Adrenaline Rush Capital of the World - Queenstown Pt. I

The skydive in Wanaka was just a warm-up for the next couple of days. We were now headed for Queenstown -- the self-proclaimed Adrenaline Capital of the World. Queenstown began as a gold rush town in the late 1800s but it truly became world renowned when A.J. Hackett started the first commercialized bungy jump on the Kawarau Bridge over river of the same name in 1988.

The Kawarau Bridge jump was our first stop on the way into Queenstown. We watched a video that tried to convince us to willingly tie a giant elastic band to our ankles and throw ourselves off a bridge. No one signed up to do the bridge jump, but a couple signed up to the do the Nevis bungy which is the highest in Australasia at 134 m. Unfortunately you can't watch that one, but we did witness a couple brave souls jump at Karawau.

After our brief stop at Karawau, it was into Queenstown to get situated and figure out what I was going to do for the next couple days. Did I want to swing myself through a canyon? Maybe jump off a ledge high above Queenstown? Go skiing? Snowboarding? The options were endless and expensive. It would cost about $50 000 to do everything there is to do in Queenstown and surrounds. I, fortunately, did not spend nearly that much, but I definitely spent enough. I chose to be less daredevilish than most and signed up for some skiing at Cardrona the next day and a jet boat and the flying fox the day after. Once I got myself sorted, it was off to get my head around the layout of Queenstown and eat supper at the famous FergBurger just down the street from the hostel. When you go to Queenstown, FergBurger is a must. The burger is about the size of a dinner plate. DO NOT order fried. You're not gonna finish them. Fantastic.

Walking around Queenstown is a visual overload. It is built on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. Wakatipu is the name of giant from a Maori legend. He was tricked into falling asleep and then burned by a Maori warrior so he could save the princess. The burning of his body left the person-shaped hole that filled with water to create the lake. The lake also 'breathes', its level rising and falling every half-hour. This seems to be caused by atmospheric pressures and the strange shape of the lake.

The lake is surrounded by mountain peaks, the most famous being the Remarkables (seen below). These mountains have been seen in such movies as Lord of the Rings (the Misty Mountains) and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. At sunset on a perfect day, they change color and make a spectacular sight.

After some shopping and a walkabout around Queenstown, it was time to go rent my skis and get ready for my big day on the slopes of Cardrona.

It was a beautiful day, though a bit windy. Lack of snow in New Zealand made it really icy too. It made it really difficult to show off my sick moves -- or lack of on the skating rink that was Cardrona. I was very proud of the fact that I didn't fall once or hurt myself in any way. All in all, the opportunity to enjoy snow again (even if it was in July) after 18 months made it worthwhile. That, and the scenery the took your breath away around every turn. Nothing like a day on the ski hill with a German, 2 Irish and a couple Canadians.

Sarah, Katerina and Eva

After a long day on the ski hill, trying hard to not slide down the hill face first, it was time to get our groove on during the Big Night Out pub crawl. Most of our Stray crowd joined the pub crawl as it would be the last night we were all together. Some of us were headed back North and some of us were headed south to Milford Sound for a couple days. 10 bars in 6 hours with free pizza on the way. Where could you go wrong?

Eva, Casey, Katerina, Grainne and Scott

Setting the bar on fire at SkyBar

The Ice Bar - coolest place ever (pun intended)

'Playing' a little table hockey

We are Canadian, at home in an ice booth

Who knew that you could find the Stanley Cup in New Zealand?

Yeah. I really don't know what I was thinking other than licking
a giant ice penguin seemed like a good idea at the time.

The next morning it was time for my jet boat ride through the Shotover Canyon. The boat moves at speeds of 85 kph and at some points, the captain spins the boat 350 degrees. The canyon walls seem close together in the photos, but they are actually wider so once you're in the boat and flying through the canyon, the danger seems a little less. It was fun, but not the adrenaline rush that is advertised, or maybe I just lost some of the thrill after jumping out of a plane. Who knows?

After my morning in the boat, I spent the afternoon on Bob's Peak. I took the Skyline Gondola up to the top and took some time to walk around the top and check out the views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables. There was also time to see people flinging themselves off the Ledge, the AJ Hackett Bungy located 400 m above Queenstown. This bungy experience is different as they hook the bungy around your midsection instead of around your feet. This means you can flip, spin, run, karate kick or any other unique jump you can think of. You can also do the jump at night. I myself did not experience this, but I enjoyed watching complete strangers.

The Remarkables with Queenstown in the foreground

The Ledge

After watching people strapped to harness, strapped to a giant elastic band, it was time to strap myself into a harness and onto a wire and glide myself through the forest back to Queenstown on the Flying Fox. Coincidently, one of the guides was a Canadian from Whistler. As we made our way down the mountain, we learned alot about the history of Queenstown and the ecological impact of the Maori, the Europeans and the tourist industry on the area. Most of the trees are transplanted North American trees like Douglas Fir.I had a great time flinging myself backwards and upside down and as a cannonball. 

By the time I got to the bottom, I had time to grab a Fergburger, meet the Stray Bus travellers for a drink before packing my bags and getting ready for my departure to Milford Sound the next morning.