So where do I start

Indeed! It’s been three days since our last entry. I can’t usually remember what I have had for breakfast so recalling all the adrenalin charged activities we have been doing is going to be a challenge.

I think today is Tuesday. That’s another thing. Being on a long extended holiday means that you no longer have any concept of days of the weeks or dates in general. I just need to remember two dates. On 26^th Nov we catch the ferry from Picton to Wellington and on 28^th Nov we fly to Los Angeles from Auckland. What it is to be an international jet setter!

Anyway back to the activities. On Sunday I gave in and agreed to do something a little more exciting than a massage. We booked ourselves on the Jet Boat on the Shotover river/canyon.

These are jet boats that speed along the treacherous waters of the Shotover at breakneck speeds, with pilots who aim to scare you to death by aiming for the solid rock walls of the canyon as well an engaging in 360 degree turns at some outrageous speed.

It was exhilarating and we have the pictures to prove it. If you look at the pictures we are at the back.

We ventured in the car afterwards to a small town called Arrowtown. Had an ice cream, Enough said….

The evening was spent in the local cinema watching a comedy action thriller called ‘Red’. Worth a look if anyone is thinking of going. Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis and various other ‘older’ stars in a damm good yarn.

As we like Queenstown so much, we decided to stay two extra days, mainly to save us having to pack up again. I booked a coach trip to Milford Sound for Monday, which meant getting up at 6:30am L. The coach trip involved a journey of four hours each way, following all the other coaches to Milford Sound. Once there we went on a two hour cruise.

Was it worth it? Anything that involves an eight hour round trip needs to really live up to something and there is an awful lot of hype surrounding Milford Sound. I was a little disappointed, but I am not very good on long journeys by road especially by coach.

In hindsight, it would have been better to drive ourselves and book a cruise when we got there. We got back very late and grabbed a snack in a pub in Queenstown.

Next day (Tuesday) we again had to be up at 6.30am, this time to go on a day hike on the famous Routeburn Track.

To ‘tramp’ along the whole length of the track takes three days, with two nights at various huts along the way staying in shared dorms. No way Jose! Instead we settled on a 20km round trip along the track with a guide. There were four other people on the hike, including a teacher from London.

Unfortunately, for the first 10k it rained solidly, which is sort of expected in rainforest, so by the time we reached the hut at the midway point we were literally soaked to the skin. We managed a bit of lunch and then set off back, thankfully the rain had eased off. We got back to the apartment at 7.00pm Never was a hot, steaming shower so welcome (as well as a washing machine and tumble dryer)

Look like we are going to stay an extra day in Queenstown  and tomorrow is definitely a rest day!