Paradise

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Well its with some sadness that we are on our last day here on the South Island but we have managed to pack in so much and at the same time relax and enjoy our time here.

I think we had just done our magnificent tour of Milford Sound when we last wrote and we thought that we had reached the pinnacle of our trip where spectacular vista's were concerned. One thing we have learned about this country is that just around the corner there is another natural wonderment, that takes your breath away and something as simple as the light changing can change the way a scene looks dramatically.

As some of you may know, Queenstown is the home of extreme sports, where people willingly throw themselves off bridges, jump off mountains and all that sort of thing. How could we be here and not join in? So, having first checked our insurance policies and screwed up our courage, we with some trepidation made our way to the Skyline where we through caution to the wind and, wait for it, Yes we rode on a gondola to the very top of the mountain and if that wasn't enough we then plucked up the courage to ride the luge. Dangerous stuff eh? But we thought, you only live once.

Then there still more sights to see, as we drove around the lakes and checked out the ski resorts - and even the steam trains! Yes, all tastes are catered for here in Queenstown.

How can we sum up this enthralling place, where the sun travels the wrong way across the sky, where the water goes down the plug hole the wrong way, and even the tumble dryers spin the other way round? It's enchanting, captivating, stimulating, beguiling. The people are relaxed and friendly, the pace is gentle, the air is pristine, and the scenery just blows you away. We have loved every minute, and we will even forgive the rain - after all there has to be a means by which the place becomes so lush and green.

As we stood today, staring at the breath-taking view that you may have seen in 'Lord of the Rings', we were forced to conclude that maybe this really is 'middle earth.'

Next stop Sydney tomorrow, How exciting!

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