A Queenstown Weekend

After the exciting cruise on Milford Sound, we hopped back in the car.

Next destination:
QUEENSTOWN, the adventure capital of the world and sister city to Aspen, CO!

Early the next morning (Friday), Alecia and I were supposed to go to Wanaka (~1 hour away), on the other side of a mountain.  When we arrived, we found out that our reason for being there was cancelled due to wind and incoming weather.  So, we got in touch with our inner child and went to Puzzling World, a museum of puzzles and optical illusions.  So fun!  On our way back to Queenstown, driving a different way, we found ourselves driving through New Zealand’s wine country.  Driving through the beautiful vineyards, we couldn’t help but stop at the winery that just happened to have the prettiest vineyard!  A bit later, we also stopped at cheesery where we tasted cheese and bought our dinner: cheese and a loaf of fresh-baked bread.  It was so yum!

Autumn Beach in Queenstown

Puzzling World, Wanaka

Vineyards in Central Otago

Saturday, Jane and I went for a run around Queenstown, we found the prettiest path (after our first path turned out to be straight uphill, we bailed and went to the less mountainous part of the city).  I would run this path everyday if I could!  It also reminded me of being Up North, Wisconsin with the canopy of trees and its proximity to the lake.  It definitely brought an incredible feeling of serenity.

The rest of Saturday, Jane and I spent shopping at the outdoor market, eating Fergburger, and hiking up Queenstown Hill with two of Jane’s flatmates that were also in Queenstown for the weekend.  I think by the end of the day, we could not stop raving about how perfect our day was.  After our hike, we stopped at the Cookie Time cookie bar for cookie happy hour.  2-4-1 warm cookies at the end of a gorgeous hike?  Who could pass that up?   We figured we should eat some dinner too… then we got ice cream at Patagonia, also too good to pass up.

Considering I probably ate my weight in food that day, it was a yummy day.

A rainbow over Queenstown!
(The land shown is the peninsula where I went for a run!)

Downtown Queenstown. 

Fergburger. YUM

On top of Queenstown Hill at sunset

Queenstown at dusk

Sunday, we all woke up earlier than our bodies wanted to.  We drove back to Wanaka, back through the mountain.  Our nerves were tingling in anticipation.  Considering the forecast predicted rain and wind, we were unsure if our trip back across the mountain was going to be worth it.  Upon arrival, we found out that all was good to go.  We were going skydiving.

Yes.   Alecia, Jane, and I geared up, jumped into the plane, and realised the meaning of “Strap yourself to a beautiful stranger,” the motto of Skydive Lake Wanaka.  I was first.  When the time came, after letting the plane climb the 12,000 feet into the sky, above the beautiful lakes, rivers, and mountains of Wanaka, my tandem master, Kim positioned us at the edge of the door… and then,

We dove.

Flipping and falling, spinning in circles in our freefall.  The coolest 30-seconds of my life. 

The parachute opened.  That’s when my brain caught up with me and there I was, floating in the sky, staring at the most beautiful scene of my life. 

A few minutes later, I was back on the ground, awaiting the landing of my friends.  Again the biggest grins of all time were plastered on our faces, filled with adrenaline and excitement (and maybe some relief).  It was amazing.  There just are no other words for falling from the sky (with a parachute of course).

Alecia- about to land!

Alecia, Jane, and I- after our dives!
We <3 New Zealand!!! 

Unfortunately, our excitement had to end, and we grabbed some ice cream for lunch and headed back to the other side of the country. 

Final Destination: DUNEDIN.
With stops in NARNIA and HAMPDEN

We weren’t ready for the adventure to be over, so we stopped to see the Elephant Rocks (aka Narnia!).  What a neat landscape for a lunch break and a casual climb!  We also stopped at the Moeraki Boulders in Hampden.  It was too bad that the tide was coming in, so most of the boulders were underwater.  But what we did see was super cool!

Elephant Rocks Panorama

Moeraki Boulders nearing high tide

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to spend such an amazing weekend in New Zealand!