The good, the bad and the bumpy

There have been some truly excellent ideas born in Queenstown and when Shotover Jet and Nomad Safaris announced they were joining forces to create a jet boat /4WD combo this was definitely a good idea. Two highly professional adventure companies teamed together to create the package ‘Essential Queenstown’, and when they offered me the chance to sample this new activity, of course I jumped at the chance!

What’s also a good idea in Queenstown is to hit the town with your workmates. There’s nothing like a good night out scouring bars in search of fun and trying to prove that it’s not all about hard work.

What’s bad, however, is waking up the next day and remembering that you let a person with a passion for Facebook film you ‘shake your booty better than Beyonce’ (several times just to prove a point). What’s slightly worse is that in spite of the invisible hammer banging on your head, you also remember that you booked yourself on an Essential Queenstown trip.

And so it was with dark sunglasses and aching hips that I turned up to meet my fresh faced friend Anna at the Shotover Jet check in point. A short ride out of town, we reached the banks of the river. It was a balmy day and the sun beat down and sparkled upon the ripples of the fast flowing water. A vast expanse of turquoise stretched and flowed through the mouth of a large canyon creating a breathtaking view.

All passengers were provided with long black splash coats that came in one size fits all (including elephants) and chunky red lifejackets that made looking cool completely impossible. Once in the boat, we were given a quick lesson in ‘how not to fall into the water’ and then we were off.
Bumping across the water, we laughed out loud as our bums bounced off the padded seats. Zooming through the canyon, Anna turned to me with a worried look.

“Oo, I’m a bit scared!” She announced.

What a wimp, I thought to myself.

“Scared?” I replied confidently. “Scared of wha….aaaaaaaa.”

A scream of fear shot from my lungs as I watched the boat lurch towards the towering canyon walls and miss by an inch. The driver turned around, obviously used to a boat full of wailing banshees and gave us a quick smirk.

The rest of the ride went like this: stunning scenery, funny bumpy ride, scary wall, scary wall far too close, screams, funny bumpy ride, 360 spin, screams, why ‘eight’ gin and tonics?

After escaping from the boat with half my hair matted to my face, we were met by a friendly driver in a big jeep who drove us out to Arrowtown to begin the second part of the trip.

This included several exciting crossings through the crystal clear waters of the Arrow River as we watched large trout swim past the wheels. We drove across steep ridges that looked down into lush valley whilst the driver told us tales about the gold mining era and then stopped off for some hot tea and home-make cake.

After this refreshing break, we went down to the river for a spot of gold panning. I was extremely proud to be the finder of the biggest piece of gold and posed for a picture with my precious nugget. Admittedly, the ‘nugget’ could have passed for a mere flake of dandruff but that wasn’t the sort of detail I needed to share with those not present!

On the ride back, our guide pointed out the places where Lord of the Rings had been filmed and although I’m not the most excitable, sword bearing fan, I did find what he told us quite fascinating.

Towards the end of the trip, I realized that Anna had been rather quiet. When I turned around I found her clutching her chest as we bumped up and down across huge rocks.

“Oh no, are you OK?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“Hmm, it’s a bit bumpy in the back!” She said with a frown.

So there it is, Essential Queenstown. It’s a good trip, bad with a hangover and very bumpy. My words of advice: avoid G & T’s the night before and for girls in particular, wear a sports bra!

This trip can be booked at both the YHA Queenstown Central and YHA Queenstown Lakefront. Check out the websites: www.shotoverjet.com or www.nomadsafaris.co.nz

Skippers Canyon Jet

It’s that magical time of year again when frosty flakes fall from the sky and Queenstown’s surrounding mountains become playgrounds of fun for the young-hearted. But for those of us who don’t really fancy strapping on the skis, there is one place that is definitely worth a visit: Skippers Canyon.

In 1862, thousands of prospectors were lured to the Canyon when gold was discovered and so was created the small town-ship of Skippers. 20 years of precarious digging followed. Suffering harsh winters and enough injuries to surpass a small war the population decreased with the gold findings and nowadays only several people reside there permanently. Winky Hohneck is one of five generations of family who remains there and is the owner of the Skippers Canyon Jet Company.

The trip I took started from the centre of town where a friend and I were picked up in a huge 4WD truck that would perhaps be the preferred vehicle of the Terminator. A short time later, we were chugging up towards Coronet Peak watching herds of colourful bobbled beanies racing down the mountain in the distance. Then, about half way up we took a left turn and so began our journey.

Descending into the bowels of the Canyon is not for the faint hearted. Its 22km of unfenced road is accompanied by sheer drops into stony valleys. Our small party of seven was somewhat relieved when our driver disappeared under the vehicle and fitted an almighty set of snow-chains. On we continued, our wheels clinging tightly to snowy tracks.

Barely receiving any sun, this other world retains a cold mysterious beauty where half frozen waterfalls cascade over rocks, huge icicles hang from grass and permafrost ensures this fairytale-like place stays white almost year round. When we stepped out of the vehicle to take photos, I was sure I could hear the roar of Aslan in the distance and the trotting of Mr Tumnus’s feet passing by.

So with dripping icicles in mind and with the sudden need to visit the toilet, we then found ourselves at the Skippers Canyon jet. Standing on the banks, as the icy waters gushed by, I began to regret the extra cup of tea I’d downed that morning and instead busied myself by piling on the layers of warm clothes that were provided for us.

Soon we were whizzing down the Shotover River, spinning and bumping about, our lips sticking to our teeth as we tried to laugh in the minus temperatures. Each time a spray of cold water hit my face I cursed my extra beverage and held on for dear life in every way. In spite of this, it was hard to not be awed by the stunning scenery which put me in mind of wintry scenes on old fashioned Christmas cards. For Lord of the Rings fans, it was here that Arwen (Liv Tyler) defeated the baddies on her white horse when the powerful river engulfed them.

After a short drive and a well appreciated toilet break, we then visited the old pipeline bungy bridge. With the sound of knocking knees, we watched as our guide hurled a huge rock into the water below and try to imagine following behind with springy rope attached to our ankles.

For the last part of the trip, we headed to Winky’s museum which is full of remnants that were dug up from the mining era including a skeletal foot stuck in a shoe and a rusty set of ball and chains that was used by the local police. If it were not for the -8 degree temperatures that had greeted the Canyon that morning and frozen the troughs, a bit of gold panning would have been next on the list. As it was, we were more than happy to simply hold on to our hot cups of coffee and chomp on our freshly made cookies as our guide gave us a commentary about the gold mining era.

The Skippers Canyon 4WD tour is excellent value for money and highly recommended. All guides are professional, informative and above all friendly. This trip has everything: stunning scenery, adventure, history and is suitable for both families and independent travelers. Wrap up warm for a winter trip!

For more information, check out their website on http://www.skipperscanyon.co.nz/