Thrill seeking in Queenstown

Today we went jet boating, skydiving, paragliding, parasailing, white water rafting, bungy jumping, trekking, horseback riding, and more – Not! This is pretty much the tourist capital of New Zealand, with every type of tour and adventure that you can imagine and a happening nightlife. However, we really don’t have any interest in all those thrill rides. We rode the gondola to the top of the mountain overlooking the town, enjoyed the view, and explored the town. It is like a larger Banff without any animals to get in the way. I was going to say that every second store on the waterfront was a restaurant and bar, but that would be a lie. Virtually every store was a restaurant and bar! Behind the waterfront were more eateries, tour companies, and souvenir stores. A few “normal” businesses were squeezed in here and there. Nevertheless, it is very scenic, and we enjoyed walking around pretty much all day.

We discovered an error in our planned itinerary for tomorrow. The tour company book I used to lay things out said it was 170 km and 2+45 to Milford Sound. When we got looking at the details today, it is actually over 5 hours, plus a cruise of a few hours (if we can get there in time to catch one), then we would have to backtrack 4 hours to get back on our route. We came to the conclusion that it would make the rest of our timetable too tight. It is a bit of a disappointment, because it is part of a World Heritage Area and is billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World. I am sure it is very impressive, but we have seen mountains by water before, so we will have to live without it.

Many of the sites used in the filming of “Lord of the Rings” are around here and there a many tours that will take you to them.