it out on my vimeo channel:

http://vimeo.com/user6888045/videos