Queenstown

Alright, so we made it to Queenstown, and again, managed to set up our tent just before it started raining. And rain it did! For the 3 days we were there, it poured almost non-stop. We didn't let that spoil our fun though. First of all, the campground we stayed at was the coolest campground I have ever seen! There were quirky little touches at every turn, and lots of re-purposed items that were super funky. The common areas were also the best I've seen, which was good, considering the time we spent indoors!

Awesome outdoor kitchen at the campsite

Neat old parking meters at the campground

Queenstown is an adventure based city, with lots and lots of fun things to keep you busy. We shopped, dined and explored, and hit most of the attractions not to be missed. When the rain became especially heavy, we ducked into cafes and ate warm cookies at "Cookie Time" and also killed some time at the same fudge shop we found in Arrowtown. I got my Canada hit at Starbucks with a giant (well, grande, but massive by NZ standards) gingerbread latte, enjoyed from the comfort of the cozy fireplace seating. We took great pleasure in watching people ill-prepared for the weather take a beating in shorts and dresses, as water rushed down the street! Ha! Yes, it was a bit mean, but don't worry, I'm sure we amused others in return the next morning when, after a delicious brunch, we got caught in a crazy rainstorm without jackets or an umbrella! After trying to wait it out, we eventually just had to make a run for it and try our best to stay under cover on the sidewalks. We found ourselves in a similar situation later in the day when we went for a walk in the park, which started out as a mere drizzle, but ended with us running as fast as we could through massive puddles and torrential rains. We did have an umbrella that time, but it didn't do much good with the wind. The lake was so high, that there were trees about a meter underwater, and the town was on a flood watch. Our tent held up, but only just...the parts of the bed that were touching the sides were starting to get wet, and I'm surprised our tent didn't blow away! Luckily, we had a warm fire to keep us warm inside the common area, and plenty of hot chocolate. One of David's preferred methods of keeping warm while we were out was eating "Humble Pies" from a street vendor on our way into town. We also hit up the local ice bar, which is essentially just a giant freezer, but it was fun to bundle up and see it for ourselves. We also indulged in giant burgers from Ferg Burger, along with half of Queenstown. I think we waited about 45 minutes to get our food, and still couldn't get a seat, but as anyone who goes to Queenstown knows, you just can't leave without trying a famous Ferg Burger. (Mine was veggie, of course!)

David enjoying some Humble Pie ;)

Warm and Cozy, laughing at all the suckers caught in the downpour! Ha!

Ice Bar

That's my boyfriend!!

By our last night, we were starting to give up hope that we would be able to ride the luge, something that we had been quite excited about, but were pleasantly surprised to wake up to a gorgeous sunny day! The luge track was a definite highlight and we had a great time racing eachother down and taking in the beautiful views.

 Keen to keep my adrenaline high, I decided to bungy jump off the Kawarau Bridge! (World's first commercial bungy jump) When we got there, it was so packed that I barely got a spot, and the river was so high from all the rain that everyone had to jump with a full harness (as opposed to being attached at your feet and jumping headfirst, or getting dunked, both of which I wanted to do). After watching countless others jump and visualizing my perfect jump, I felt pumped and ready. Suddenly it was my turn...I was harnessed up and pep talked, and found myself at the edge of the platform, waving to the crowd (and David). After a little coaxing and encouragement, I held my arms out over my head and heard my countdown from 3. As my mind raced, I could see myself diving off the platform, arms outstretched, and shoulders back as I soared through the air. Cut to reality: Although I theoretically knew what I had to do, I just could not un-glue my feet from the platform ledge to jump. It was as if my body refused to do what my mind was telling it to. I remember slowly leaning forward like I was about to perform a shallow water dive in slow motion, as I was counted down for a second time. And then, just like that, I was pushed off the ledge. The free fall of only a few seconds was even more terrifying than I had imagined, and I honestly felt like I was falling to my death. (Just watch the video, you'll believe me!) When the bungy cable stretched and sprung me back up, I got to experience that thrilling, stomach flipping free fall feeling a few more times. I'm definitely hooked, and can't wait to do it again!! I'm pleased to provide you all with a good laugh, courtesy of David's video of my jump. It is pure entertainment! Enjoy!!

On our way home, we made our way back to Lake Tekapo to spend a bit more time in this beautiful place. We took in the Lake views and starry skies from the best place possible: The hot pools at the outdoor spa! The next day we explored the old historic church and teeny tiny town, before setting off to Hanmer Springs, in search of more spa rejuvenation. We've been to Hanmer Springs before, and I absolutely love it! We spent the last day of our holiday lounging in the many hot pools and hitting the waterslides. :)

Church at Lake Tekapo