They're saying it's the best Gay Ski Week ever. Frankly, it's my first Gay Ski Week I can't possibly rule on whether it's the best or not. All I know is I've had an amazing time and met some wonderful people in what is, hands down, one of the most beautiful places in the world. So while we'll delve into whether it's the best Gay Ski Week later, here's a look at some of 2010's magic moments: The views Lake Wakatipu I have lived all my 27 years in New Zealand, yet I am constantly hit with sense of renewed wonderment at how damn beautiful this country is. You can see why Queenstown is the world's playground – it's simply stunning. We are lucky bastards. Enough said. Shining happy people Undie run! The first thing that struck me about Gay Ski Week was how very, very happy everyone is. There are no sour queens standing in the corner scowling at the crowd – everyone is having a good time. Everyone is happy to have their picture taken and have a chat. Gay Ski Weekers seem to be people who work hard all year around and love the chance to come to Queenstown and simply let their hair down … or their pants down … and have a great time. Just rewards Craig Lawson and Mike Sanford The couple behind Gay Ski Week, Mike Sanford and Craig Lawson, work their asses off to get the event together. This year they have had to contend with the Christchurch Earthquake disrupting travel plans and ski fields being closed on the days they had planned ski trips. But the show smoothly went on. It was great to see Craig and Mike sitting back at the Manhunt Buff party and taking in what they have achieved over the past eight seasons. Well done boys! Drinking the town dry The boys love their Veuve Cliquot. So much so that there was concern at one point they were going to drink the town dry of it, as with the quake in Christchurch supplies were stalled. However despite fears of a liquid shortage crisis the drinks have kept flowing – maybe a little too much for one bunch of lesbians, who missed their morning flight back to Auckland due to overindulgence – and had to bed down in Queenstown for an extra night … all in all, not a bad turn of events really! The hook ups While there has been some action on the slopes, there's apparently been plenty of action in the hotel rooms too. In fact Queenstown is so full of gay hook-ups this week that even the ducks are getting in on the action. These couples were spotted on the lakefront, with the drakes playing it cool and cruising – while the female pair just met and are already off to find themselves a cosy corner of the lake to call home. Shocking the locals “My goodness me” was the response of the woman, probably a straight local, who was sitting behind me at the Topp Twins show during the halftime interlude as Auckland's Miss Ribena unleashed her entendres along the lines of, “the lesbians in the crowd just got a wide on” and “ooh it's been a long time since I had a pole that big between my legs” (talking about a microphone). It was G.A.Y. in all its full K' Rd glory – and a long way from the deep south pubs! And yet the locals seem pretty open-minded – it's nice to be able to walk around holding your girlfriend's hand, somewhere other than K' Rd or Ponsonby, with barely a sideways glance in your direction. The mystery of the disappearing sign Where has the sign gone?! Some time during the middle of the week the street-wide sign welcoming the gays to Queenstown mysteriously disappeared. Whoever managed to shimmy up and nab the sign must have had a pretty darn uncanny ability to grip a pole. Late night fairies perhaps? Gay Ski Week organisers are putting it down to souvenir hunters … you'd have to have a pretty big wall to fit that souvenir on! The celebs Topp Twins, Sam Neill and Michael Pattison As if there weren't already enough tops in Queenstown this week, Jools and Lynda also turned up on the shoreline! Actor Sam Neill turned heads at their hilarious show, sitting in the front row giggling like a schoolboy at their antics. Fashion designer Michael Pattison chilled among the sweaty masses at the Manhunt Buff Party on Friday night … who knows who will be spotted at the Whiteout closing party tonight! The parties You'd probably need a steady diet of Red Bull to take in everything Gay Ski Week has to offer. From the slopes, to dinners, bowling, karaoke, a pool party, then the Friday night Buff Party – which was so hot and so sweaty from man heat that my glasses fogged up upon arrival and I barely found the bar. It all culminates tonight in the big night of all big nights, the Whiteout Party at Revolver. Kitty Glitter has arrived from Sydney to DJ. It will be huge. It's going to be a long flight back to Auckland tomorrow morning … here's hoping we don't follow in the footsteps of another bunch of lesbians and miss it! The skiing Lake Wakatipu Apparently there was some. Skiing that is. And as it's Gay Ski Week I thought I should mention it. But as the Topp Twins so deftly put it at their Thursday night show “you're not here to ski, you're all here to get pissed and get laid”. And no, I didn't make it to the slopes, but as for the other two things … well … no comment. Jacqui Stanford, in Queenstown - 11th September 2010
Credit: Jacqui Stanford, in Queenstown
First published: Saturday, 11th September 2010 - 4:58pm