NZ Day 6: Queenstown - Holy Shit

Apologies for the crude subject, but holy shit! How can a city like this exist? For once I trust the photos will speak for themselves as far as natural beauty, then top that off with the resources available, the stability of the nation and the nations surroundings and the height above sea level... not a bad place to live. We arrived at Queenstown after driving through a street sheep pasture, racing a steam train and rounding Lake Wakatipu to get to our B&B, Coronet View. The B&B was great and location perfect. We set off immediately for a good tramp (hike/bushwalk).

A good tramp up Queenstown Hill gave us spectacular views down onto Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown. We could also look across at the "hill" with the gondola on it and way off into the distance at even greater mountains. The hike was steady and intense, but not overwhelming. We also got a good look at beautiful poisonous mushrooms and drunken wood pigeons.

Back town at sea level - or at least lake level - we headed over to the gondola and opted for a gondola + luge deal. Our gondola followed a delivery of milk (hey, no roads up there and obviously the cats are hungry). See photo evidence. The top was quite busy but we didn't have too much trouble getting a pair of helmets to go with our luge-ka-bobs, or whatever they are called. I expected the luge ride to be pretty lame. It was not lame. The twelve year-old in front of moved, but his mom zig-zagged back and forth, slowing us down until I finally pinned her to the side while Dana passed and we left her in the dust. The ride was a lot like the old Alpine Slide at Action Park before it closed after too many deaths. It was great to be a land free of lawsuits and full of opportunities to seek enjoyment at the risk of harming oneself. The hill also offers a scenic bungy jump.

Nightlife in Queenstown is also good fun. We had dinner at Dux de Lux - great beer made in-house and massive NZ mussels. Afterwards Dana and I walked around Lake Wakatipu before seeking out more Emerson's. Mini-Bar was the place, and the bartender made us feel like locals...most of the other patrons were Queensland service staff out for the night. Highly recommended.

Glad to say that this was not our last day or night in Queenstown…

Photos from day 6 here.