The vibes we got when we arrived in Queenstown were like no other. The place was absolutely buzzing, there were people everywhere, people with skis, people with snowboards, everyone wrapped up warm and grabbing hot chocolates or beers, everyone busy. The atmosphere was amazing!
It first evening we popped into one of the many ski rental stores and sorted our ski gear and ski passes for the week. Delighted with our progress we dropped the gear back at the apartment and headed for some munch. Our chosen spot (there are sooo many nice places to eat in Queenstown) was The Ballarat, a lovely restaurant in the middle of town which offered amazing sourdough bread and hummus on the house. Emily had the mussels and I went with the bangers and mash which were both delicious.
The ‘must do’ activity in Queenstown was undoubtably skiing (or snowboarding) and there was many slopes to choose from. Over our week long stay we visited Cardrona, The Remarkables and Cornet Peak. While Emily and Helen (who had joined us from Australia for the week) were pro skiers, I was a total beginner and a bit apprehensive about taking on the slopes on my own while the other two zipped around the black slopes. I needn’t have worried, as the ski schools turned out to be the best of fun. The instructors were brilliant craic (not to mention extremely patient) and I made loads of new beginner ski friends! By the end of the week I was delighted with the progress I had made!
Of course there’s plenty of other things to do in Queenstown besides hitting the slopes. One such activity is taking a gondola up the mountain to see some excellent views of the town and surrounding area, and if you’re feeling adventurous, take the luge back down. If you’re feeling like the ultimate thrill, then definitely do a bungee. We did ours at the Kawarau Bridge, which is the home of the original bungee experience. What surprised me was that it was all over so fast. We arrived at the bridge, were weighed, strapped up and then it was just take a deep breath and jump. Before we knew it we were dangling upside down off the bridge while the team above lowered us onto the waiting boat below.
Back in town we celebrated the fact that we had survived the bungee by getting the famous Fergburger. The Fergburger is a burger delivered to you through a hatch in the Main Street and has a reputation as bring the best burger you will ever eat. All I can say is that it definitely lived up to my expectations. Nom.
Our week in Queenstown went far too fast. Although a reasonably small town, it’s easy to get lost among the retro ski bars, with outdoor fires and cosy snugs, or the delightful cafes inviting you in for a welcome hot chocolate. It is a small few streets bursting with amazing restaurants just waiting to satisfy you after a wonderful day on the slopes. Queenstown is the ultimate experience, a vibrant town, which will always leave you wanting to come back for more.
