Ginnysspot: Day 12 Queenstown.

So we awoke to a beautiful sunrise and a huge day planned..onto the jetboat..to the kiwi park and up on the gondala.

We set off around 9.30 after another delicious toast and free spreads breakie. We had decided on the jetboat ride in Queenstown..which went to the shotover Dart river.. see web address..http://www.kjet.co.nz/Press-Gallery/default.asp We arrived about 9.50 and bought our tickets..11am was the time for the jetboat. So we went off and had coffee, got some sea sick tabs (just in case) and were back to clamour into huge coats and life jackets. Off we went. It was rough accross the lake but as we headed up the river it was fun..a few 360 degree turns and some low trees on the shoreline and we were at the Dart river...very exciting..shooting over tiny 'puddles' of water 360 degeeing etc etc..It was terrifying but fun..

I got a tad wet and when we got back we were ablr to go downstairs and look in the underwater observatory..diving ducks..so funny..

Then we headed off to the Kiwi park.. This was located adjacent to the entry to the gondala and the walk up was quite hard (for unfit me!!) we found kiwis and were lucky enough to sit through a talk while they fed them.v interesting. I did loose the map over a balcony at one stage but my amazing husband rescued it..YES!!

Then it was off to the gondala..O M Gosh..scary as ..never thought it would worry me but it was such a steep accent..These are stats for anyone interested.

Bottom Terminal Elevation: 340m

Top Terminal: 790m

Vertical Rise: 450m

Total Length: 730m

Incline Angle: average of 37.1 degrees

Average Speed: Variable to 3.5m/sec
Now if my maths are right it means that the thing actually rises almost 1/2 a km at a 37 degree angle..yep it was scary..and Al wondered y I hated him changing sides and bouncing around..oo scary.

The view was amazing..but I was wet and being a princess so I was miserable and hungry so we ordered lunch at about 3pm and left. Now there was a haka show on at 6.30 but no way was i waiting that long.. So it was back down the mountain..back to our warm room..and then we ventured out later in search of PIZZA!! All we felt like was pizza and eventually found it in HELL!! Down a back alley the best pizzas ever..we had seen it advertised the night b4 on a current affair show and it won against dominoes and pizza hut in healthy, time etc..so we tried them and they were great.
The other thing I wanted to do was go to the icebar..but by now I was actually sick of being cold and we headed home..what a day..