Horse power and Jet power

Today we pottered around Lake Te Anau........we were really keen to try one of the water jet boats in Queenstown but we had timed out - so instead we took the Luxmore jet from Lake Te Anau, down the River Waiau and onto Lake Manapouri - the fifth largest lake in New Zealand and generally known as the prettiest.

We were lucky, we were the only ones on the boat and Mark, the driver, was really good fun and very keen to show us the sights.






Now I have not yet mentioned 'The Lord of The Rings' - well now is that moment......the filming of the trilogy in New Zealand has increased tourism by 6% per year. The Director, Peter Jackson, used filming sights all over New Zealand and you can visit many of these (mainly by helicopter!). There are lots of sights around Queenstown like 'Pillars of the Kings', 'Ford of Bruinen', 'Gladden Fields' and scenes of Middle Earth.

Well our experiences were on the River. At the end of the first film was the River Anduin where Frodo was floating quietly down the river.







and also 'the slip' and apparently these two logs are in the film:o)











So there we go! I know I sound very knowledgeable but I have never seen the film - although Arthur and James both think its fantastic.


The rest of the trip was made up of beautiful views and some boat spinning on a sixpence......(or 5p!)































Enough of all this sitting down - so in the afternoon we went horse trekking!!

Yes is was interesting......






Andy was our guide and we also went with Jo, Bryony and Debbie.......Andy used to be a sheep shearer and he behaves with the horses more like a horse whisperer than your usual UK horse owner. Just before I add the pictures a few interesting points - before Sarah leaps up and down pointing out what we have done wrong - apparently in NZ the stirrups are worn much longer than in the UK, the horses have no shoes and we did not have a whip.






I was on LB and Arthur was on Ollie....






HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHT :o) - I must tell you this - LB liked to be up the front ...perfect horse for me! Arthur's horse was a plodder! Suddenly behind me there was a commotion ....when I turned around Ollie was lying on the ground and Arthur was standing one foot either side over him - unbelievable and we dont have a photo!!! Ollie had just decided to lay down and was about to roll, which luckily Arthur realised and jumped to one side - he is the only person I know who has gone trekking and the horse has laid down - we skyped Sarah last night and told her - she was in hysterics.

Eventually Arthur remounted and on we went.....it was a beautiful trek - we went up high and could see a 360 degree panorama including the lake.













OK I only feel it is fair to make fun of myself - my family will tell you all that although I feel comfortable riding a horse, getting off is a completely different story and Arthur always seems to need to take a picture.....this has happened in the UK and Yosemite - here was no different...











I know is embarrassing but there we are.......


















We returned to camp for a well earned cuppa .....looking over the lake






and in the evening we had discovered a really fun Italian......with Arthur making friends with the owners wife:o)












......and like most evenings the views on the way home were lovely