Birgit im Abenteuerland ...

Day 22 (7.2.2013): Te Anau to Queenstown

Laid back day. After another morning in the Olive Tree Café in Tea Anau on the internet I made my way back to Queenstown. Some easy walking around town.

Day 23 (8.2.2013): Queenstown

Another relaxed day. Rented a bicycle and went on a nice 25-30km round-trip along Lake Wakatipu and enjoyed the tremendous weather.

Day 24 (9.2.2013): Queenstown to Wanaka

Some action this morning: Ziptrek – yeah J

Not only did we ziiiiip down on 6 lines including the steepest line worldwide (this is the same company I’ve been ziptreking with in Whistler, Canada. Over there I’ve been on the longest zip line world wide) but also we learned a bit about sustainability and the surroundings of Queenstown.

Lake Wakatipu has a little tidal behavior even though it is a lake, it’s changing about 15-20cm every 50mins – a rather fast tide ;) They are not exactly sure why this happens but have some kind of scientific explanation made up but I prefer the Maori legend that explains this phenomenon:

Long time ago there lived a giant in the region, a giant of 18km height and he used to sleep in what nowadays is the bed of Lake Wakatipu. One day he felt lonely and went to the village (Queenstown) and kidnapped a girl. Turned out this is the major’s daughter – and he was furious, setting up a marriage reward to anyone who would bring his daughter back. Several young and brave men tried their luck and failed miserably. Then a brave, young and smart man found out that the giant always sleeps down there and sneaked out at night, found and took the major’s daughter back and set the giant on fire. The fire would start melting the surrounding glaciers and the water filled the lake and extinguished the fire just in time to just the giant’s heart to “survive”. And nowadays it’s believed to lie in the lake somewhere near “secret island” still beating and causing the lake’s tidal behavior … and of course: they lived happy ever after …