Regina Chow - Singapore Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle & Travel Blog: New Zealand

New Zealand: Of Queenstown Hill & Travel Plans

Saturday, December 05, 2015

Paragliding in New Zealand (Queenstown)

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Paragliding in Queenstown, New Zealand

I was just opining on instagram that I ought to give my travel photos more limelight on my blog, so today, I decided that it's about time I gave some air time to my New Zealand holiday, which took place way back in December 2012.

If you are interested, you could also read about Lake Tekapo, my first stop in New Zealand in the following posts:

New Zealand 2012: Lake Tekapo Part 1

New Zealand 2012: Lake Tekapo Part 2

Paragliding was one of the activities that I did in Queenstown. It took me a while to take the plunge, quite literally, because I have always been relatively risk averse.

But I am glad I did it eventually, because New Zealand, especially Queenstown, is probably one of the best places to do this. The adventure companies here are very experienced, the scenery is amazing and the atmosphere just feels right. I mean, everyone does adventure activities here!

All geared up!

After extensive online research, I signed up with Skytrek, which has flown over 60,000 customers since 1992. The co-owner is also the most experienced paragliding instructor in New Zealand. That really put my mind at ease.

Skytrek instructor

I signed up for the paragliding session in the afternoon and was surprised to see that there was nobody else but me.

Amidst all the excitement, it was a little nerve-wrecking as I got all suited up for the experience.

All ready to go!

I was told to run down a slope, but after just a few steps, I miraculously floated off the ground and drifted into the sky.

It was a beautiful day.The picturesque view of Queenstown was a welcome distraction as it immediately cast my fears away. I marveled at the sprawling pastures against the backdrop of majestic mountains surrounded by meandering rivers, while furry blankets of clouds dotted the bright blue sky.

Amazing view of Queenstown

The ride was very smooth and comfortable, to the extent that I almost forgot about being so high up in the sky with the blinding sun and strong winds battering down on my face. Well, that was until my instructor decided to throw me off-guard with a few acrobatic twists and spirals, with his GoPro camera in tow.

As the ride got a little more exhilarating, I shrieked a little and my eyes shut tight whenever I felt the G-force as we continued spiraling downwards.

The funny thing about me is that I get really hungry when there is too much motion, and by the end of my 25-minute ride, I was feeling weak and famished!

"How was it?", my instructor asked upon landing.

"I am very hungry now!!", came my reply.

I think he was more amused than anything else. After a hearty laugh and an exchange of goodbyes, I made a dash to the nearest cafe across the field and ordered myself a warm bowl of soup.

Landed and hopelessly famished!

Thank you Skytrek for the fab experience!

Discovering new lands and experiences never fails to give me a deep sense of satisfaction. This time, my virgin paragliding experience awakened my sense of adventure, an element that has been lying dormant deep inside me for what seems like an eternity.

And so, would I do it again? Yes, I would, in a heartbeat.

New Zealand 2012: Lake Tekapo Part 2

Monday, January 14, 2013

I may be back in Singapore, but whenever I look at photos of my New Zealand trip, I can't help but smile. :) I'm sorry I took so long, but I finally found time to do up Part 2 of Lake Tekapo!

There are only about 11 restaurants in Lake Tekapo, so there aren't many choices for meals. Since Kohan Restaurant is ranked number 1 on Tripadvisor, we decided to give it a go.

The sashimi here comes from the salmon farms that New Zealand is supposedly famous for, but I much prefer wild salmon. The texture and sweetness of the flesh is just different!

The restaurant is run by true blue Japanese, and you'll be surprised to see that the entire restaurant is filled with Asian patrons. In New Zealand, you'll see cows, sheep and busloads of Asian tourists everywhere!

We weren't too impressed with the salmon, but the tempura here was fried to perfection.

To end off the meal on a sweet note, we ordered their signature creme brulee, which turned out to be great. It came with candy floss too! That pretty much summed up our dinner for the first night.

The next day was slightly gloomier than usual, but we were in high spirits as Karen finally arrived!

With scenery like that, it's hard not to feel happy. With scenery like that, of course we had to take as many photos as possible too!

Lake Tekapo will not be complete without these gorgeous Lupins in shades of pink and lavender.

After lunch, we explored the area near the lake.

Statue of a sheep collie dog dedicated to the working collie dogs of the McKenzie region

There's nothing much to do in Lake Tekapo, but the scenery alone is worth every bit of your time. It was a sight to behold, even as dark clouds loomed above us and the raindrops started falling.

We climbed atop a huge rock perched in the waters, just for the sake of taking beautiful photos.

JW and Karen went first while I assumed the role of the photographer. I never intended to follow in their footsteps because of my irrational fear of water, but after seeing the photos, I overcame my phobia and went for it!

See how tightly I was clutching on to JW's hands? We look sooo loving, but I actually did that out of fear!! LOL

The Church of the Good Shepherd is the most iconic architecture in Lake Tekapo. If you were to google Lake Tekapo, you'll probably find a gazillion pictures of this church. It looks like any other church in the day, but by night, it transforms into the perfect spot for stargazing.

We didn't have the right tools to capture the night view in its full glory, but this is exactly what you'll see when you're there at night.

I know, it's surreal right? We were in awe of the magnificent view!

If you're interested in my previous post on Lake Tekapo, click on the link below:

New Zealand 2012 Lake Tekapo Part 1

New Zealand 2012: Lake Tekapo Part 1

Monday, December 10, 2012

We spent a night at Christchurch before embarking on our 3-hour journey to Lake Tekapo via the Scenic Highway, which promised nothing but picturesque scenery that took our breath away!

Most of the photos were taken with our DSLR while we were on the move. The vast pastures, rolling hills dotted with little fluffy sheeps and snow-capped mountains left me gaping with excitement! Trust me, I tried very hard to take a nap, but amidst all this beauty that mother nature has bestowed upon New Zealand, I simply had to do it justice by staying awake and capturing its magnificence on camera!

We were literally surrounded by beauty, 360 degrees. As I glanced at the side mirror, all I could do was sigh with wonder and attempt to capture those fleeting moments so that I can relive these timeless memories in future.

Thankfully, we had glorious weather for company that day, which meant that practically every shot was picture perfect!

As we approached Lake Tekapo, we were greeted by rows after rows of vibrant purple and pink lupins. So gorgeous!!

The view from our accommodation at The Chalet Boutique Motel, an establishment owned by a lovely couple, Walter and Zita, was beyond mesmerizing. We received a very warm welcome from Walter upon arrival, and he not only gave us a very detailed rundown of what Lake Tekapo has to offer, but also handed us a map of the galaxy for star-gazing at night.

I would definitely recommend this accommodation to anyone who's planning a visit to Lake Tekapo. All toiletries are provided, and there're make-up removal wet wipes too! There's also a wide selection of beverages from Dilmah, a stove if you're intending to cook and a microwave oven. The room is well-furnished, clean, spacious and most importantly, it offers a delightful view of Lake Tekapo.

Check out the incredible scenery at Lake Tekapo! I didn't do any colour editing at all. The waters are turquoise in colour thanks to 'rock flour', rock particles that are grinded by the glaciers. I've never seen any lake quite like this and I was absolutely blown away by its beauty!

I was all prepared to head to Tekapo Springs that evening, hence I was in swimwear and a coverup, but alas, they were closed to the public due to a private event. :(

As I was writing this post, I received news that Karen managed to hop on the flight to Christchurch to join us! You'll be seeing her in part 2 of my Lake Tekapo post as well as the rest of my NZ posts!