Adventure in Queenstown

Dear Readers,

Queenstown is a hilly place. Our hotel was at the top of a steep climb and the town center below on a large lake. The lake was so big, I couldn't see the end of it. After arriving in late afternoon, we hoofed it downhill and ran into our friends on the train-Mike and Angie. We had already seen then along the road to Queenstown (they rented a car). This was their last stop before returning to Australia. They gave us advice on what to do and see when we headed to the North Island.

The town was filled with tourists. We booked a coal boat tour for the next day and found dinner at a nice restaurant. Then we hoofed it back to the hotel and walked around the lake for some pictures. The next day we went down the hill again and caught a bus tour on an authentic 1968 double decker bus from London. Not a single thing had been done to that bus! It was rough riding with no cushions on the seats. Our first stop was a winery outside of town. I tasted some wonderful pinot noir. They offered to ship the wine to Singapore for only $245 and then the cost of the wine. The bus driver was surprised that I would drink so early in the morning-no problem I said. Then we were off to the bungi jumping spot off a former railroad bridge. This was the exact spot I saw on Australian Biggest Loser where Jillian got a poor girl to jump to get over her fear. I watched a guy jump and that was enough for me. Then we were off to Arrowtown, a Chinese gold mining town of the past. We toured the old Chinese ruins where they lived in the 1860-1900's and mined gold. The Chinese are now part of New Zealanders. We did some shopping and then went by where speed boats were taking people on rides down the river. We were back in Queenstown by noon and found another American embassy to eat at-KFC. Then we walked up the hill to a glondola ride straight up the mountain overlooking the whole town. Here you could see the whole lake. They also ski up there. We ran into Mike and Angie again and they were going to ride a scooter down the track there. We watched them do that. Eventually we came down the hill and walked back to the hotel as a rain storm rolled in. Steve went back out and watched large waves crash into the dock. I was worried about our boat ride.

But the sun came out when it was time to go. We headed down to the dock where we got on a large coal ship. You could see the engine room through the glass and watch the fellow shovel coal into the fire. Cool. This boat was packed with a senior tour of drinking British talking people. They were drunk before we landed on the other side of the lake and and disembarked at a sheep station. Here we were ushered into a house turned restaurant where we enjoyed a great buffet.

After all that eating and wine, we were herded out to the barn for a sheep shearing demonstration. Now Steve and I are familiar with sheep shearing but not like this. This old man came with his dog and I wondered where the strong young guy was that was going to grab the sheep and shave it. This old guy, however, was so funny. I never laughed so much in my life. He opened the gate, grabbed a sheep, and dragged it out. He balanced it on its back where it couldn't move and said "Sit." It was just great. Instantly the sheep was naked. Next he led us outside where he demonstrated how his dog could round up the sheep without barking (better to steal the neighbor's sheep he said). Then he dismissed us to get back on the boat. On the boat we were given song sheets and we sang old songs all the way back across the dark lake. The drunken men sang the loudest.

The next morning we were off to Milford Sound to see the real fiords of New Zealand. We got on a full bus with a driver from hell. He dragged over the sharp mountains, pointed out the rockslides, and drove through the Homer tunnel. This tunnel was straight through the mountain, one lane only. There was a light that changed every fifteen minutes that allowed us to go through. By the way, we stopped at a pull off and there in the parking lot was a kea, a green parrot that was hell on wheels. He was on the top of this car and tearing up a guide book left on the hood page by page. Then he started on the windshield wipers. The owners tried to get him off the car by hitting him with the book. He then moved to the top of the car, reached his head into the slightly opened window and yanked out the seat belt. He was hit again and moved to the back radio antenna which he snapped off with his beak. At this point, the owner totally smacked him off the car. You don't miss with that bird. I understand that many a camper comes back to their car only to find that it has been pulled to pieces by this bird.

We arrived at Milford Sound around noon. Rain and fog had moved in. We were herded onto a large boat where a buffett lunch was served. We went around the sound looking at waterfalls and seals on a rock. Then we were herded back on the bus and drive like a bat out of hell home to Queenstown. The driver was determined to be back by five whether we died or not. Zoom. I never saw a bus take curves like that!

I was happy to be back in Queenstown alive! We got off downtown to look for somewhere to eat. There was this old church downtown and the restaurants had funny names around it-Heavenly Food, then Hell Pizza, Hellof a cup of Coffee Place. We chose the hell place and got some pizza with a couple of other people who were on our bus. Then we limped back to the hotel. We were flying out to the north island the next day so we said goodbye to the south island.