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Australasia - New Zealand - South Island - Otago - Queenstown - Queenstown, NZ

Tanya

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Elizabeth and I arrived in Queenstown after a short flight from Christchurch. Queenstown is located in the South Island of New Zealand and is absolutely picturesque despite it’s bone-chilling temperatures. I am certain that Lake Wakatipu (or “the hollow of the sleeping giant”) is one of the reasons I enjoyed taking in the views of Queenstown.
It's also a popular spot for risky water activities, bungee jumping and sky diving. Hiring a car for the day and allowing Elizabeth to escort us around Glenorchy and Paradise while driving on the “wrong” side of the road in the “wrong” side of the car was enough to get my heart rate pumping. No, not really- Elizabeth did a great job-much braver than myself! We found a nice café in Glenorchy (about a 45 minute drive from Queenstown) where we munched on lunch before a light walk around Glenorchy and a horseback ride in Paradise (Dart Stables). Randall and Luke were our escorts through the rivers, forests and valleys of Paradise.

Other Queenstown activities included:
The Kiwi and Bird life Park (www.kiwibird.co.nz)
Dinner at Little India (pretty good)
A Gondola ride for a Maori style buffet dinner and Kiwi Haka performance

(Middle-earth (from Lord of the Rings) was filmed throughout the South Island area, especially in Glenorchy and Paradise.)

Watch slideshow

	Queenstown, Otago.
	Riding in Paradise.
	Randall.
	Protection from the cold.
	The lake.
	Queenstown from the gondola.
	Maori.
	A NZ buffet dinner at the top of the mountain.
	A Room with a View
	It was a beautiful Drive.
	Almost Sunset.
	It was a lovely ride. I don't think Tanya enjoyed the riding as well as I did, but she and Randall did great.