I had a hectic last day in New Zealand planned but was beginning to flag… After the early starts and long driving I really needed a lie in. But there was no chance of that as I was being picked up at 7.30 am to go on a Jet Boat trip along the Dart River.
The coach headed thought Queenstown and along the opposite side of Lake Wakatipu to the one I had travelled down the previous day. We were heading for the small village of Glenorchy. We got some amazing views towards the top of the lake.
The 3 Islands at the top of Lake Wakatipu
Views towards the top of Lake Wakatipu
On arrival at Glenorchy we transferred into smaller 4wd buses. Glenorchy is known as “the gateway to paradise” and the backdrops have been used in films such as The Hobbit, Lord of The Rings, Wolverine, Prince Caspian, Vertical Limit and Avatar.
After leaving Glenorchy we entered the Mount Aspiring National Park. We made a couple of stops to be able to capture on camera the beauty of the landscape.
Before venturing onto the boat our guide took us for a walk inside a forest of red beeches. This included a chance to walk inside the hollow trunk of a living tree!
The inside of a red beech tree
After the walk through the forest it was time to board the jet boat. Our driver, Royce, welcomed us aboard. The jet boat was full with 15 tourists. I sat on at the back near the 2 engines. The ride was exhilarating. We sped along the Dart River away from Lake Wakatipu. At times it seemed we were headed for rocks but Royce would then turn the boat at the last minute to thankfully miss them. He would from time to time turn the boat into a 360 degree spin.
After about 15 minutes the boat ground to a halt. It had grounded on the bottom of the river. Royce got us to stand up and rock the boat but to no avail. another boat circled round us to see if it’s wake would release us but that didn’t work either. Royce then said he needed volunteers to get off the boat to lighten the load. The river wasn’t that deep but was flowing fast. We all had life jackets on and a waterproof jacket. Being the only British member of the crew I was of course one of the first to volunteer. The coldness of the water took my breath away. I linked arms with the other 2 volunteers and Royce and before long we were on the shore. I was wearing jeans and trainers. Both were saturated with water! In total 9 of us evacuated the boat before Royce got it moving again. He moved it closer to the shore and we all got back on. This incident added to the excitement to be honest.
Passengers abandoning ship!
After taking the boat as far up the river as we could we then headed in the other direction towards the lake and after around an hours jet boat ride we were disembarking at the top of the lake. My jeans and trainers were wet through but it was a great experience. These things happen in New Zealand.
I’m on the back row – can you spot me?
In the afternoon I headed for Arrowtown which was established in the New Zealand Gold Rush towards the end of the 19th century. I gave a lift up there, in my hire car, to Adam and Lori the American couple I had met on my trip to Milford Sound the previous day. Lori was keen to see the AJ Hackett bungy bridge which is on the way up there. We stopped off for around 15 minutes and saw about half a dozen people throw themselves of the bridge. it looked frightening!
This was as close as I was going to get to doing a bungy jump!
Arrowtown is a beautifully preserved old town. In some ways it felt too perfect and that I was stepping onto a Hollywood set. A friend had recommended to me a bakery at the end of the street and their excellent strawberry muffins. I walked in an ordered one. Unfortunately they are not always on the menu and I was there on the wrong day. Having not had lunch at this point I decided to go for a sandwich… We visited the remains of the Chinese settlement in Arrowtown. Chinese labourers were encouraged to come and mine the gold but they lived in a different part of town and exoerienced discrimination.
The shop in the Chinese settlement
In the evening I travelled up the Skyline Gondola in Queenstown and feasted on the “eat as much as you can” buffet dinner In the restaurant at the top. The gondola is a cable car which takes you up onto Bob’s Peak where there are panoramic views of Queenstown and the Lake from 1500 feet up.
The view from the top of the skyline gondola on Bob’s Peak
So my whistlestop tour around the South Island of New Zealand was at an end. I had an amazing time and can’t wait to return.
Tomorrow I was to fly to Melbourne for Christmas and the 4th Ashes Test.
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