Skydiving:
We went skydiving in Queenstown with NZone. Nick and I both agree it was one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives. Nick had a nice American tandem-master from San Diego who did a few flips with him once they jumped out. I had a six-foot-five Serbian man named Sasha who was a major jokester and told me it was his first jump, but not to worry as he has read the entire manual and felt prepared. Fortunately he turned out to be the head of the entire program with over 23 years experience and 16,000 plus dives under his belt.
From a nine-seater plane, we were dropped twice the height of the nearest mountain. From 12,000 feet we tandem-jumped to enjoy views of Lake Wakatipu, the Aspiring mountain range, Mt. Cook (the tallest mountain in NZ) and the Dart River. We also braved -13 degrees C air as we plunged 120 MPH, freefalling for over 45 seconds...what a rush! Unfortunately the photos were way too pricey as you have to pay for a photographer to jump with you, however, a random British videographer asked to videotape me, so hopefully the video will pop up on You-Tube one day.
Queenstown:
Truly, one of the most scenically stunning places I've ever been. Queenstown in lakeside, nestled in between a valley and the Aspiring mountain range, very near Glenorchy where Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Narnia series were filmed. Even for a small town, it had many shopping venues, eateries, activities and varied types of accommodation. One of the best views of the town (other than from a plane), would be from the top of a mountain facing Queenstown. A gondola takes you up the mountainside where there is a luging course, bungy jumping and a restaurant at the top. There are also many hiking trails. The views were spectacular (although this seems to be common in NZ)!
Christchurch:
Christchurch was quite honestly another typical city. We did take the bus to Cashmere to enjoy tea and "Christchurch's best eggs benedict" in a small castle on a hillside overlooking the city. The breakfast was awesome!
The Avon River is also a very pleasant spot to take punt rides on a hosted gondola or to sit and read on the riverbanks. There is a busy city center called Cathedral Square where you will find the city's only cathedral. This Wednesday is the start of the Cup and Show Week here in Christchurch where visitors come visit the city to enjoy art and fashion shows as well as horse- racing and a rodeo. That sounds like a brilliant time and I'm sorry we're missing it. Tomorrow we are off to Brisbane, Oz.
