Franz Joseph - Makarora - Queenstown - Christchurch - Kaikoura

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WOW!!!! I have done so much since I last wrote on my blog!

The day after the glacier hike, 4 of us got picked up from the hostel early and went to another glacier just down the road called fox glacier. There lauren, 2 instructors and I got into a very small plane and made our way up. We flew right past Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, which are the first and second highest mountains in New Zealand, they looked so beautiful, snow topped against the bright blue sky, We then flew over fox glacier which looked amazing this vast white area among the mountains. As we reached 12000 feet the pilot turned the plane around and I could see the sea (West coast of New Zealand. My instructor CJ then opened the door, asked me to swing my legs around, which meant I was dangling out the plane, quick smile for the camera (I hope) and we were out!!! It was fantastic!!! Once we left the door we did a tumble turn yesss!!! We were falling at a speed of 200km/hr but it didnt feel that way, the mountains looked out of this world, I was so happy I couldnt stop smiling, my teeth got very cold! After what was about 45seconds but felt like 2 seconds, CJ pulled the parachute, all was well so I got out my camera again and took some awesome pictures! We floated to the ground and landed very smoothly both on our feet!! I was elated, so so so happy even thinking about it now I just smile! Best thing I've done so far! I want to go again ha ha.

It was only a short drive from the drop zone to lake Matheson (where we caught up with our bus) which was perfect, because I was just buzzing, so went for a gorgeous walk around the lake, which was reflecting the surrounding mountains. It was a good day for walks we stopped at a few waterfalls and the blue pools (they were extremely blue), my head was still in my skydive tho!! And what better way to channel my excitement than Karaoke at Makarora! I sang alot which probably doesnt come as a surprise.

The next day we made our way to Queenstown. On the way we stopped for a couple of hours at Wanaka, but instead of looking around the town a few of us decided to go to Puzzling World. It was a cool little place with an illusion section and maze section. The illusion bit was very weird, there was a room which was on a slope but everything in it was sloped the other way so it appeared that things were rolling up hill, it was very difficult to walk and stand! The maze was frustrating! We found all four corners, but then had to find the exit and we were on a time limit to get back on the bus, after a very stressful last 20 minutes we managed to find our way out in the nick of time phew!

Late afternoon we arrived in Queenstown. A beautiful city (reminded me a lot of banff), nice buildings in a mountainous setting. Our American friends Brent cooked us dinner (don't worry I only helped with chopping and man I got those onions fine!), before we headed out to world bar to sip Cocktails out of tea pots yum! Lots of dancing later we went and got some food (Which made me feel not so good the next day) and went back to the hostel. French Phillipe sang 'Helen's Mum' down the phone in the style on the song Stacey's mum which was highly amusing.

The next day was awesome!! Got up and a few of us went to a place called the station, we were then driven on a bus up some mountain roads to the nevis bungy site. This is the highest bungy in Australasia at 134m high. They weighed me, gave me a harness and then went down with the others to get on the cable car to take you to the bungy station, which is in the middle of two mountains. My heart was beating so fast and my legs were like jelly. Had to wait about half an hour watching other people do their jumps, part of the floor was glass so you could see them go down. Then it was my turn. I sat in a chair as they harnessed my feet and attached me to the bungy, I have never been so scared in all my life, I was absolutely terrified!!!!! Once I was ready, I hobbled to the edge of the ledge, was told to look up at the mountain in front, the boy then said 1,2,3 bungy, I tried to do a massive leap but my legs kind of buckled and I flopped off the end (I have video), I screamed all the way down, it was the biggest rush ever!!! The ground rush feeling was huge! After a couple of long but very smooth bounces, I tugged at the handle on my feet and I was flipped around the right way and lifted back up to the platform. My legs were like jelly but I was on a complete high, quite dazed at what I'd jsut done. But it didnt end there. Took the cable car bacl to solid ground, put on a different harness before walking across a suspension bridge to the Nevis Swing. Its the worlds highest swing. I went in tandem with my friend Judith, we sat side by side. You start as if you are at the top of a swing (its just the swing is between 2 mountains). The man pressed a button (after making some very funny jokes not!), the drop was massive (100m) I left my stomach behind, but after the drop it was a very nice smooth swing!

I went to bed early that night, completely crashed after all the adrenaline! But not before having a Ferg Burger! These are the biggest burgers I have ever seen yum yum.

The next day 12 of us hired a minibus and drove the 4 and half hour journey down south to Milford Sound. Here we took a boat trip, it was pure beauty! The mountains were coming up straight out of the water all the way along, and waterfalls were coming down off the mountains all around. One of the mountains is apparently the highest mountain coming straight out the sea, because the sound is part of the sea, where it opens out is the Tasman sea. When Captain Cook was making his discoveries he did not discover Milford Sound because it does not look like it leads anywhere. From see it looks like solid tree covered mountains, but as you get closer is opens up and you can sail right down. We saw New Zealand fur seals sunning themselves on rocks and . . . Dolphins!! They are sooooo gorgeous! they were jumping out of the water all around us. It was such a peacful boat ride, looking at the mountains with the sun and water, I really enjoyed it. On the way home we stopped at The Chasm, which is where a really fast flowing waterfall as carved circlular pools and moulds out of rocks, hard to explain and pictures didn't do it justice but very impressive. The drive in itself was just gorgeos (although this is true about most of the south island, mountains and fields and many a sheep!

Another Ferg Burger (yum) followed by some Queenstown partying, really good fun. Sad in a way though, because the group I had been travelling with all went different ways at queenstown, so time to meet some new people.

Sunday was just a sleepy journey back up to Christchurch, but today has been awesome! I am back in Kaikoura (making my way to the North Island tomorrow). This afternoon I went swimming in the sea with Dusky Dolphins. We put on wetsuts, flippers, masks and snorkels, got on the boat which drove out to sea about 20mins then slowly got in the sea to be with the dolphins. In total there was around 200 of them!! They were swimming under us, around us, coming up close to your face. They are so playful, we were told to make noise to entertain them and it really worked. They come swimming over and around me, they came so close I could have touched them (I didnt though, you are not supposed to), they really did want to play. At one point 10 of them swam right under me and a few kept swimming around me - I couldn't keep up. It was sooooooooooooo much fun, they are fantastic company. Makes me smile thinking about them.

So thats where I am up to, missing you all like crazy but excited about new things in the North Island . . .

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