I ended up booking New Zealand about one month out from when I actually went. It cost me $2,000.00 for my flights, accommodation, transfers and activities for 9 day.
The day I had to leave I had to get up at 5:30am. Oh this was hard for me as I'm so much more a night owl then a morning person. I got taken to the airport to wait for my flight. I didnt realise what the time was and I ended up rushing through customs when I heard that they were calling the final boarding call for my flight. I made it onto the plane just in time.
Queenstown is quite close to where I live it was only a few hours away by plane so I was there in no time.
I fly with virgin blue. They offer snacks through out the flight but you have to buy them. The plane flew in over the snow capped mountains. It was so beautiful looking out of the window and seeing the view. The airport is surrounded by mountains so your not to sure when you are going to land.
I had a transfer car come to pick me up from the airport to take me to the Mecure Hotel in Queenstown. It was a 5min ride to the hotel. The hotel was very close to the centre of Queenstown but half way up a HUGE STEEP HILL.
Tip: Stay in town next to the lake the views are nice and you wont have to do too much walking. The Mecure was nice but having to walk up the massive mountain every day nearly killed me.
The room that I got given was at the end of this long corridor of the building. It honestly took longer to walk to the room than to drive to the hotel from the air port. I started out by walking down to the ski centre and confirming my skiing and snowboarding lessons.
Tip: Make sure if you have pre booked your lessons and confirm the dates that you are going up to the mountain as they will not book in specific dates unless you do this.
Queenstown is a beautiful little village beside a stunning lake and snow capped mountains.
Activities:
On the 3rd day I was in Queenstown I got up at some ridiculously hour to catch the bus up to the Remarkables (the snow fields). This coach came and picked me up from my hotel. It took 1hour to pick up all the guests and drive up the steep steep rocky mountain. It was so scary driving up on the thin rocky road with no railing which had lots of twists and turns.
I had only ever been to the snow once wen I was younger and I had never been skiing or snow board. But I didnt imagine it was going to be that hard. Wow was I wrong. I started out the day by having a snow board lesson. I was soooo goofy. I kept falling over. My legs were hurting. I couldnt stand up on the board. So after about 15mins of falling on my bum and swearing at my self. I gave up and swore at my self some more. I went and sat in the snow to nurse and ice my bruises. http://www.nzski.com/mountain.jsp?site=theremarkables If you are first time skier like I was. You can buy skiing lessons.At the top of the mountain you can hire clothes, boots and ski there. The have a cafe that you can buy refreshments from at the top of the mountain also.
The Remarkables
Later that day I attempted skiing. Snow equipment really didnt like me. I got one ski on successful but couldnt manage to even get the offer ski on. No joke I spent nearly 45mins trying to get my boot clipped in and I gave up. "Maybe tomorrow I'll ski"
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Luging- Queenstown Skyline
The next day I took a gondola up to the top of the mountain to do some luging. The gondola ride will cost about $10.00 for a return trip up and down the mountain. The luge track had snow all around it. It was so much fun. Its like go karting but with no engine. It cost about $30.00 for 5 goes of the track. The view is incredible. They also have a restaurant and a bungee jump at the top of the mountain. To Bungee jump it will cost you just over $100.00. http://www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/luge/After luging I went back down the mountain and found this cool indoor mini golf place. This mini golf place was like nothing I had ever seen. It had snowy mountains, roller coasters, chair lifts and airports. It cost $20.00 to play. It took about 30mins to play all the holes.
Mini Golf- Queenstown
Queenstown New Zealand has some amazing activities that you can do. Bungee jumping, the nevis swing, the shot over jet, luging, skiing, snow boarding, jet skiing and so many others. In winter millions of adventure seekers flock to NZ for the views and the skiing. Some of the best bungee jumping in the world is in New Zealand. To Bungee jump or to do the Nevis Swing it will cost over $180.00. To go bungee jumping or do the Nevis Swing you will have to head into the middle of Queenstown to the booking centre. I would suggest that you book in advance for these activities because these are popular. When you get to the booking centre they will sign you in and take your weight. After you have been signed in you will be ushered out to a bus and taken to one of the two sights where the Bungee Jumping and Nevis swing takes place. It takes about 30-45mins to get to either of the sites. http://www.bungy.co.nz/the-nevis/the-nevis-swing
Me doing the Nevis Swing
Another really fun activity to do in Queens town is the shot over jet. The shot over jet is a high speed boat that skims over shallow water. It does 360 spins at high speeds. And the views are spectacular. The same booking centre where you go to sign in for bungee jumping or the nevis swing is where you will sign in for the shot over jet. This is another activity that books up quick and you should book in advance. When you sign in at the booking centre for the shot over jet you will then be escorted onto a bus and taken to the river where the shot over jet runs. It will take about 10mins by bus to get to the shot over jet. The boat takes roughly 10 people and the ride goes for 10mins. It cost about $20.00 for the ride. http://www.shotoverjet.com/
Shotover Jet- Queenstown
Later on in the trip I went to the ice bar which is in the centre of town. It cost $20.00 they let you in for roughly 20mins at a time. Everything is made of ice including the seats, floor and walls. This is a really cool place to have a drink. They serve cocktails, mocktails, alcohol and non alcoholic drinks.http://www.minus5icebar.com/
Minus 5 Ice Bar- Queenstown
Eating:
Queenstown has some amazing restaurants in the middle of town. They also have a restaurant on the top of the mountain. You will need to take the gonadal to get there. http://www.restaurantsinqueenstown.com/
Accommodation:
When I stayed in Queenstown I stayed at the Mecure. The Mecure was lovely apart from was about a 20min walk into town. It it also situated up a large hill and can be a pain if you are stumbling back from a pub at night time. I would suggest that you stay in right in the centre of town across from the lake.
http://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/information/Accommodation/
Transfers from the airport:
It takes about 15mins to get from the airport to the centre of Queenstown. You can organise a transfer before you get there or you could get away with catching a shuttle bus or taxi to your hotel.
Please feel free to email or comment if you would like any other information about Queenstown or tips about where to go in New Zealand.
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