This is my last post from Queenstown, NZ. I had a great time here, met lot of amazing people and participated in some crazy activities. On my final full day I decided to explore the town and appreciate it's natural beauty. In the afternoon, I met up with the Hangliding tour and headed up a steep and windy road to get to the launch site. We took off as the sun began to set and flew around for 15-20 minutes before landing in a pasture in near darkness.
The next morning, I woke up early checked out of the hostel and was off to white water rafting before my 3pm flight. We rafted for about two hours going through various different rapids, the highest being a category 4. Down the river we saw the remains of the world second biggest gold rush, and commercial mining had existed here until a recent moratorium was enacted in 1990. We finished the trip by paddling through a cave, when we came out the other side we had about a 5 foot drop. After warming up in the Sauna I got changed and headed back to town. In town, I grabbed a quick bite to eat and then I was off to the airport. Air New Zealand has the best safety video ever, please watch below.
Steamboat, lakeside in town
Getting ready to hanglide into the sunset.
Whitewater rafting on my final morning in Q-Town
Video of me running off the side of one of The Remarkables to catch some air.
Went for my first bungy jump today, words can't describe the way I felt. As you saw in the previous post, I posted the video of my jump and it was from what I am told the second highest in the world. After the jump I headed back to town and had the famous Queenstown Ferg burger by the lake, it was pretty good but doesn't quite match up to a NY burger. At night I headed to the Ice bar where even the glasses we drank from were made of ice.
The next day I went on a long hike up the mountain next to town. At the top I kept on going till I was at the peak all alone, not only was it immaculate up there but it was also very tranquil and I stayed at the peak for a good half an hour just absorbing the sights.
Headed to the Auckland airport this morning and I had to fill up my car before I returned it to the rental place. I was amazed when it cost me NZ$99 to fill up the tank and I was driving a small sedan, imagine an SUV...
I had a short hour and a half flight down to Queenstown, which is in the southern central part of the South island and is know as the adventure capital. After landing I took the public bus into town and found my hostel. The next morning I had another early morning, as my tour bus for the Milford Sound left at 7:45 am. It was a four hour bus ride to the sound, the first two hours are farm land and I took the bus drivers advice to catch up on some sleep. Two hours later we stopped in a town called Te Anau, which is on another one of the NZ's many pristine lakes, this town is also the entrance to the national Fiord park where the Milford sound is located. Next we stopped at the mirror lakes, which got their names from the water that is extremely reflective due to the plants living in it. We then continued on to The Valley of a Thousand Waterfalls and because it had rained the day before, there were water falls all around us as we drove through. After numerous hours of driving we finally arrived at the remote Milford Sound for our boat tour. On the boat we saw seals sun bathing on the rocks and many more waterfalls emptying into the fiord off the dramatic cliffs that surround it. Upon getting back to the harbor, I tried to book a helicopter ride up to one of the glacier but unfortunately they were all booked and I was out of luck and left with no other option but a four hour bus ride back to Queenstown.
Enjoying my venison meat pie on the dock at Te Anau
The beautiful mirror lakes
Getting soaked by a freezing waterfall as the boat goes under it.
Last night I got an email from Gregor recommending that I go on a day trip to the Poor Knights. I woke up early this morning and was lucky enough to get a spot on the boat. I headed up to Tutukaka and the boat left port at 11am. It was about a 50 minute boat ride to the Poor Knights. The Poor Knights are a series of volcanic formed islands off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, the islands and the surrounding water are both protected areas and attract tons of fish and birds. Upon getting there I strapped on my snorkel and mask and hoped in the water to find schools of fish all around me. I even go to see two large rays cruising along the ocean floor, the water is extremely clear here so you are able to see over 30 feet down to the bottom. There are also numerous archways and underwater caves created by erosion, I explored many of these with my snorkel and also a stand up paddle board. After a beautiful day out on the water I explored a few more beaches up north, but wasn't able to find any surf. On my way back to Ruakaka I found a water fall right before I drove through the northern city of Whangarei. I have enjoyed my time on the northern part of The North Island and I am off to Queenstown tomorrow.
Sea cave at Poor Knights, the largest sea cave in the world
The echo of the air horn from the boat in the sea cave, it just keeps on going
After a interesting night out on the town in Auckland, I headed up to a beach town to the north east. On Thursday afternoon I left Gregor's and headed up north to Ruakaka, on my way up I drove through country roads some were not even paved and went through cow pastures.On Friday I had a late start but got a lot in. I headed to the West Coast from Baylys beach which had no development at all on it. After that I continued north to Kai iwi Lakes which were stunning with warm crystal clear waters. From there I headed to another stunning beach and then headed to the Waipoua forest and saw Te Matua Ngahere the 'Father of the Forest' that has a trunk with a diameter of 17 feet. I finished off my trip at Omapere which is the southern point of a massive bay where on the other side was a massive sand dune. The total trip was about 250 miles but it was an amazing day and I saw so much!
The view as I headed to Ruakaka
The view of the unpaved road through the pastures as I headed to Baylys beach
More countrysided (aka The Shire, I think I even saw a hobbit
I hit a bird....
Baylys beach
Kai Iwi lake
another untouched west coast NZ beach
The waves were pumping but no one was surfing...I assumed this was for a reason so I regretfully did the same.
The Te Matua Ngahere tree believed to be the son of the water and air gods.
Omapere at sunset with the sand dune across the bay.
From Omapere there is a massive bay covering miles of water.
