My last night at Bumbles Backpackers was a bit noisy because a group of German students had just arrived in the late evening to unpack and get some rest before heading off on a ski trip the next morning. Thankfully, I had my heavy duty earplugs to keep out their loud voices. Despite this, they woke me up in the early morning, getting dressed, and moving out their ski equipment. I waited until they were gone before rolling myself out of bed. Once dressed & packed, I signed out of Bumbles minutes before the 10am deadline. Since my flight wasn't until 4pm, I had the option of putting my backpack into storage but I declined; it wasn't that heavy to carry around.
With six hours to spare, I decided to explore the Queenstown Gardens that occupied a small peninsula next to the city centre. For a Saturday, the park was surprisingly quiet with only a few people walking around. Like the previous days, the sun was out, and the air was cold. There are two monuments worth seeing. The first is dedicated to William Gilbert Rees, the first European who settled in the area back in 1840. The next is a large stone monument near the tip of the peninsula that's dedicated to Robert Falcon Scott, an English Royal Navy officer who died in 1913 leading the Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole in Antarctica. The monument also displays the last message Scott wrote in his diary on March 29th, 1912. For senior citizens, the park is home to an established lawn bowling club. Despite the sunny weather, no one was playing when I strolled past the club's lawns.
After exploring Queenstown Gardens, I walked back into town, ordering a foot long roast lamb sub from Subway. After lunch, I decided to head towards the airport . . . on foot via the Frankton Walkway. The journey took a little longer because of the weight of my backpack but it was good exercise, it killed time, an d I saved $36 that would have been spent on a taxi. The only downside was that my legs ached by the time I reached the airport and it looked like I was limping. I sat down on a chair and passed the time reading a book and playing the waiting game. With 90 minutes to go, I checked in my backpack, and bought a light snack at the cafe. Finally, the announcement was made to board the twin turboprop plane and several minutes later I was in the sky heading for Christchurch. Once in Christchurch, I picked up my backpack and caught a taxi to Ilam Village.
Overall, the Queenstown Trip was a success. I got to see another part of Middle Earth, took around 100 digital photos, ate good food, and went tandem skydiving! I will definitely come back to try out other activities but I will need a lot more money. The best & most exciting activities Queenstown has to offer are, unfortunately, the most expensive. I can easily see myself spending close to $3000 on all thrill-seeking & leisure activities. But the resulting experiences & thrills make the prices worth it. Keep this town in mind when you're planning a trip of the South Island's Otago Region. Remember to bring warm clothing if you're visiting between June & August; it's winter down here.
End of Queenstown Trip Series
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