Has it really been nearly a WEEK since our last post?! As Blair reminded us, in the last update he was ill with a sore throat, so y'all are probably curious about his prognosis (or at least feigning curiosity?). Time to play catch-up!
Act I: Queenstown
Before our trip, Queenstown was oft-referenced by friends as their favorite town in New Zealand. With a self-proclaimed reputation as the "adrenaline capital of the world", it has everything you could possibly desire to raise your heart rate and give your parents nightmares back in the States. It turns out that's not far from the truth, though we played it relatively safe... with one exception.
Our first day was spent careening through treetops on a Ziptrek Ecotour - Blair's first experience with zip lining, and home to the world's steepest zipline reaching speeds up to 70 km/hr! Our guides were fantastic, with equal commitment to their guests' enjoyment and education about sustainable living. Through the trees we were treated to panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding towns - the sun was shining, the temps finally reached 70+ (Fahrenheit, (5/9)F-32 doesn't readily compute), and it couldn't have been a better day to fly through the skies.
Swinging from the mountaintops. Ziptrek Ecotour, Queenstown, NZ
On our second day we opted for an aquatic adventure - arguably not the best choice for someone on the tail end of a head cold (Blair) or someone who dislikes water/being cold (Katie), but when in Queenstown, eh?
Our white water rafting trip started with a quick bus ride to the Shotover River, where we were outfitted with gear and continued our 30-minute journey through Skippers Canyon. Skippers Canyon - sounds like fun, right? Something you might find at Disney World, maybe a spinoff of Pirates of the Caribbean? In stark contrast, the road down the canyon is rated either the first or sixth deadliest road in the world (we don't recall but if it's top twenty, does it make a difference?), and one on which insurance is exempt. We felt quite safe with our driver, but WOW - don't look down! After arriving safely at the rafting start, we got in our raft (front seats, of course) and had a lovely trip down the river, spying a plethora of hairy goats that were bounding all over the mountain. A most interesting nugget was the gold mining equipment left along the river from the 1800's rush. Evidently it's forbidden to remove and part of New Zealand's history, and it was quite cool to see the buckets, wheelbarrows, and other equipment that fueled the influx of NZ habitation. There were no raft flips, but four icy hands as the weather had been quite chilly.
Following a quick sauna at the rafting centre, we headed to our hotel and Blair opted for a quick nap while Katie fulfilled her desire to see furry native creatures - namely, the kiwi! Following the live kiwi feeding and conservation show at the Kiwi Birdlife Park, we reunited for a delicious dinner at World Bar.
And on the third day, we rested.
Kidding! Katie booked a bungee/swing through a canyon! While Queenstown is the veritable home of bungee jumping, Katie found the canyon swing to be more approachable, as the ride ends with a graceful swing vs. bouncing like a fish on a hook. So, we took a bus back out to the river with Shotover Canyon Swing, stepped onto a 109m platform, and Katie free-falled (free-fell?) and swung over the river we'd rafted the day prior. While it was an incredible experience, it was pretty much guaranteed to be once-in-a-lifetime when Katie fell ill with vertigo that evening :-/ Regardless, she will talk your ear off and show you ALL the videos when we return!
Falling backward. Shotover Canyon, Queenstown, NZ