Two Days in Queenstown
What can I possibly tell you about Queenstown that's new and different? Nothing but same-o-same-o. Queenstown is set on the edge of Lake Wakatipu and only has about 5,000 permanent inhabitants. We were going to spend two days here before the Milford Track with free time.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand and I seriously considered a bungy jump if they would let me do it feet-first instead of head-first. We stopped at the Kawarau Bungy spot where it all began over 14 years ago and watched a few people take that leap. They also did tandem and water jumps off this 142 foot bridge. But then the Emergency Room Nurse from Illinois (part of our group) suggested I rethink the Bungy Jump and tactfully filled me in on the possibility that bungy jumping could cause a partial or total paralysis from your neck snapping. That decided it. Death is one thing, partial or total paralysis? I don't think so. And when we returned home and I had a yearly eye-check with my Opthamologist, HE told me that bungy jumping can easily cause a detached retina. Folks...I'm too old to deliberately chance this stuff.
Queenstown's latest attraction was a Bungy Rocket! You get fired skywards at 100 mph. Their catapult shoots you into space AND its all captured on video! There were also Bungy jumps from the Skyline Gondola, and an operation utilizing a cable car systems that moves along a wire from the valley walls.
If you are interested, beside Bungy Jumping, there is: jet boating, river surfing, skydiving, parasailing and more. We just loafed around town, drinking wine at some of the many outdoor cafes and eating. Beech Cove was the resort we stayed at, located a few miles from downtown Queenstown. Beech Cove had two and three-bedroom units with a kitchen, decks on the shore of Lake Wakatipu and every morning, Kent laid out breakfast in our unit (the biggest) for the group.
The next evening was a pre-department briefing meeting at the Milford Track Guided Walk headquarters. A lot different this time then in 2004. The meeting was held in the Ultimate Hikes Office (the Station Building) in downtown Queenstown, and everyone had to fill out forms, was provided with with a backpack to carry everything needed for the next 5 days, raincoat, a sleeping sheet to carry from lodge to lodge and given detailed, written information. And the departure tomorrow would be from the same location. As soon as everyone was on board, the loaded coach would leave for Te Anau for a buffet lunch with other walkers who were joining there. From Te Anau to Te Anau Downs for the launch trip to the head of Lake Te Anau, and a short walk to Glade House, the first lodge. That part, we remembered.
