Queenstown, New Zealand Tours HD, Vacation, Travel Guide Travel Videos HD http://goo.gl/Er6Xe9 World Travel Guide https://www.youtube.com/user/World1Tube MOUNTAINS. Pretty snow. Bungy jumping. Hobbits. Frankly, before heading to Queenstown, NZ to write this travel story, I didn't know a whole lot more than that about the place. All I knew was that the office-ski bum loved the place and, well, Lord of The Rings. But I'm onto them. Now I know why Queenstown is Peter Jackson and Mr Bum's little secret. No matter who you are, there's something random for you to do there. There are six reasons why - other than it's renowned skiing and snowboarding - Queenstown is a special place to visit. 1. The place loves itself - as it should Queenstown rates itself pretty highly. And why shouldn't it? The village sits on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, which stretches as far as the eye can see. And it's surrounded by a series of snow-capped mountain ranges. One of the ranges that looms over the town is humbly known as The Remarkables. A nearby region is known as Paradise. There's a national park in less prime real estate known as Mount Aspiring (you'll get there one day, Mount). Needless to say, it's a completely different sight to anything you'd see in Australia, a land as flat as a pancake. Queenstown has it, and it's flaunting it. 2. The famous sheep Hmmmm. I'm standing on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, talking to my guide about Queenstown. "Gavin," I ask, "What's with that statue?" "That's William Gilbert Rees," he says, the town's founder. A New South Welshman, actually; a sheep farmer and a decorated explorer. But the thing that's caught my attention is that his long time animal companion has also been made into a statue. 3. I'd call it a melting pot if it wasn't so cold If your favourite thing about travelling is the chance to meet people from all walks of life, then you're in the right place. Whether sipping a mulled wine in front of a log fire is more your thing - or belting down a tune at karaoke with a Canadian at one of the town's many laneway bars - you're sure to strike up conversation with someone from a faraway place. No one is actually FROM Queenstown. Barely anyone, anyway. Even many of the tour guides didn't grow up in the place, instead moving here from Britain or Japan to pursue their passion for outdoor activities. Case in point: here's a passage from a 'Two Minutes With a Tourist' Q&A; from a local newspaper. Q: In general, what do you think of Kiwis? A: This is really bad but I don't know that many because I've been living with other tourists. The ones that I've met have been grand, though. 4. The daredevil sports - especially the ones you've never heard of Queenstown is famous for its bungy. It's where the sport started in 1988. Inspired by 'land-diving' in Vanuatu, where locals free fall off cliffs with vines tied to their legs, a couple of Kiwi skiing mates started jumping off the Kararau Bridge after years studying what cord could safely sustain a human. If you're looking to feel ALIVE, do it. It's safe: the practice is tightly regulated and monitored by authorities. There's no shortage of places to jump and you can even do it in tandem with someone else. 5. The less daredevil sports ... Don't worry: if you don't want to jump out of a plane, fall off a cliff and plummet down a mountain, there's heaps for you to do. You can start with exercising your forearm playing a round of 'disc (frisbee) golf'. Disc golf is big in Queenstown, with hundreds flocking to the town's botanical gardens each week to battle their mates in attempting to successfully sink frisbees into baskets. "It's free if you've got a frisbee," adds the Queenstown founder of the game, psychologist James Smithells. It's a nice way to stretch your legs and explore a scenic part of town. And then there's funyaking. You know it, I know it. Activities that start with the word 'fun' often turn out to be pretty lame. This time, you're wrong. 'Funyaking', a canoeing trip up the near-glacial waters of the Dart River, is an adventure. You'll get to see New Zealand's wildlife - including a beaut canyon - up close and personal, it's fit for all ages, you'll make some new mates. AND you'll feel like you accomplished something at the end, as we did. Other potential choices? You won't regret a helicopter tour over scenic Milford Sound. And if Frodo and Sam are what brought you to Queenstown, consider a Lord of the Rings tour. But if you're only a casual fan, don't worry. Many locals have such a deep understanding of where various scenes were filmed they should be able to brief you anyway.

• published: 08 Dec 2013
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