Paradise found on earth!

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Aki ora:

I think I left you guys at Mt. Cook and then the fiords. Well, we thought this trip was amazing - but then we came to Queenston. This area is for those who have a lot of testerone they have to get rid of. Here you can go bungy jumping (where it was first created) from a 100 year old bridge over a narrow gorge with rocks on either side. You can also go on a luge (which David and I did) - this was fun - going down a cement half tunnel on little go carts that is on a total downhill from one of the most spectacular views that we got to by going up a gondola and then luging part way down. A real blast. When we took the gondola up Bob's peak the spectacle that greeted us was quite indescribable - a royal blue vast lake that went on for miles every direction except for almost an island in the middle and gorgeous patches of a town that was built up on the mountains that encircled the whole lake on a 360 degree view. Today we went on "shotover" jet boats. This was also discovered by a guy in the area - these boats can go 85 km. an hour, and only need 4 inches of water - so the driver puts about 14 of us in a boat, and then drives through miles of narrow gorge (about 30 feet wide at the greatest part) with huge bolders of gorge walls on either side and he drives this boat like a crazy person over shoals and rocks and then every minute or so does a 360 degree turn and soaks us just for fun. Sounds great right? Well, actually it was a hoot - and we have the pictures to prove it. They were taken as we were screaming our heads off. But, if that wasn't enough - David decided to go handgliding this afternoon! He started over 1500 feet above the ground in a harness tethered to a pilot with a half parachute kind of thing over him. They took a running jump and glided over the city of Queenston for about 1/2 hour. He said he had a ball - he was pretty proud of himself. Around here, the group now calls him superman!!

I and another gal in the group took a water taxi to a spectacular golf course with the most incredible water and mountain views on every hole, and played a great game of golf on an incredibly perfect day. This place is a combo of Aspen, Vale and Whistler, together with a bit of Switzerland and Ketchikan. It is breathtaking. (did I say that already?). Anyway alas, we are off to Christchurch tomorrow. It was a perfect day cuz I even found a place for a manicure - how much better can it get?

So guys - no pictures - haven't the time right now - have to go pack. (bugt we do have about 800 pictures to put on the web soon)If you get a chance - don't miss this place!!!

Love
Ruthie

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Comments

[Sherry]

When are you back in T.O.?
Hi Guys, What a great time you are having. When do we get to hear about it in "real time". Call us when you get back to the city and we can try to find some restaurant that serves Dingo meat. Luv Sherry and Albert