Queenstown Excursion Day 2 and 3

Finally caught up on assignments, and done getting ready for the Great American Bash, so now I can tell you all about my second day in Queenstown!

After the nightlife of Queenstown, the next morning the whole group woke up to go to Bob's Peak. We rode the gondalas up, which are basically like little cable cars that take you to the top of the Peak instead of hiking. Once up to the top we were able to go to a landing to look out over Queenstown and the Remarkables mountain range. The views were absolutely breathtaking!!!

The Remarkables beyond Queenstown

Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. Lake Wakatipu is one of few tidal lakes found in the world

The gondolas

Sitting inside one of the old gondolas! 

After taking in the sights we made our way down to the luging track. Many of you may know luging from the Olympics, but the luging we did wasn't in the ice and snow. Instead we each hopped to our own sled fitted with wheels and brakes. You ride on a paved track going super fast! Basically like go-karting but without the motors.

Megan, Daisha, and Momma Dee getting ready for their luge track! 

I was coming around that corner pretty fast!!! 

The lift to take you to the top of the track

After several rounds of racing down the track we were all ready for some lunch. Where else to go other than the legendary Fergburger of Queenstown! A group of us waited in line for about 25 minutes to put in our order for these burgers of legend. I ordered the Sweet Bambi: a venison burger with Thai plum sauce, aioli, lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and a salted caramel milkshake to go with it. After waiting another 20-30 minutes for our order to be completed, we grabbed our food and went to eat on the beach of Lake Wakatipu. Biting into this burger was absolute heaven!!!!!!! All the waiting was worth it, and the milkshake was also spectacular! Definitely the best burger and shake experience of my life! And such a marvelous view to go with my food, as well as some ducks for company (I fed them my tomatoes and they accepted me as one of their own). 

The Sweet Bambi

Salted Caramel Shake compliments of Mrs. Ferg

The view from our seats

Thanks for the awesome burger Ferg! 

After lunch a few of us went to take a stroll through the botanical gardens and soak up some sunshine! On the way back to our hostel we happened upon a street performer who not only was full of wit, but actually performed some pretty cool tricks. 

Strolling through the botans

Ducks! 

Across the lake

The street performer

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed, and so now its on to Day 3/Going back to Dunedin. This past Monday was ANZAC day so there were no classes. ANZAC day is a day to commemorate all of the New Zealand and Australian soldiers who died while fighting in Turkey (for more info: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/anzac-day/introduction). Many towns hold a dawn service, which was an optional activity (my body was not awake enough to attend).

 After the service, the ISA group had breakfast and then packed up to head back to Dunedin. We had one last stop to make before reaching home. Our program leaders planned a stop in Naseby to have a go at curling. Curling, another Olympic sport, was definitely not my forte. You slide these large "stones" weighing about 25 kgs across the ice trying to make it as close to the center of the target at the other end. If the stone isn't going fast enough then your two sweepers take brooms to sweep in front of the stone and make it slide farther. The sweeping causes the ice to melt therefore allowing the stone to slide more. Don't ask me how the point system works, I still have no idea after two hours of playing. 

Trying to understand the game of curling

Overall it was another great trip, and I really enjoyed myself! I'm excited for my next adventure!