Mar 26, 2013 - Queenstown Hill (Ben Lomand)

So today we sent the day in Queenstown, and we went up Queenstown Hill. Dad walked from the bottoms and i got the Gondola (walking was free) until half way, half way up is were most people stay theirs a restaurant there, bungy jump platforms, and even a mountain bike track right to the bottom. Dad wasn't keen on hiring all the kit to do that (in other words he was scared! and it costed money!) After that me and dad walked for about 2 hours to Arthur saddle before turning around but not before we took some pictures of the views. Enjoy!

Mar 1, 2013 - Milford Sounds and the Mess of Queenstown

When we got back to the town I couldn't believe what I had just done, we took a stroll to the supermarket and had a good sort out of the room as the 4 of us seem to have taken it over and uploaded some photos to Facebook for you all to see. The day had drained me, all that adrenaline so we had an early night as we had to get up at 6.45am for a trip to Milford Sounds in the morning! One of the best things I have done and another tick on my bucket list - one more to go... A fire alarm in the hostel at 5am today is not what we needed luckily...

Feb 28, 2013 - The Worlds Highest Canyon Swing - Amazing!

Maybe going out last night wasn't my best idea as today another bucket list tick was on the agenda! - The world’s highest canyon swing that I had avoided telling mum and dad about. Out of the group it was just Arthur and I doing it and Amy, Ellie and Emily were coming to watch us. The canyon swing is the highest cliff jump in the world, you free fall for almost 70m and are up 106m above the canyon at the end of the free fall you swing 200m at 150mph across the canyon! I was feeling so so nervous but couldn't wait to do it - you can go off...

Feb 27, 2013 - Amys Birthday and The Start of Queenstown

After puzzle world we were all really excited for Amy's birthday .. We got to Queenstown mid-afternoon after stopping at a fruit shop and buying some lovely apricots! Queenstown is like New Zealand's Magaluf but soo much better, this is where you do adrenaline sports in the day and party at night, the town is also surrounded by a beautiful clear blue lake and snow-capped mountains and when we arrived it was a glorious day too - perfect! Once checked into Nomads, we went to do our first adrenaline sport - jet boating! The group that we had...

Feb 27, 2013 - Queenstown Day 1

Drove out to Arrowtown this morning to look around more. Several of the stores weren't open last night, plus we wanted to look round the museum. The museum was interesting mostly about the NZ gold rush. It happened in 1862 a little later than the California Gold Rush but everything sounded remarkably similar. The land where the discovery was made belonged to a James Rees and he was making money hand over fist until the NZ government stepped in, gave him NZ$10,000 and told him to get lost! Somehow don;t see that happening in...

Feb 26, 2013 - Franz Josef to Queenstown

On the road again today for another 5-6 hour drive. The South Island has involved more long driving days than the North Island. If we ever come back, we have some ideas to make it more manageable! Anyway, here's today's route.
View NZ 2013, Feb...

Feb 24, 2013 - New Zealand to San Diego

We had breakfast at Vudu - our favorite place for breakfast in Queenstown. We met our transport to the airport at 9:30 a.m., and had our flight at 11:40 a.m. Our flight goes like this: Queenstown to Auckland, switch from domestic airport to international airport, Auckland to Tahiti, Tahiti to Los Angeles; go through customs, go to the next terminal (and we were told the wrong terminal 3 times), then to San Diego. Because of the time difference (NZ is a day ahead of San Diego), we left at almost noon on the 24th, and arrived at about 2:30...

Feb 20, 2013 - Queenstown

We loved Queenstown- buzzing place, a party town and adventure center where everyone does bungees and canyon swings. We visited the world's first bungee over a lake which looked tiny compared to the height we jumped out of the plane! The first night there we went out with the other people from the coach so consequently the next day was a day nursing the hangover both asleep by 8.30! We did the day trip to the Milford Sounds, which was about 10 hours round trip traveling but was worth it, amazing views and is a fjord in the south west of...

Feb 20, 2013 - Exploring Queenstown

Kia Ora...Began day by taking a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw down Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak High Country Farm which is a sheep station. The TSS Earnslaw was built in 1912 to service the remote farming communities around the Lake. It could carry 1500 sheep and 30 cattle on her decks. Today it can carry 350 passengers and is one of the last remaining coal-fired passenger-carrying vessels operating in the Southern Hemishpere. It has been beautifully restored. Walter Peak (sheep station) encompassed 170,000 acres in its heyday. Theyt ran...

Feb 20, 2013 - Finishing my Journey

Well the last month has been outstanding, it was full of some amazing experiences with my friends, but also gave me ample time on my own to complete some final missions, in New Zealand. When I returned to Qt I immediately began planning some wicked tramps, although the plans changed very frequently among the changing departure plans as well. It was stressful and I just needed a break into the wilderness and I was gunning for it. I had planned to do three days on the Rees Dart Track and Cascade Saddle a stunning tramp in the Glenorchy area,...

Feb 19, 2013 - Queenstown-Adventure Day

OK, so here are a few little fact about Queenstown. The Hobbits and much of the Lord of the Rings triology was filmed in this area. The mountains called The Remarkables were in many scenes-highest point is 7,608 feet. I have not seen the movie but am going to see it when I get home because the scenery must be remarkable. Also, the river here was very rich in gold. Back in the gold rush days, they panned $30m worth of gold from it. Back then, gold was worth $300 oz and today it is supposedly worth $1800 oz. Because this is such an area for...

Feb 18, 2013 - On to Queenstown

Kia Ora to all, Left Te Anau this morning for ride to Queenstown and on the way we passed through farmlands with hundreds of sheep and cattle and deer. Some of the farmers in the last years have begun converting their sheep farm to dairy and beef cattle because it is more lucrative. Stopped at the Amisfield Vineyard for lunch and had some pinot gris and pinot noir. Not sure if we can buy their wine in the US but it was quite good. Arrived at Queenstown mid-afternoon and it is a small beautiful town (approx 12000). It is located on the...