It was 7.15 and we were already sat outside Queenstown Rafting waiting for our combination tour. As we walked from the YHA, the sun was rising in a moody sky over the mountains and you could already feel the heat of the day, 22• already.

First we scooted up to the Shotover Jet HQ where we checked in and were bussed up to the Shotover canyon where two jet boats were waiting. This is the only company licensed to use the Shotover river and the only jetboat to complete 360• turns.

We were issued with a spray jacket and a life jacket and hussled onto the boats. Photos taken first! The jetboat works on a principle of sucking the water up from the river and rushing it over the engines to power the boat. It can actually skim across 10cm of water. The driver was very good at making it appear you were heading straight for the rocks as you skimmed passed. He gave a circular wave of his arm before the 360's, an indication to hold on and prepare to get wet!! Was awesome! We bought the photo pack as a reminder.

Next we trundled over to the rafting hut which was about 5 minutes up the hill. We received a safety briefing, then a wetsuit and a pair of booties. After getting that on, we were given a jacket, lifejackets and a helmet and popped on a bus. Kasey, our guide for the 45minute ride did a great job of distracting from the route, which included "bus scratch corner" where part of the road had dropped off and the turn had become very tight! (bearing in mind we are pulling the rafts on the back of the bus too!) and a sheer drop off, the "French launch pad" into nothingness, Skippers canyon! And when a car came the opposite way he said, "see it's a two way road, they just put one road on top of the other". I was glad to reach the river.

After a thorough safety brief about the raft, falling out and what to do if it flips we were put into groups and our guide was Moose, a strapping specimen from Tennessee - a self defined hillbilly. He was excellent, and used to run search and rescue operations for the fire and mountain rescue back in the US. I was confident if we fell out, he would reach us! Usually the river is grade 3-4 rapids, however today with all the overnight rainfall it was apparently running on a 4-5. It was Jo's first time rafting so that was pretty brave to go straight in! We made it down the river, dropping over 100feet in the rapids overall, finishing with the tunnel section and 30ft drop! That was definitely a 5!! We didn't flip, and we didn't loose anyone, unlike other boats... Sweet as!!!

Once we had showered and changed we took the shuttle bus back into town and it was still only 12.30! Were starving so grabbed a Devil burger before heading back to the hostel to get changed. We wanted to go up to Bobs Peak which was the top of the gondola ride!! I quite fancied walking but Jo fancied the gondola skyline so having dragged her on all the adrenaline stuff I said would go up. There were a couple of Luge tracks up there and we bought a return Gondola ride with two Luge rides. I didn't really like going up but once we got there the racing down in a tiny toboggan was well worth it. You had to take a chairlift to the top of the tracks which I didn't mind at all. Racing down was a little like mariokart!! Pull in the handle to go, pull harder to brake - don't let go as the emergency brake comes on!! Again great fun. Going down on the skyline was a lot easier!

Then we went to the cinema to see "The Kings Speech". It was very good. Neither of us were hungry until we walked past a restaurant with a smoke chimney chugging out some tasty smells. And they did take away, yum! Two steak sandwiches to go and job done! Queenstown we had a blast!