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Published: August 6th 2007
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Exquisite Autumn Colors As We Fly Down The Mountain
Since we had accomplished our #1 goal in Queenstown with Kel’s bungy jump the day before, we started Sunday without a real plan. After breakfast we decided to head up the gondola to the top of a nearby mountain and see how the view was. This was the first day in about a week that the sky wasn’t overcast which lead us to believe that we would get a pretty spectacular view.
As we rode the gondola to the top of the mountain we marveled at how many cable car rides we had taken in the last 5 months. Each one is a little different. This one was incredibly steep and took us through the changing leaves along the mountainside and over some happily munching sheep on the slope. We hadn’t realized how high the nearby mountains were until we were on the way up. The top of the gondola ride put us at 2500 feet about the sea level.
The main activity on top of the mountain is the luge track. We had bought tickets which allowed us a couple of rides on the luge. Unlike
the last luge we rode in Rotorua, here we were not swamped by kids. The tracks were shorter but in much better shape due to the fact that they were much newer.
We rode the Luge and chair lift that took us back to the top, 5 times a piece. The first time you ride the luge you have to take the “scenic” track which is the slowest of the two tracks. This slow track takes you through many twists and bends which force you to keep your speed slow. The controls of the three wheeled luge sled are very simple. Pull back to stop, push forward to let the brake off and turn like a bicycle.
After taking the slow, dull track we took the chair lift back up for another run. Next was the fast run which had less curves and a steeper descent. After a run or two to get acclimated to the track Kel and I fund ourselves flying down to the bottom at speeds near 20mph. The best part were the two steep drop offs that lifted you in the air when hit fast. It was awesome! We had so much fun that
we actually bought more rides and stuck around for another hour riding the fast track. The only reason we stopped was the cold air which was even colder as we were hurtling down the mountain. Also lunch was on our minds, so we set out to find some place to eat.
Arrowtown When done with the Luge we headed back to the car and took a gander through the Lonely Planet to see what other activities in the area might be interesting for a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We decided to head to nearby Arrowtown to get some lunch and take some pictures. Arrowtown, which was originally settled in the 1800’s as part of the area’s gold rush, is a quaint little town located in a valley between mountains which are ablaze with fall colors.
Queenstown, and its surrounding area, has been the first place we’ve been in NZ that we feel really holds up to all of the hype about the beauty in this country. The glacial lakes and huge mountains in conjunction with the fall colors of the changing leaves combine to make Queenstown absolutely gorgeous. On our way to Arrowtown Kel and I stopped
to take some pictures and just admire the beauty that surrounded us.
Arrowtown is basically just one main street which stretches about a half a mile. Many of the original buildings built during the gold rush still exist on the main stretch giving Arrowtown a very historic old-timey feel. To make things even more interesting, when we arrived in town we noticed that a crowd had formed around a group of musicians who were playing music on the town square dressed in garb from the late 1800’s. Kel and I stood with the crowd and enjoyed the music for a minute before deciding to eat lunch right on the square so that we could continue to enjoy the festivities.
After lunch we explored the small shops around town. Kel stopped and looked at some souvenirs and some jewelry while I looked at some of the local artwork. The town is small enough that it only took us about a half hour to explore the town to its fullest. With the town fully scoped out, we drove the twenty minute drive back to our hotel in Queenstown.
The rest of the night consisted of dinner and some TV
watching, the usual. Hope you are all well back home!
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Schiller
non-member comment
note sarcasm
I mean, the scenery is really only about average . . . don't know what the fuss could be about. I am thinking that I might have to take a wander from this equatorial island down to Queenstown/Arrowtown as they look to be about my speed.