Queenstown NZ is the "Adventure Capital of the World" with a population of around 16,000. Our lodgings were located just above downtown so we were able to walk to the restaurants and shops. Our view from our balcony was of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps. The Downtown showcases its waterfront with a pleasant large park and wide paved walkways.
Our second morning, we all walked down the hill into town through a pretty park. C&C had decided to take their chances and ride the Gondola that we tried to ride the day before when it broke down. The rest of us decided to explore, shop & eat instead. Luckily, the Gondola was working fine and C&C enjoyed a spectacular, panoramic view of the city from high on Queenstown Hill with views of Cecil and Walter Peaks.
We couldn't leave Queenstown without doing something adventurous. We decided we needed to do something wild since we wimped out on the Bungee Jumping. The extreme sport we chose was to ride on the Shotover Jet, all we had to do was hold on. We all met back at the Shotover Jet shuttle location downtown. The shuttle took us to the Shotover River for a hair raising adrenaline rush experience. The Jetboats had twin Chevy V8 engines with a total 700 HP. The boats held 14 passengers plus the Captain. This jet boat could run in 3 inches of water. It was the most thrilling boat ride we have experienced. We skimmed past rocky outcroppings at close range through narrow canyons at breathtaking speeds of 50 mph. The water was very shallow and there was constant twisting and turning between narrow gorges and boulders. On top of that, our very capable Captain Paul completed perfect 360's. It was awesome and we all loved it. Doug was a scofflaw and took Go Pro videos of the ride, so we can relive our death defying experience when we are old & housebound. The shuttle then brought us back to Downtown.
Once back downtown, we had difficulty finding an open restaurant. NZ was also experiencing staff shortages. We have seen signs asking patrons to be kind. Not to fear, we found a very cool, small intimate place called the COW, in an alley. It used to actually be a milking shed. Food & ambiance were good. When we left the restaurant, it was raining and conveniently there was a Casino with an open door across the street so we ran over there. We ended up leaving C&C there when it stopped raining. Cheryl was happy but ended up donating $50 bucks.
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