Thread: First trip to Queenstown - Dougie gets spoiled

September this year I decided it was about time I visited a friend of mine who lives in Queenstown and works at the airport. He has visited me here in Wellington a couple of times and sent me the odd little bottle of whisky for various celebratory reasons so I reckoned it was my turn to visit.

Being a man of similar interests to me, he decided that the content of the trip would be a surprise. So I hopped on my Jetstar flight to Qtown with no idea of the days to come!

The weather was amazing. I really enjoyed the approach path - how cool, a figure eight essentially. I got the tour of the flat and then we went for a walk. Of course I didn't have a boom stick because near a dozen goats teased me on the ledge above our chosen track. We heard the screams of passengers on the Shotover jet boat and I sort of thought in the back of my mind that I would enjoy something like that.









More walkies and lunch on the waterfront, then sure enough first surprise was the K2 jet boat experience. A whole hour of hooning around. After ten minutes I thought I could totally pilot this but unfortunately I was just a passenger

Surprise dinner date and catching up with other airport workers that night. a great sleep and then the next day, the biggest surprise - a flight over to Milford Sound!!! We were off to pick up four passengers so it was just me and the pilot doing some sweet wing overs and close mountain flying. I really really really enjoyed this flight. The dude was impressed with my flying and so was I to be honest. It'd been a couple of years since I was behind the controls and everything just came back to me like it was yesterday!!









What a way to spend a few days. Nothing shot but plenty eaten, loads of amazing scenery and some good clean fresh air (it really reminded me of Canada, cold dry air!! Hurrah!). I can't wait to get back down there again and maybe land me some Tahr.

I'm lucky to have some amazing friends!!!