Day 4: Jet Boating, Skyline Gondola & Luge Racing (view photo set here)

We woke to a bacon, egg, tomato and toast breakfast courtesy of Al and Conradical. In previous trips the group has awarded the title of Man of Trip (MOT) to a worthy member for their contributions to group enjoyment and (mostly) laughter. The boys received worthy MOT nomination for their efforts!!!

The breakfast was enjoyed by all and well timed with several trip members still feeling the effects of a big Saturday in Queenstown. The slow Sunday morning provided time for a few shenanigans… Haynesy sets a trap for an unwitting Tom and Segar wakes to find something growing on his chin.

Mid morning we headed down to Arthurs Point on the Shotover River for a trip in the Jet Boats. Arriving at 11am and the booking not until 11:30 left plenty of time for a group shot some clowning around and funny faces (photo 2) before getting suited up in some rain and safety jackets and boarding the boat. The ride lasted about 20 minutes along the Shotover River passing through the Shotover Canyons a highlight being 360۫ spin. The photos and video (video 2 onboard Jet Boat) describe it far better then I…

In the afternoon the group headed across to Skyline Gondolas which are a cable car ride up the mountain overlooking Queenstown where a Luge (French word for sled) track, bar/restaurant and lookout operate. Conrad, Steve D and I shared a gondola up the mountain with the Steve and myself admiring the view from the rear window of the gondola (photo 2 Steve and Conrad). Half way up the mountain Steve gets some altitude sickness… Whilst Steve and I were leaning against door posing for the photo the door started to open!!! About then we noticed the “well placed” sign on the bottom right hand door cautioning do not lean on doors…

Once on the mountain we grabbed a helmet (Tom finding his favourite) and headed across to the luge track noting the fire sign along the way, everything in New Zealand seems to be “extreme!” Stevie D demonstrated the art of tearing down a hill they call “luging” while Tom and I pose for a self portrait and taking in some of those Tomoramic views (photo 2 post card shot). Finally the group settled in for a beer at the bar before making our way back down the mountain.

In the evening Andrew the Heli-skier ($700 a day to have a helicopter take you up the mountain) who was sharing a room with Steve D , Luke and Conrad come out and joined us for dinner, “The Works” at Pizza Hut (we went high end!). After enjoying a few beers in the common room at YHA we hit the town starting at Altitude (in Queenstown for 3 days and already getting a local…) Tom kicked Segar in the head. After leaving Altitude Tom got the New Zealand fever befriending a local lass and a friendship blossomed. Struggling to find bar options in what was a somewhat more subdued Queenstown on a Sunday night we come across a bar with a lot of noise play Michael Jackson’s Blame It On The Boogie, we knocked on the door and was quickly ushered into a room filled with 40 + year olds stayed for a song, Stevie D and Conrad posed with a portrait of someone who could very well have been at the bar before leaving. We stopped at a half dozen other quiet bars whilst doing a lap of Queenstown before coming across a dress up party and cheap drinks at “Revolver” the bar next to the YHA! Getting in the dress up mood Steve D acquired a hat whilst Tom claimed he was an Aviator!