Queenstown South Island

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We left Invercargill with overcast skies, and as we approached the Southern Alps the sky began to clear.

Queenstown hws a little bit of everything, and a whole lot of the outdoors. These include helicopter flights, bungy jumping, jetboat rides on the lake, 4wheel drive tours, rafting trips and canyoning. What's that? Well, if you find jumiping off bridges and riding through rapids is entirely too passive, try plunging into pools, rappelling into ravines, and sliding down chutes. It helps to NOT have a fear of h eights, water, or very hard rocks.

We had only one day in Queenstown, so had to make a select few choices. Also, we were very tired having stayed up late the eveningn before with Keith and Christeen, and got off to a later start than we had planned. Let's say, the sun was NOT just peeping over the horizon when we finally pulled out of the motel parking lot!

What made our short time spectacular in Queenstown was the fact that the sun SHON from the time we arrived until our departure, a FIRST for us in New Zealand.

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Photos

Southern Lakes region
The valleys and lakes here were formed by the deep gouges left by the glaciers.

Approaching Queenstown
Behnd us the hills are lower and rounded. There are lots of lookouts to pull over and admire, or breathe deeply.

approaching
Around every corner, another wonderful vista. Ahead the mountains are higher and more jagged like the Rockies.

Lake Wakatipu
is long and skinny.

Queenstown Gardens
Find the A.L.
In this garden peninsula we met a handful of young Canadians from Banff, working the NZ summer as guides and kayakers.

Monkey Puzzle Tree
and can you find a monkey hiding in it? After we finished taking this picture, we discovered that we were sitting in the target for a Frisbee Golf game. The targets are set up all around the gardens.

Crystal clear water of the lake
as seen from the peninsula. One of the few quiet places in this Granddaddy of the adrenaline world, Queenstown.

Streets of shops
like in Banff or Jasper, but smaller, cleaner and a friendly Kiwi fresh attitude.

Also like in Jasper or Banff
this church is an attractive combination of local wood and stone.

All locked up
so we couldn't see inside.

In memoriam strips
These are built into the garden wall around the church. I also saw this done in the graveyard in Wellington.

Going for an evening stroll
around the lake.The Remarkables mountain range runs down the east side of the lake, while Coronet Peak looks down from the town's north side.

Looking back
on the peninsula. Pat is fiddling with his cell phone again, trying to reach Erin after mastering the text feature a few days before.

On the boardwalk
A dock is built along one shore, housing many restaurants and bars in addition to docking the boats.

Obligatory Tourist shot
along with lots of other tourists doing the same thing.

Called in to duty!
As everyone has experienced, we are frequently requested to take group shots by passing tourists.

So we had a go too
Several versions of this shot are on my camera. In each one, my mouth is open as I give instructions to the person holding my camera, which has more bits and bobs than her tiny streamlined one.

Gorgeous gorge
We had to pass over a single-car bridge to get to our accomodations. Finally I remembered to get out and have a good look down.

Pat was delighted to see
people fishing on the other side. But, no time no time no time.

Gondola ride
Pat initially did not plan to do this while here, but I was so keen he made a "sarcafice" (as my mother called it) and rode up. Here practicing self hypnosis and looking in to the side of the mountain. Unfortunately, the food cart for the restaurant was ahead of us, and we stopped just before the crown and swung in space a few moments while they unloaded it.