026 – South Island (Queenstown, Omarama, Mt Cook, Lake Tekapo), New Zealand – Adrenaline Junkies

After a beautiful drive up the shores of Lake Wakatipu, 

 We arrived in Queenstown, “The Adventure Capital of the World”.

 Birthplace of bungee jumping and home to all manner of adrenaline-pumping adventure activity;

skydiving, paragliding, hang gliding, ziplining, river surfing, canyoning, white water rafting, jetboating, mountain climbing, heliskiing, etc. (all very “baby-friendly”)

We wasted no time getting started with a hair-raising trip up the gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak.

 So we could ride the death-defying “Luge”.

 We burned so much rubber they had to put up signs about us.

 Unfortunately, Britt’s hang gliding session was cancelled due to too much wind, and my whitewater canyoning river trip was cancelled due to too much water.   We’re now lobbying to have the motto changed to “ The Adventure Capital of the World, Weather Permitting”.

Ciel still managed to get in her fair share extreme activities.

She schooled a few punks at the skate park,

 And mastered zorbing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorbing).

 Adventuring was at a standstill on Christmas Day, so we made up our own extreme activities in the park.

After three nights in Queenstown we headed north, stopping by the Roaring Meg, 

 Where the secret behind Ciel Copperfield’s lunchtime Vanishing Cucumber Slice Trick, was finally revealed…2-hours later.

 Next we passed through Central Otago.

 Shortly after, it started raining. And it hasn’t stopped since. That was three days ago.

Despite the less-than-ideal conditions we made the trek up to the foothills of Aoraki (Mt Cook), tallest peak in all of Australasia and training ground of Sir Edmund Hillary.  The torrential rains made the view slightly less than optimal, so I’ve done a minor digital enhancement to bring out its true majesty…

 We did get a much better look at it in the 3D movie at the Hermitage Alpine Centre...when Ciel wasn’t hoarding all the glasses.

The rains lifted just long enough in Lake Tekapo to get a shot of the brilliant turquoise waters.

Now we’re back in Christchurch for our final night in our beloved RV.  Tomorrow we turn it in (after flipping over all the cushions to hide Ciel’s puke stains), and head to the airport to pick up Grandma and Grampa Bearss for their two-and-a-half-week visit.  Hope everyone has their tickets…it’s gonna be a shit show.