View of the river as we hike out from the hut.
Trail pics.
We got to the jet boat pick up spot so early that the guide decided to make coffee and tea while we waited. Have I mentioned the sandflies yet? UGH! Scotland midges times ten.
The jet boat ride was quite an experience. The driver made sure we had plenty of thrills and chills by pulling donuts and flying around corners. We ended up back in Makarora, where we had taken off for the flight the day before, and had a bite of lunch before heading off on a spectacular drive through glacier-carved valleys to the town of Hawea. We were fitted with mountain bikes for a scenic bike ride along a part of the Te Araroa track to Wanaka. The track follows the Hawea and Clutha Rivers for ~25 kilometers to the town of Wanaka. Scenic doesn't begin to describe this ride. It is New England in the fall times 20. One of the couples said it topped their hike through the Himalayas and I believe it. The pictures below were taken from the ride but don't begin to show the beauty. I had to stop for every picture and the track was very narrow in places dropping right off to the river so I couldn't stop as often as I would have liked. This was my absolute favorite thing we've done so far. Not so for Kim. He said when you get numb "down under" it's time to get off the bike.
End of the ride.
After the bike ride we had a short drive over the Cardrona Saddle to Queenstown on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. This is our home for the next two nights. We have a free day in Queenstown tomorrow. We decide to eat dinner at Ferg Burger, a well-known (Lonely Planet) burger joint. It is a very small place with lines out the door and down the street. They are open until 4 in the morning and stay busy the entire time. We waited an hour for a burger. It was good but it's tough to beat Texas beef. Our hotel room is a two bedroom apartment with a small kitchen. Very comfortable and close to the town center.
Well, that's it. New Zealand is definitley my new "want to go there" place. These pics are incredible. I see what you mean about New England times 20. It'll be sad to see it come to an end.
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