Queenstown - the stuff of legends

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Arrived in Queenstown and armed with a 3 day snowboard pass & a credit card for anything that does not suffice! Booked ourselves into a jetboat experience (well if it was good enough for Peter Jackson then its good enough for us!).... and it was.
Whole hearted, bloomin good fun!!!! only way I can explain it is like a watery waltzer, lots of speed, lots of giggles and a heated hand rail, what more can you ask for! Jon's thought his all time favorite job was explosive technition (throwing dynamite from a helicopter to make sure that the snow on a mountain remains stable) but now he wants to ride jet boats for a living.... boys and their grown up expensive toys.
On our first night we decided to give the 'ice bar' a go, basically a -8 degrees room with ice sculptures, ice chairs, ice bar and even ice glasses. Vodka is the only thing served at this place due to its temperature, we even got to smash the glasses afterwards (yes we know its a gimmick but its a damn sight cheaper than the original ice hotels).
Had 3 lovely days snowboarding at a couple of different slopes. The snow may not have fallen for a few days, but the sun was a shining and it was great to be on the slopes again. One of the mountains we were on (the Remarkables) was included in the Lord of the Rings (as this is lotr country) and we have to say they truly live up to their name! On the last day boarding Jacky ended up duffing her one knee consistently with pinpoint accuracy which cut her day slightly short and has left her limping today, more bruise photo's to follow !

Our last day was spent in Millford Sound. A 13hr journey in total but the location was stunning. We travelled along a road that was recently rated for avalanche risks. The rating scale goes from 1 (Slight) to 5 (Severe) and this road got a 13 !!! (Lucky for them) but we made it there and back again. This was Fiord country, with rain levels to compete with Glasgow (Because Susie we know you love that rain !). The countryside all around here is stunning and it is very very difficult to leave here, but alas we have more adventures calling ....

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Photos

Jetboating - Scream if you wanna go faster !
This things are awesome !!! Screaming up and down shotover canyon and doing 360 degree spins.

Monkeys on ice
This is monkey at the minus 5 degrees bar. Looking cool (Cold)

Jacky boarding
Prior to injury !

Milford Sound
Quite wet ! With upwards blowing waterfalls.

Comments

[Susie]

rain
I'm so glad I read that comment about rain on one of the few days this summer I have seen sun!