New Zealand Day 12 01/29/2018 Photo Album
Monday morning I woke up with my left eye sealed shut from the cold I recently acquired. The eye remained an issue throughout the day, so I purchased some eye drops in Queenstown. We packed up and departed Wanaka by 9AM, and this enabled us to reach Queenstown by 10:30AM. In the morning after our arrival Jane and I browsed some shops and purchased gifts for the kids and their significant others.
When we planned our trip to New Zealand, we read that Queenstown was the bustling hub of the Southland Region, and a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. We decided to bypass the touristy town and stay in Glenorchy, a small town near the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu. We did not, however, wish to skip the Queenstown experience entirely, so Monday was our day to gauge whether the tour books were accurate or not.
Hang Gliding Over Lake Wakatipu
As we walked into Queenstown along Beach Street, I attempted to capture a quick video clip of a paraglider, and my camera displayed a message stating that the micro card was full. I instantly overreacted and went into panic mode, since nearly half our New Zealand trip remained. I was not about to complete the rest of our bucket list vacation without the ability to take photos and movies. Once we reached the business district, we stopped at a tour guide service, and the young lady behind the counter directed us to a camera shop. A short three block walk brought us to the store, and I purchased a 16 GB micro card. This represented eight times the capacity of the card that I maxed out, so I was satisfied that I possessed adequate storage for the remainder of the trip.
Our traveling companions, the Prices, took the gondola ride that was anchored in town near the central shopping district, while Jane and I found a Vietnamese restaurant and slurped down bowls of pho. Needless to say the Asian soup felt wonderful on my burgeoning sore throat.
Jane Pauses Next to a Wall Near Our Turnaround
After lunch we hired bikes at Cardrona Bicylces for half a day. At the outset we inched our way through the busy city to the Queenstown waterfront pathway, and then we cycled for 45 minutes to Frankton, which was near the outlet of Lake Wakatipu. We crossed the outlet and continued for a short distance toward the Kelvin Peninsula, but by then our allotted outbound time expired, and we were feeling the effects of the heat, so we reversed our direction and returned.
Swimmers Enjoy the Cool Water on a Hot Summer Day in January
With our cycling exercise behind us we strolled back to the van and met the Prices, who were watching a shark-shaped speed boat navigate the harbor. The small vessel periodically disappeared below the surface of the lake and then launched four or five feet in the air before crashing back with a huge splash. I’m sure this was an exciting ride for the thrill seeking tourists. We were about to depart, when hydro man appeared!
This insane individual had jet packs attached to his feet and a long hose connected to a pump that was mounted on the rear of a large personal watercraft. He dazzled the beach spectators with an array of flips, dives and tumbles. Our jaws dropped with this never before seen display of water sport athleticism. Hydro man was the highlight of our day on January 29 in Queenstown.
I Dubbed This Guy Hydroman
Finally with the end of the free entertainment we drove another forty-five minutes to Glenorchy, where we checked into the Bold Peak Lodge. Our first assigned room was a sauna bath above a noisy bar, so we mildly complained to the manager, and he moved us to a smaller unit on the shady east side of the building away from the bar. We unpacked our bags, and then visited the Bold Peak Cafe (the source of the noise) for passable pub fare.