Queenstown by Noreen

I now know where the New Zealanders get their love for high adventure; they trained from their youth. As Whitney put it, "The playgrounds here are way more dangerous, but WAY more fun!" Apparently, they have not heard the American Surgeon General's warning that falls from over 4 feet greatly increases the likelihood of serious head injury. They have huge playgrounds everywhere with 5 ½-foot teeter-totters, wooden swing seats that would kill you on impact, open trampolines, massive tire swings, slides as high as 23 feet (you think I'm exaggerating), merry-go-rounds, and Whitney has almost met death by zip line twice. It makes me nervous, but it is also satisfying to see them challenging themselves and playing so hard.

Our next stop was the high adventure capitol of New Zealand, Queenstown. Colorful paragliders' chutes dot the sky at all times, speed boats shoot you up rivers and into waterfalls, and you can bungee jump from a ledge into the forest or off a bridge into the water. I think it is telling that they invented Bungee Jumping at the afore mentioned bridge. Our family went for the more moderate adventures of riding the Gondola up the mountainside, then a ski lift to the top and then we jetted down on sleds with wheels on their Alpine slide. Everyone loved it, including Ellie, and we all went down four or five times. Back in the gondola at the top of the mountain, Janey pressed her forehead to glass as we started the steep decent and said "Bring It On!"

Steve took the kids to the Native bird center the next day were they saw their first live kiwi, which is a rare and nocturnal bird that you are hard-pressed to see in the wild. They also saw the ancient Tuatara, a reptile still around from the dinosaur age with three eyes that can live hundreds of years. Ellie had been sick all night (thankfully the only time on our trip around the islands), so I stayed back to care for her and got some much-needed laundry done. With it being the summer holidays, many places are running "Kid's free with a paying adult" promotions. Steve paid and they let all the kids in free! Between the family rates and kid's free promos, we got to do most of our activities for the price of two or three people. What a blessing!