Queenstown to Te Anau

Because Bob and I were in Queenstown, we figured we'd better do something to get the adrenaline pumping through our bodies.  Jet-boating, paragliding, hiking, or skydiving???  All were considered, but we decided to just be kids.  So, on Thursday, March 23, 2017, we decided to take the Skyline Gondola up to Bob's peak and ride the luge!  Finding a parking place made me smile.  Next to the gondola is the Queenstown cemetery.  Atop Bob's peak there are fabulous views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu.

 

Bob and I really have "Bean Around the World".  We have been very greatly blessed and I am reminded of it constantly!  We had fun watching families and individuals take off from Bob's Peak on para-sails, and drift around the lake and mountains for what seemed hours.  The wind conditions must have been perfect!

We really were like kids on the luge.  The first couple of rides gave us confidence to start seeing how high we could ride the banks at the curves and how high we could fly off our seats over the bumps.  As we were racing each other the third or fourth time, dad totally wiped out on a curve and I just sped past laughing until I crashed into the next bank!  I guess we are not invincible teenagers despite what we may think!

 

We returned to town and found a large crowd gathered along the street, so we decided to investigate the cause.  Everyone was in  line to buy a burger from Fergburger - rated by CNN to be the best burger in the world.  Well . . . if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!  I don't know if we were just hungry, but that was a mighty good burger and fries!

It was time to say good-bye to Queenstown and drive the 2.5 hours to Te Anau.  The scenery continued to dazzle us all along the way.

The cute little town of Te Anau is the closest town to Milford Sound, and is considered the best place for trekking in New Zealand.  Our goal was to be as close as possible to Milford Sound so that we could get out the door early the next morning, drive the 2-hours with time to stop and enjoy the scenic outlooks before boarding a morning boat cruise on the fjord.  Following our cruise, we wanted to do the 3-hour Key Summit Hike before returning to Te Anau for another night.

Those pineapple lumps were a New Zealand candy made for me!  Yummy! 

To Queenstown We Go

The day (Wednesday, March 22, 2017) began with a leisurely 2 hour drive toward Queenstown.  The manager at our motel in Wanaka told us about an old historic hotel along the way that we should visit and savor a drink and a bite to eat.  What first caught our attention, however, was the bra-lined fence across the road from the hotel at the Cardrona Distillery Museum.  What???

The Cardrona Hotel was quite charming!  We enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate and scone as we sat in the courtyard and soaked in the atmosphere of this adorable place.

As Bob and I drove to Queenstown, (or as I should say, as Bob drove me to Queenstown...yes, he did all the driving this trip.  Thank you, Bob!) I couldn't help but imagine our daughter, Stephanie living it up for a semester abroad with her BYU Recreation Management department several years ago.  I remember her joy at being able to bungee jump in Queenstown from what was one of the highest jumps at the time.  She also completed a tandem skydive from an airplane!  And now, Bob and I were on our way to the same adrenaline-filled New Zealand city.  We stopped at the Crown Range Lookout where we caught our first glimpse of the big city!

 

We, of course, were much more sensible in our old age, and instead of jumping, we pulled into the Kawarau suspension bridge with the intent of watching others jump from the world's first bungy jump site!  (Give us a break - when it comes to bungy jumping, once in South Padre was enough.)

Queenstown held the promise of excitement and we could feel it as we entered the city and walked around town.

 

Queenstown had an international flair and we enjoyed Greek gyros for lunch.  That afternoon, Bob and I embarked upon the scenic drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy.  About 15 minutes from town, we stopped at Bob's cove, where a 30-minute walk provided nice views of Lake Wakatipu.  I was fascinated by the colorful rocks.

What a beautiful drive to Glenorchy!  We stopped frequently to take photos of the dramatic scenery.  I should mention that many people tour New Zealand with the intent of see all the filming locations for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Glenorchy is included in that tour.  Other movies that were filmed here include The Chronicles of Narnia and X-Men. The photos will speak for themselves as to the beautiful landscapes we encountered on this drive.

We returned to Queenstown and wondered through the quaint shops until we found a Maori mask for Bob's collection and a Thai restaurant for dinner.  

More Queenstown fun to come . . .