Who Wants an Adrenaline Rush???

Queenstown, New Zealand

May 15, 2007
S 45°01.591
E 168°38.987

Queenstown is the adventure sport center of New Zealand. If you want an adrenaline rush, this is the place to come. We aren’t big adrenaline junkies, but today was our day to explore our options, see if there was anything worth risking life and limb for in seek of adventure.

We decided to hit the infamous Queenstown gondola and then take a zip down hill on the luge. We took the Gondola ride up to 2300 feet and decided to explore the area first. There were a few trails and we figured a good walk was the best way to warm up since it was a few degrees cooler at the top of the mountain.

We hit the fork in the road between two trails and contemplated heading out on the Ben Lomand trail, not quite sure of the distance. Luckily, we bumped into a couple of mountain bikers who told us the trail was 1 ½ hours one way. The trail led to snow covered peaks across the vast valley; we didn’t have water, rain gear, gloves or hats, so we wisely decided to turn around and tackle the more subdued Skyline Circuit.

Right after I took a picture of Marc at the Ben Lomand lookout I realized my gondola and luge ticket fell out of my pocket. I quickly panicked since I obviously didn’t want to buy another one ($30). I tucked the ticket into my bag, in a convenient location, for easy access when necessary. Obviously, the access was too easy since it fell out, presumably somewhere along the trail.

The trail was filled with pine needles and it appeared the forest had recently been pruned—there was brush everywhere. Finding the ticket would be like finding a needle in a hay stack! We went down the trail the way we came, after searching for about 20 minutes Marc was ready to give up, but I knew I would find the ticket. After scanning the trail for another 10 minutes and making my way back to the Ben Lomand lookout where I took the picture of Marc, I found the ticket! I was very relieved.

After the relief of finding my ticket we headed straight for the luge. We heard great things about the luge from several people, most recently from Shelby who claimed it gave her and Dustin perma-smiles. The first time down was on the scenic route, a requirement for first-timers. It was fun, but nothing compared to the second, more advanced route. The experienced course had bumps that send you flying through the air, getting the funny feeling in your stomach, like on a roller coaster—I loved it. Whew, I yelled as I hit the second bump. Now I know what Shelby was talking about!

Maybe the luge isn’t an extreme sport like bungee jumping, but it did get our adrenaline going and provided a good amount of entertainment for the afternoon.

Other news: After several conversations with Marc that only included “Huh?!” or “What?!” I finally went to the doctor today. Using a set of crocodile tweezers the doctor retrieved the T-tube that was surgically inserted in my ear-drum about 8 years ago and was now lodged in my ear canal, preventing me from hearing. It will most likely take a few more days until my hearing is back, but I think we’re on the right track.

Just an FYI… my first experience with socialized medicine wasn’t too bad. Fast, effective and fairly inexpensive ($75 USD).