Last year a very important 40th birthday (not mine!) passed by without much event as we emigrated just a few days after. So by way of making it up this year a semi-surprise trip to Queenstown was planned.. and we’ve been super excited. Not only a holiday to enjoy but our first trip down to the South Island.

Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the world and is home (and birth place) to some of the world’s most adrenalin fuelled activities, the bungy jump and jet boating to name just a few of these things.

Queenstown is a scenic beauty spot with hot sunny summers and snowy (ski-friendly) winters so has something for everyone all seasons. Our trip in March was set to be rainy as per the climate charts view that March is one of the wettest months but we managed to stay dry all week!

Queenstown itself has grown around Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake and it is pretty immense and just up the road is Arrowtown where you can still pan for gold… yes, this is gold rush country! And now the town is worth an absolute mint.. property prices here are rivalled only by Auckland and Hollywood films aplenty have been shot here including Lord of the Rings, Mission Impossible 8, X Men, and a whole list of others! Almost every touristy thing we did on the week included one film set reference and everyone was still talking about how Tom Cruise was in the town last year.

It certainly was a great spot to visit and a beautiful place for our furthest south holiday!