5/3/09 = The Awesome Franz Josef Glacier Climb Alarm went off at 6:30 - got up early to go on internet a bit - and couldn't believe it when saw someone was already on computer. Who gets up at 6:30 to use internet?! Had 45mins on other computer, then made breakfast and got ready for glacier climb. Really excited! Headed off to office at 7:30 and signed usual risk form before picking up all gear. Gear = thermal socks, crazy/giant waterproof trousers (one size fits all = never good when you are 5ft2), raincoat (mine was ripped :(), giant/heavy boots, thermal [View Full Entry]

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4/3/09 = Day 3: Hari Hari to Franz Josef...the Mt Hercules route + a ride of Borris. Alarm went off at 7:30, but still sleepy. Not suprising really; one of coldest nights sleep ever had (although not as cold as Leeds Festival girls...that was a killer!). Fell asleep straight away at 8:45, but then woke up loads of times cold in night. Really should have paid $10 for duvet. Every time turned over, covers slipped off (I’m saying covers, but what I really mean is towel and scarf!) and was freezing again. Not good, so still tired at 7:30. Washed to [View Full Entry]

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3/3/09 = Day 2: The Hilly road from Hokitika to Hari Hari! Woke up earlier than needed to today, at 7am - v.annoying. Tried snoozing, but didn’t work out, so got up, made porridge and ate it whilst watching kids cartoons...ahhh...the good old days. Got changed then and ready for biking day to Hari Hari. Padded pants on and good to go. Didn’t make it far before realised that brakes were sticking and so were permanently braking. Had to stop and take front wheels off to adjust; think had put them on too tight. Seemed to do the trick anyway and [View Full Entry]

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2/3/09 = A quiet day in Hokitika Woke up early today even though didn’t need to = v.annoying. Built log fire (love fires) then chilled out next to creation. V.nice. Made tasty porridge, ate next to lovely fire, showered, then packed up and off for 9:30 bus. Got wheels off in preparation this time…or at least tried to. Got Debs’ off o.k., but mine was totally stuck, bus driver had put it on really tight. Atomic bus came and man wasn’t at all happy that I couldn’t get wheel off…he just kind of stormed off while I was mid-sentence…really not nice [View Full Entry]

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1/3/09 = A v.rainy day at Arthurs Pass Woke up early in our little shed so that we could catch bus to Arthurs Pass. Didn’t want to get out of our layers of blankets and face the cold, dark morning, but after 10mins of snoozing, had to give it up. Rushed off to toilet, which was in another outdoor shed, then got changed, packed up and set off at 7:50. Only had to go across road and wait outside ‘The Catering Company’, so not a long journey. Pleased to see that sun was now shining and no rain; hope it stays [View Full Entry]

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27/2/09 = Bye bye Sylvia...Hello Bluie. Take back all the other bad sleeps have had. This was definitely in the top 3 worst nights sleeps. Woke up so many times in night scratching...really itching. Was like Pringles...once started, just couldn't stop. Tried hard to ignore it because scratching = scars, but was like somebody permanently tickling me. Had to douse self in more cream and keep hands out of covers. Didn't really work. Woke up loads more to itchy feeling and then woke up early in morning because of restless/itchy sleep :( Did I mention that I hate sandflies? Wrote diary [View Full Entry]

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26/2/09 = Hot Pools in Hanmer Springs Terrible, terrible nights sleep last night! So bad, it was actually comical in parts. Firstly, woke up an innumerable amount of times to awful, itchy sandfly bites. They now look and feel like chickenpox and even rival that level of itchiness! Way, way worse than mosquito bites. On top of this, we also had one of the worlds worst ever snorers in our room. He was no ordinary snorer...he could have won awards. He woke every single person up in room, until at 3am, we were all awake. Lady sleeping on bunk above me [View Full Entry]

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25/2/09 = Kaikoura and the Awesome Seals Terrible nights sleep. Took me ages to get t sleep anyway, but then when a girls phone started ringing at 1am…and she answered it…that was the last straw. She didn’t whisper, she didn’t take it outside to have a conversation, she just lay in her bed at 1am having a full conversation in a full on voice! I nearly cried…well…I nearly punched her and I nearly cried. Knew I couldn’t stand it for long, but thankfully, after 10 v.long and v.painful minutes, she said some kind of goodbye (don’t know what la [View Full Entry]

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24/2/09 = Abel Tasman & The Amazing George :) Alarm went off at 5:55am. Way too early to get up. Really didn't want to get up, especially in dark, but slid down ladder anyway, picked up clothes set out night before and skulked off to bathroom to get ready. Washed, changed, made porridge breakfast (need to good stuff now to warm me up) and went to finish getting ready while porridge cooled down; Goldilocks eat your heart out! Lunch ready, we both ready and set off for Abel Tasman at 6:45. My turn to drive today and set off in direction [View Full Entry]

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23/2/09 = Tahunanui beach & A Camera Cure Woke up nice and leisurely at 7:45 after a brilliant nights sleep. Rolled around for a while, then got up and had breakfast. Should have been going to Abel Tasman today, but already too late for that and not at all bothered; sleep was more important. Got ready without rushing and entirely enjoying feeling of being well again…hooray! Didn’t know much about Nelson, but since was such a beautiful day outside, hostel man recommended a visit to Tahunanui Beach. Good idea. Booked and sorted water taxi for trip to Abel Tasman tomorrow at [View Full Entry]

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