Day 45: Queenstown - Dreamtown

We departed Auckland for the adventure sport capital of the world, knowing this was going to be the best part of the trip. Nothing quite prepared us for what we saw flying in. I've never seen snow-capped mountains and Lake Tahoe turquoise lakes dotted across the landscape. Luckily, I had my seat switched from the left side of the plane to the right, so I saw Mount Cook, Lake Pukaki, Lake Tekapo, Lake Wanaka, the Pacific Ocean, and the beautiful town of Queenstown nestled deep down in The Remarkables mountain range. Our plane dipped below the 6,000 foot peaks, and our landing felt like a guided plane tour of the valley. From the moment I touched the ground on, I was in awe. My jaw has never hung so low. We checked into our hostel: Base X, got situated, and set out to explore. We split off and my group walked through a massive park with disc golf, a bocce center, skatepark, and rose garden; then continued along the shore for a nature trail. As we took in the beautiful scenery, I found a pair of sunglasses that seemed pretty designer if you will. Turns out, the brand I had never heard of, Dita Haydon, sells for €435, or like $700... We waited around to see if anyone returned for them, but no one did. I guess the whole casino night odds thing was longer-term than I initially anticipated...

We skipped some fantastic stones on the rocky beach, and caught the best sunset of my life. This ranking was actually a tough decision, because my previous favorite was at Marathon Key at a restaurant called Keys Fisheries. This sunset with its reds, oranges, and soft blues painted the most amazing picture against the glass-like water. The only reason today's sunset trumped all is because it happened on our first night, and with the backdrop of the mountains and lake. The worst part: my photos came from my iPhone because I didn't have my camera. If this trip has taught me anything though, it's that the memory is what ultimately matters. Queenstown was bound to be amazing; after all, we were jumping out of a plane tomorrow.