Extremes in Queenstown

We spent today in Queenstown which is on Lake Wakapitu. For the UK people amongst you it is a little like Bowness on Windermere on speed.

Every imaginable sport is on offer here - the more extreme the better! Consequently it is full of young thrill seekers and a few feeble old f---s like us.

Bravely we took to the Gondola after walking into town. Quite a view from up here even though it was a little more cloudy this morning. You can take your mountain bike up and cycle back down. there is a Luge and you can also Parascend.

I chose this shot looking down over the town and lake as it also shows you the platform for Bungy jumping! As we descended we saw someone jump off - we felt it was a bit of a cheat as they were in a sitting position not slung from the ankles! You can also hear the cries of those participating from the town below so it must be bad enough.

For a more gentle pursuit we went to the Bird and Wildlife park where we saw Kiwi. They are nocturnal so they were in a darkened enclosure but I was delighted to see them. It is a conservation programme and they have breeding pairs which they keep for several years and release their young into the wild.

Lunch on the wharf, by now it was hot and we were treated to lenticular clouds over the lake ( I managed to miss therein the U K last summer) and then we took the steamer TSS Earnslaw up the lake and back. A splendid summers afternoon.