Our Last 2 days in Queenstown

First we start with last night’s sunset view….

Yesterday was our first day without a ‘planned’ activity. So we decided to take a tour of Arrowtown. Arrowtown is an old gold mining town, with relics and huts that date back to the 1800’s when Chinese migrants came to mine for gold to bring back home to their families.

But first…we stopped at a bagel/donut place for some good jewish bagel lox and cream cheese!

Stella insisted on posing in front of the donuts and making silly faces

While in Arrowtown, Adam took the opportunity for some acupuncture and physio on his back, while the kids played in the local park

Then we explored the old Chinese settlement.

Stella was actually pretty into these old settlements.

After Arrowtown, the kids were needing more of a kid friendly activity so we took them mini golfing back in Queenstown. Leo is going to insist on me posting the scores so here we go: Adam: 61, Leo: 62, Stella: 65, Erica: 75. (have I mentioned I HATE mini golfing?)

Leo did get the ONLY hole in one out of all of us on this 18 hole course.

Some much needed alone time in the park back in Queenstown

This morning was our last day in Queenstown, so of course we started back at the bagel place…

and then I wanted to get in a hike so we found a great 1.5hr hike near Queenstown that followed a beautiful river, up a mountain to a place called Sam Summers Hut (another dude who came to this area in the early 1900’s to mine for gold)

The start of our 1.5 hour morning hike. The kids are old hat at this by now!

The halfway point – Sam Summer’s Hut!

This was the inside of the hut where he and his siblings often stayed – he built it in the 1930’s as a resting place while he mined for gold

Our afternoon activity – RAFTING!

We picked a ‘family friendly’ rafting company that was the only company that allowed <13 year olds down the river. The drive along the road was 45min of harrowing narrow steep cliffs on one side…

We were able to get out along the route to take a nice family pic of the surrounding mountains

I was impressed actually because they outfitted us with fleeces, full body wet suits, booties, a wind/rain breaker and then a lifejacket…so even though it was freezing, we were thankfully pretty warm (which was of course my major concern as I am ALWAYS cold)

She volunteered for every safety demonstration. Basically the whole bus of people knew her name before we even got on the river

Stella pretended she was scared and sat in the middle refusing to paddle…but really loved the whole thing

Stella after getting hit with a HUGE wave

I never normally say something like this about my kid…but honestly she was a ham. The entire bus group was cracking up the whole time by her antics both on and off the river.

Of course Adam was the first to volunteer to swim in the freezing water!

So then I got guilted into going with Stella…

Leo sat right up front with another 9 year old and paddled the whole time – EVEN in HUGE oncoming waves

Our Canadian/Australian family boat. Stella with her 13yr old buddy Amelie and Leo up front with Matthew

The day is complete. Tomorrow we have a 6.5 hour drive up to Christchurch where we spend the next 2 nights before we head to sunny (and HOT) Australia!

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