We took the short drive to Queenstown through the Otago Valley making sure we stocked up on fruit from the roadside and a few bottles of wine from one of the many vineyards en route.

We found a campsite that was at the bottom of the Gondola and only a few minutes stroll from the centre of town where we immediately set about booking some activities for the coming days.

We were expecting Queenstown to be a tacky tourist town and whilst it was blantantly obvious tourism was the towns main source of income the town was surprisingly picturesque set around Lake Wakatipu, overlooked by the jagged teeth of the Remarkables, with its marina area and alpine architecture.

Wandering out of our campsite after dinner that evening someone called out "Jona, that you?". It took us both a few minutes to recognise Brain and Corrie, an Irish couple we'd been rafting with in Mendoza three months previously and we had a catch up over a couple of beers down the Pig & Whistle.

We had planned to go jet boating on the Shotover Canyon but morning rain meant we postponed it to the following day. However the skies soon cleared come lunchtime and we took a short drive out to the Hackett Bungy to watch the nutters throwing themselves off the bridge. Jona's palms were sweaty and heart racing just watching them. Definately not giving it a try! The temperature had climbed into the 30s so after a hard fought game of mini-golf we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing down by the Marina a couple of beers.

Short on time the only way we were realisticaly going to get to see Milford Sounds was a day trip and being the flashpackers that we are decided to fly there and back which is why we were stood at Queenstown airport at 8am Thursday morning. Our pilot Sven (who barely looked old enough to drive a car let alone fly a plane) escorted us and 3 other passengers across the tarmac to the little 6 seater Cessna. All crambed into the cabin not much bigger than the inside of a Mini we taxied out to the run way and took off towards the Alps. We were treated to spectacular views over the mountains and at times felt we could open the Cessna's window to reach out and touch the peaks. We had great aerial views of Milford Sound as Sven had to fly up the length of it to land the plane at its head. We parked the plane up in a lot that resembled a NCP for light aircraft, all very strange.

Our early flight meant we arrived before the dozens and dozens of tourist buses. We boarded the large cat which was virtually empty and enjoyed the dramatic glacial scenery of Milford Sound. It is actually a fjord not a sound and the Captain demonstrated how steep and deep the Fjord was by taking the cat right up to the valley wall, but it was still hard to believe it was 200 metres in depth in someplaces. We cruised past the dozens of waterfalls plumeting into the Sound and were lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins playing in the wake of our boat.

Sven was waiting for us back at the airstrip and with Jona flying shotgun we winged our way back to Queenstown through the hills with hanging valleys pouring waterfalls into the main glacier carved scar through the mountains. Spectacular!

A quick spot of lunch before boarding the bus and setting off to the Shotover Canyon and, reputedly the worlds best jet boat ride, The Shotover Jet! We managed to grab front row seats and giggled from start to finish. The boat was capable of travelling at breakneck speeds in less than 3 inches of water and the skilled pilot would aim us straight at the canyon walls or towards huge boulders in the river before swerving at the last second and we would hurtle past just inches from fairly certain death. To add a bit more spice to the proceedings the driver would also send us into 360 degree spins soaking the white knuckled occupants of the jet boat. It was like the Waltzers big scary demented brother!

After all that excitement we chilled out with a guy Paul, who we'd met on the jet boat, over a couple of Friday afternoon beers in the hot sunshine before heading back to the camp for a bit of a feed. We knocked on Brain and Corrie's campervan and headed into town, still hot at 8 o'clock in the evening, to cool off at the ice bar. It seemed strange donning duffle coats, boots and gloves in all that heat, but it's not called the Minus 5 Bar for nothing! Surrounded by ice sculptures, sat on ice benches, we enjoyed Absolute Vodka cocktails from glasses made of ice. Thirty minutes at that temperature was enough and after that we moved onto more temperate surroundings.

We met up with Brain and Corrie again the next day and took the Gondola up the mountain for fantastic views down over Queenstown and lake Wakatipu followed by a couple of races down the luge track. The intermediate track was excellent with its backed turns and jumps, although Corries seemed to be driving Miss Daisy!

The worlds best pizza at Winnie Bagoes for dinner before heading to the luxury of the air conditioned cinema that evening to take our mind off the next days adventures.

RED BULL STUNT PLANE. Yet again stood at Queenstown airport in the early morning we were staring at the tiny Red Bull plane with the butterflies in our stomachs doing pretty much what we would be doing very shortly. Seriously contemplating the wisdom in our choice to get in the thing the pilot turned up and his relaxed 'done this a thousand times before' demeanour put us at ease a little. Jona stepped up to the plane first and after squeezing into the seat at the head of the tiny cockpit (being careful not to step on the clingfilm thin wings) was given a safety talk, the gist of which was dont touch a damn thing and there is your sick bag! Good-ohh! The pilot climbed in behind, swung down and latched the cockpit cover. No going back now. We accelerated down the runway for about two seconds before being airbourne, the power of the bi-plane pinning you back into the seat. We climbed to about 3,000 feet and pulled a few gentle wing dips and banking turns, all was good so continued up over the hills to 6,000 feet for the good stuff. The next 15 minutes or so is a bit of a blur but after pulling loop the loops, rolls, hammerheads and spending a good deal of the time upside down, travelling at plus 3Gs to minus 6Gs at 300KMH, that could be forgiven. The pilot announced how much fun he was having and was it ok to do a little low level stuff. Double thumbs up from the front. We descended into the low hills around Queenstown, Jona a little apprehensive when he heard the pilot tell air traffic control we'd be out of radio contact for a while. First up we did what was called 'Dipping the grassy knoll', which involved flying at 90 degrees around a hillside. You could make out the blades of grass we were that close. He followed that up with some runs through tight valleys right way up, on our side, upside down. Next up was his signature move, 'taking a dip in the creak', which was basically divebombing a stream and pulling out of the dive on our side at the last minute. We had one final flourish on our way back to the airstrip when we passed over the Hacket Bungy and 90 degrees, close enough to see the faces of the jumpers. Jona was pointing out the cockpit thinking 'Look at those stupid sods' with them pointing at the plane 'Look at those bloody fools'.

Back on terra firma Jona's grin was from ear to ear "Emma, you are gonna love that!" and Emma did love it from start to finish. We headed over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu for our aerobatics, which just got better and better. Emma's favourite being the hammerhead, thundering straight up into the sky, stalling and cartwheeling over and tumbling towards the ground. Never had we imagined a plane could be so agile. The pilot also enjoyed every minute as he flips the plane over and over showing off its incredible manouverability. Then off to the mountains for low level flying, upside down of course, and then hurtling at 90 degrees through a narrow valley with the pilot shouting "You cant do this in any old plane!"

Full of adrenaline back at the hanger we both agreed the pilot has one of the most exciting jobs. It really was the most awsome experience.