Thursday 22nd March 2007. Queenstown. New Zealand.

Project work all morning so I am entitled to my jetboating afternoon.

The Jetboat is a New Zealand invention developed by Bill Hamilton, a South Island high country farmer who had been prevented from accessing areas of his farm due to shallow rivers. Initially designed to accommodate the narrow, shallow and braided Kawarau and Shotover rivers its maneuverability and ability to travel in less than 3cm of water makes this an engineering phenomena.

Kawarau Jet was the world's first commercial jetboat company and it has been established for over 40 years. My 43km ride takes me from Queenstown Bay to cruise Lake Wakatipu towards The Remarkables; one of only two mountain ranges in the world that run North South. Down the rapids and we go under the Kawarau Falls Dam to continue our 360's on the Kawarau River. Yesterday I bungyed into this river and today I am jetting on it.

We then head into the shallow braids of the Shotover where you can really feel the lack of water as you ride over the pebbles. The Shotover River in 1862 became the second richest gold-bearing river in the world and it is amazing to be going some 85kph in just a few centimetres of water. The adrenaline rush is acute as we head straight for obstacles making our turn only at the last possible moment.

The best seat in the house is mine. In the row behind the driver and in the middle. I get the thrill of driving yet I remain the only one on the boat not to get wet.

The world's first jetboating company, Kawarau Jet was born in the summer of 1960 and the decade certainly was destined to swing in these boats. Inextricably linked to the Lakeland Christian Camp when camp trustees and Invercargill brothers Harold and Alan Melhop made the first powered navigation of the Kawarau Falls Dam in a Hamilton Jet 30.

Holidaymakers were soon lining up for rides on this thrilling new boat and at five shillings a go the trip was a very efficient fundraiser for the Christian camp...so began a Queenstown tourism institution.

Kawarau Jet has become known for the introduction of many safety features such as the establishment of the roll bar system that is now an industry standard in 1989; the innovation of twin engine technology in 1995 or the 2000 introduction of heated, shock absorbing suspension handrails.

So how does it work?

Put simply water is sucked through a grill flush with the hull by an internal propeller. This delivers the jet thrust above the water level through a round nozzle which gives the steering by diverting the jet of water.

After the boating, Alex and I head into Underwater World where I get to see a New Zealand Longfinned Eel close up. These Eel's are only found in New Zealand and they can live up to 90 years growing to weights of up to 25kg; although the males are smaller than the females. They will spend most of their life in fresh water and they only journey out to the ocean once, to spawn and die.

Before I head back to project work there is time for a quick coffee at Patagonia Chocolates.

The English teacher in me would be remiss if I did not mention the beauty of this Lord of the Rings landscape where I currently find myself. Queenstown is the capital of Middle-Earth and the gateway to Tolkienesque scenery that is beyond compare. The area around here is arguably the biggest natural movie set in the history of celluloid. The Kawarau River for example was River Anduin; The Remarkables, the slopes of Dimrill Dale and so on...

Here in the Southern Alps the thought of hordes of orcs, wizards and goblins going about their daily business is not so far suspended from reality. And you can see why New Zealand is rapidly becoming a popular film set. Other classics such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe have been filmed here in the South Island.

Tonight I dine with the Glasgow boys, Shaz and Harri, at a Queenstown institution Fergburger.