Despite a very late night, both Rebecca and I both woke up really early and by 9am had taken the decision to get up and go out. We gravitated towards Starbucks and sat in there for a while enjoying a coffee. That sorted us out enough to set us up for a wander around the shops. As the winter season is just about to begin, the vast majority of shops are geared up to that, so are selling winter sports gear. We had a look around those and at the tat shops. There wasn’t a lot to see, but we enjoyed walking around the town, being girlie, window shopping and chatting.
We went back to the hostel where Sarah and Rebecca got ready for their horse riding trip. Everyone else had gone off on their various excursions, but after the bungy yesterday I had decided that I didn’t really want to do anything, although I had considered going up in the gondola, but it was overcast so there would be no view as it was too cloudy. I therefore plumped for chilling out for a bit, but got a bit bored so headed back into town for a bite to eat. I ran into Daisy in the cafe and we had lunch together, then went for a wander around town ourselves. He showed me the university he went to; it specialises in delivering degrees relating to the hospitality and tourism industry so I had a good look about, chatted to a couple of lecturers and read their prospectuses on the different courses.
We went to Starbucks and Daisy told me about another adrenaline-rush activity invented in NZ, jet boating. Apparently a Kiwi guy had a farm which kept flooding or something and he invented a powerful water pump for propulsion which enabled easy manoeuvrability in rocky shallow water with a depth as little as 3cm – it meant he could whizz about on his farm with no trouble. The concept was then commercialised and the propulsion system added to specially designed boats which they drive super fast along the canyons of the Shotover river, whizzing past the rocks on either side and through the shallow water, spinning 360oat times. Daisy convinced me that seeing as Queenstown is known as ‘Adventure Capital of the World’, I should give jet boating a go and this was going to be my last chance to do so, which meant that once we had finished our coffee, I went to one of the bookings agencies and signed up for a Shotover Jet ride a little later in the afternoon.
I waited for my pickup and was taken to the Shotover canyon, where I chatted to a rather annoying guy from America. We were given massive plastic ponchos, life jackets and goggles, then put into one of the big red boats. I didn’t really know what to expect and to be perfectly honest, I was not really feeling that excited about the prospect of the ride; I just didn’t think it would be particularly interesting. I was pleased to discover that the experience was actually really enjoyable.
Our boat’s driver showed us what the special propulsion system could do – I couldn’t believe how fast the boat went; it really flew along and I could see why the goggles were necessary, as the air whipped past my face so fast that it made it go numb, if I hadn’t worn the goggles I fear my eyeballs may have frozen! The boat’s speed caused lots of spray too, so the poncho was most useful. The canyon itself was quite narrow, so the speed at which we were flying past the rockfaces on either side of us was heightened by the fact that we were merely inches – I’d say less than 6 inches – away from them. Every so often the driver would give us the signal to hold on tight (as if I already wasn’t!?!) and he’d spin us 360o – the boat had an incredibly tight turning circle so it literally turned on the spot. He also took us over shallow bits that were so shallow it made the boat bump along.
The trip itself lasted just over twenty minutes, so after a couple of lengths up and down the canyons, we went for one last time and the driver made us go even closer to the rocks and at one point just spun and stopped the boat dead right next to the rock, this caused a big wave to slam into the rock, fly up and straight back down on top of me! I don’t know how, but out of the whole boat, I was the only one the wave hit and I was drenched – the poncho didn’t help as there was just far too much water, and it was freezing! It was funny and the driver did feel a little bad so gave me a towel to use on the way back.
Back at the base, I took off the poncho and inspected just how wet I was – it was bad! The worst bit was the fact that my jeans were drenched in such a way that I looked like I had epically wet myself! It was really uncomfortable too as the jeans were all clingy and cold – brrrrr! I hopped on the Shotover shuttle and went back to town, where I walked hurriedly back to the hostel to get out of the cold and into some dry clothes and also to avoid people thinking I lacked bladder control!
At the hostel I met up with TJ and he fancied a walk into town, so once I was dry, we headed in and had a bit of a wander – it’s not the same window shopping with a guy! We then went back and found the others, I decreed that it was to be Fergburger for dinner and all agreed – TJ didn’t even remember that he had been to and eaten at Fergburger the night before! We all went and got ready and went out en mass (twelve of us) to the shop, where we ordered off the extensive menu. It looked and smelled just as good as it had the night before, so I was made up when the Cajun chicken burger I ordered turned up – it was divine! I might even go so far as to say that I enjoyed it even more than the Wendy’s I had in Auckland!
The others went back to the hostel and I went for one last wander around town, then found them in the hostel lounge where we sat and chilled for a bit. Having had such a late night last night, no one really fancied a big night out and some of us would be getting up early to catch our buses. I suggested a quick drink in the pub opposite and a few people came over, but after one drink there, Rebecca and I decided to return to our room and get packing. Once that was done, we went and chatted with the others who still remained in the lounge, saying a sad goodbye to those who we would not be seeing again and then hit the hay, knowing that tomorrow would be when we would have to say goodbye to one another and some of the others who had made this leg of the trip such fun.
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