Day 10: Horseback Riding and Ice Bar

Off we go...
The drive to the ranch was about an hour and it was gorgeous (and free since our hostel had a special package).
The driver even stopped along the way for pictures, and pointed out Lord of the Rings filming spots.
We finally got to this tiny little stable, where we got all geared up with gloves, jackets, helmets, and riding boots.

Here's Winston, my horse...aka "The Troublemaker"
He's 13 years old and loves to be in the lead of the group, and if he's not first or second, he'll scare the other horses out of the path until he takes his place in front.

This is Andy, the adorable 1 year old dog that tagged along on our journey, following the horses and chasing rabbits as he goes! What's not to love here?
Throughout the ride, we passed gorgeous scenery,
crossed rivers,
stopped for a group photo shot,
and even had a little bit of excitement when one of the horses got spooked and took off in a full speed gallop down the trail. Apparently this has never happened before, but our guide handled it really well. We all got a QUICK lesson on dismounting our horses, then walked them (Winston leading, naturally) while our guide sped off after the runaway horse (and rider!). Within a few minutes, she was back and we continued our ride, but it definitely got our adrenaline pumping!

After a bit of rest...to the ICE BAR!!

We'd heard about the ice bar from a couple of different people, so we decided to check it out. Queenstown's ice bar is called Minus 5, since it's usually negative 5 degrees (Celsius of course) inside the bar, but it was -8 when we were there. Bit of a cold front.
They only let you stay for 30 minutes, which was long enough for us. It was pretty much like a regular small bar - inside a freezer.
The inside was decorated with unique ice statues and sculptures.


Even with the jacket and gloves, we were COLD. While you have to pay to get into the ice bar, admission includes a shot (in an ice luge) and a free mixed drink
in a cup made out of ice!

It was definitely a really COOL experience! (and apparently other Minus 5 locations around the world don't allow you to take your own pictures, so I think we chose a good one to visit!)