Adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand

The New Zealand adventure begins as the plane descends into Queenstown. You are aware you are flying into a valley and there is a wall straight ahead of you. You wait. You wait. You hold your breath. The plane takes a wicked banking and you zoom over a plateau and land in a whoosh. Welcome to Queenstown, a haven for biking, hiking, skiing, bungy jumping, and any physical activity you can find.

Resembling a Colorado resort town, the main part of the town has the usual tourist restaurants, shops, and youth hostels. Backpacks abound and crowds gather round the local entertainment in the square, whether it is a chainsaw juggler or a fire-eater. Fancier resorts are nestled in the hills - a quick fifteen minutes bus ride. The resorts are upscale Holiday Inn types, but it is the view that takes your breath away. Crystal clear lake, snow topped mountains, and Lord of the Ring type mists. You could sit in front of your window for hours or get out to explore Queenstown.

One method of exploration is riding the rattletrap British red double-decker bus (circa 1963), offering tours into the outskirts of town. Clattering along, the bus's first stop is the A.J. Hackett bungy jump. This is the first known location and invention of the bungy craze, and what a glorious location to freefall in to clear blue water. Exhilarated tourists eagerly take the plunge, and you can jot yourself a note to return for a turn.

Get back on the bus and resume a scenic ride. Tucked into the mountain countryside are some vineyards. The bus pulls into the Gibbston Valley Winery and you can enjoy a morning wine tasting. These New Zealand wineries outside of Queenstown are producing Rieslings.

Mellow after a few samples, you climb back up on the bus and it proceeds to Arrowtown, an old gold mining town. Now a tourist pit stop with shops and restaurants, Arrowtown has a preserved Chinese Settlement. Eager to make money and find gold, Chinese settlers were forced to live on the outskirts of town in tiny huts. You do get a glimpse into the hardship of their lives and their separation from the main town.

Circling back to Queenstown, you pass lakes that are all approximately fifty degrees summer or winter. You do not see any swimmers or water skiers braving that temperature. Rounding a corner traffic slows, and typical of New Zealand you see droppings on the road. Sure enough a farmer is moving his herd of sheep and is backing up traffic. From your double-decker vantage point you can see the sheep dog masterfully keeping the strays with the herd. The glistening white sheep are a mainstay to the New Zealand economy and all part of the ambience.

Passing over a gorge, the driver points out the Shotover River tour location and enthusiastically gives the adventure spiel. Jet boats and white water rafting are offered in this pristine spot. You finish your bus tour and have a better idea of what makes Queenstown an adventure vacation haven. Now you have the afternoon ahead of you and after eating lunch, you make your way back to the Shotover River Canyon. Not for the faint of heart, the shotover jet boats careen up and down the river for approximately twenty- five minutes. It glides in four inches of water and the driver zooms dangerously close to the rocks. Breathtaking scenery and 360 degree spiral of death turns, the jet boat ride is an adrenaline rush. This is an excellent finale to a fine day in Queenstown. You are ready to wind down with some dinner and maybe some cricket on the television. Or just stare out your resort window and plan another day of daring in Queenstown.