The best scenery in the world - Haast Pass to Queenstown!

May 12th. We set off today for Queenstown - the "piece de resistance" when it comes to adrenalin sports! The weather was absolutely incredible - clear, clear blue skies...sun shining brightly! Stretch told us this was amazing as it typically rains at least 200 days in the year in this area...



Our journey took us first to Lake Matheson, where we walked down to check out the beautiful lake, against the amazing snowy mountains behind. Then we crossed the mountainous Haast Pass, through the Mount Aspiring National Park. Passing by gorgeous Lakes Hahea and Wanaka, seriously the views just kept getting better and better.
Mountains, lakes,oceans, forests....now i could see the difference everyone was talking about between the North and South islands....dont get me wrong, I really love the North, but the South is just so rugged, and wild and gorgeous, they really are two completely different islands...

Then we stopped at Knights point lookout - sorry to be boring but yet more gorgeous views here!

Just before we arrived in Queenstown we stopped off at the famous A.J. Hackett bungy site, in the Kawarau gorge. I was so jealous of the "bungy gang" - Louise (see her ready to go in the pic!), Laura, Tasha, Marieke, Stretch, Grace, Martin (of course Martin - who would become our resident "person who needs to jump off as many high things as possible in the least amount of time!") ....sorry if i've forgotten anyone else!! This would be the first of three bungy jumps the gang would do in and around Queenstown - called the "Thrillogy" amongst those in the know! Unfortunately due to my laser eye surgery, my doctor told me i couldnt bungy - bummer.. so i had to live vicariously through these guys - oh well, at least id have my sky dive as my adrenalin rush.. and i think we will manage to find a few other things to keep our hearts pumping in Queenstown!!