BREATHE IT IN

Queenstown has been inspiring adventure for years – so get out in the fresh air and create your own.

There is something quite spectacular when you arrive in Queenstown and breathe in that fresh mountain air that I’m sure the locals take for granted – but for anyone living in a city, it feels like an instant hit of healthy living! Queenstown has been inspiring adventurers for years, from the first Māori in search of pounamu (greenstone) to the gold pioneers – and now the innovators in tourism creating experiences that make Queenstown the home of adventure.

This unique energy where you feel like you can achieve anything can be as simple as a round of golf or a ride up the gondola – or a trip on the TSS Earnslaw, which I did at night and appreciated a completely different Queenstown with a sky full of stars. Meanwhile, the Shotover Jet made my heart race – the adrenaline rush was such that I just couldn’t stop laughing. Rafting, hiking, bungee jumping, paragliding, mountain biking or snowboarding – they’re all on offer.

When you’re feeling hungry and need a drink, look to the craft beer industry that has popped up, with talented locals creating great beer and matches to local food that is some of the country’s best (that’s me above, enjoying a brew with Eliott Menzies and Eddie Gapper from Altitude Brewing). Then there’s Vaughan Mabee from Amisfield – who may just be New Zealand’s best chef in the country today, creating creative dishes using locally foraged ingredients. With thanks to Air New Zealand, The Rees Hotel and Real Journeys we’re offering a trip of a lifetime to Queenstown, to celebrate this inaugural MiNDFOOD Adventure Issue (see page 96) – so you can create your own adventure.