NEW ZEALAND - October 2008 (continued)

Shotover Canyon
Queenstown - South Island
This place holds a lot of memories for me from my childhood and today.
My first memory of the Shotover Canyon was on a day trip to Queenstown from Hawea where we were staying while Dad was playing at the Hotel in the band. We went on the famous Shotover Jet which was probably a lot cheaper that the $160.00 is is now. I don't really remember a lot about the trip but I do remember Mum being very scared for us.
Years later my Uncle Alan worked as a mechanic at the nearby Stotover Jet/Raft complex. My cousins and I used to wait at the top of the hill beside the road in the mornings with our skis for the ski bus to take us up to Coronet Peak. I remember standing on the Shotover bridge as kids watching the jet go underneath and one of my cousins nearly got hit by a car running from one side to the other. And now, this photo was taken in October of 2008 and I am quite certain I will look at this wonderful view again.

Lake Wakitipu Crown Range Road
Queenstown - South Island
The Crown Range runs from just out of Arrowtown over the range to Wanaka, it is steep, windy and isolated. You do not want to have car trouble on this road, especially in the harsh winters.
My cousins and I used to go rabbit shooting up here with my Grandad. We used to shine the spotlight into the bushes and Grandad would aim. I always hoped he would miss, I felt sorry for the rabbits. We used to go this way to Ski at Cardrona, which is on the Wanaka side across from the cross country ski field where I spent a week in a snow cave we made for year 12 P.E camp. The road can get very dangerous during the winter and has chain bays every few metres. This view is from the very top of the Queenstown side, over the rolling green hills is Lake Hayes and further on from that is Lake Wakatipu stretching beyond the hills up to Paradise.