Queenstown is known as “the adventure capital of New Zealand,” though I’m not sure exactly why because they have the same adventure options as like 3 other places in New Zealand. The only thing I was considering doing was bungy jumping, but by the time I decided to spend the money, it was fully booked for the time I would be in town. Other than adventure sports, Queenstown is a big party town. Lots of bars and lots of drink specials!! I was in town for 2 nights and had to get up early for bus trips both days, so I drank a total of 6 beers, which was actually 1 more drink than I’d had my entire time in new Zealand to that point.

I didn’t arrive in Queenstown until just before sunset and after checking in to the hostel, I went down to the lake, found somewhere to eat and wandered around town.

After exploring for a while, I drank those 6 beers and called it a night. The next morning, I was up early to catch the bus for my day trip to Milford Sound. If we could have driven across the Southern Alps, it would have taken about 30 minutes to get to Milford Sound. You have to go down and around the mountains to get there though, so it took 4 1/2 hours. Along the way we stopped at the Mirror Lakes.

I won’t say much about Milford Sound because the pictures say plenty. Milford is actually a fjord, not a sound. It stretches 15 km inland from the Tasman Sea. Mitre Peak rises up over a mile from the waters. They get over 250 inches of rain during the year (though I got a beautiful day) and the rains create hundreds of temporary waterfalls throughout the sound. It is the most famous tourist location in New Zealand and was once called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by Rudyard Kipling. I spent 9 hours on a bus for a 2 hour ferry ride through the sound and it was worth it.

So yea, I took a lot of pictures at Milford Sound. Milford Sound is a must see if you’re ever in New Zealand!!! Back on the bus for the 4 1/2 hour trip back to Queenstown, but still managed to catch another beautiful sunset.

We got back around 7 and I headed out for dinner and after dinner I stopped at the candy store. I am addicted to Starburst Snakes. They are just gummy snakes, but I can’t get enough of them. On the way out, I tried a couple pieces of fudge. On of them was called “farts.” I wasn’t going to not try fart fudge. It was kinda sour with mini M & M’s on top and it was delicious!! The next morning I was off to my next stop, Lake Tekapo.

*Though I still have a couple New Zealand posts to write, today marks the end of my time in New Zealand. I am sad to leave. Even though the weather didn’t always cooperate, New Zealand is so incredibly beautiful. I’m flying from Christchurch back to Sydney today and tomorrow I begin my 20 day tour up the East Coast to Cairns. The main attraction on the upcoming tour is a 3 day, 2 night Whitsundays cruise and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef!! I’m also hoping to get on a surfboard.