Horsegate resurfaces...

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There's no denying it - my back is still properly sore post-horse riding incident drama. It kind of mended itself for a while but the pain is back with a vengeance. No bungy jumping, skydiving or jetboat riding for me while in Queenstown, it appears. And given this is the home of the thrillseeker, it's fair to say I'm a little bit gutted. I'm going to have to find more sedate pastimes to get me through...

The day started way too early with my roomies waking up at ungodly o'clock. My top bunk, flush next to the dorm's entrance, was subjected to the lights from the corridor, the unlocking and locking of the door and the comings and goings of roomies heading off on day adventures. As a result, I went back to sleep at about 9am and didn't resurface until my washing was practically screaming at me from my storage cupboard that it needed to be done, about 11am. The good news is we're a roomie down - one's checked out - so I quickly switched the bed sheets over so I don't have the top bunk by the door again. Longer night's sleep ahead for me then :-)

Washing done (don't know why I needed to share that but hey, good for you guys to know I'm not properly roughing it on this trip), I headed off to the gondola in town to go to Bob's Peak, where you get stunning views of the lake and where you can luge (not the snow version but a kind of go-cart/dodgem car creation) or bungy. First thought on the gondola was Dad wouldn't like this. Anyone with a tiny fear of heights wouldn't like this. Still, I was alright - hard as nails, me...(cough cough)...

A good couple of hours spent watching the world go by, or rather the lugers luge by, and taking in the stunning surrounds on what was a very hot and sunny day, I then took the gondola back to the city, for today's sedate treat. A physio massage on my broken muscles. An hour of deep tissue massage pain later, and I was free to go, with the diagnosis that I'd damaged muscles from my shoulders (remember the holding on to the branch bit of Horsegate?), to my middle spine. Deep bruising still there and diagnosis that I will need further treatment over the next few months, and definitely no more riding or heavy sports. Pilates acceptable however. If I'd contemplated the bungy, which I did for all of 20 seconds before remembering that I'm 34, overweight and heartstoppingly terrified of heights when there's no barrier between me and the ground, then this was the diagnosis I needed to prevent any such ridiculous activity. Maybe the back will be better by the time I get to Rotorua for a little skydive....

The most beautiful sunset was around this evening too. With the gentle whistling of the TSS Earnshaw cruising past, the sunlight glinted off the mountain tops and turned the previous dark blue/grey mountains a light green/yellow colour. I really love this place - not somewhere that was ever on my 'must visit' list but I tell you what, it's fabulous.

Tomorrow's sedate plan of action involves hot tubs and mountain views. For all Queenstown is famous for, I am going to have to play the avoidance game. Which can mean only one thing...I'm going to have to come back again in the future...

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