New Zealand: Part 1

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09/04/08 Days 1-30
I flew in to CHRISTCHURCH, it only took just over 3 hours but New Zealand is 2 hours ahead of OZ.
The views flying over the South Island were amazing, the land is so mountainous and barren. There wasn't a cloud in the sky so I could see everything.
I got a bus in to Cathedral Square which is in the centre.
Christchurch is NZ 3rd biggest city but its quite small so clean and so peacful...there doesnt seem to be anybody about. Im staying at Base as The Base in Melbourne booked it for me. First impressions are how different it feels to Austraila and just how pretty and clean everything looks.
After a look round town i had a burger king and caught up on all my washing and internet stuff....boring hey. Will be here for a few days so i'll get out and about tomorrow.
Oh ye its cold really cold.
Whilst here ive basically been planning my trip around NZ so i hav'nt seen or done anything but my route brings me back near the end of the south island so will see a bit of the town then.
I have decided to do NZ on the Kiwi Experience buses which is basically the most popular one and gets you involved in kiwi experiances.......funnily enough.
I've booked for the south Island and the north as it works out cheaper....lets hope its ok ye. But seriously, if i dont get on with it i can simply use it as a normal bus, just getting on and off as i like.
I start by going up the east coast of the south and doing one big loop down the west coast along the bottom and back up the east, thats when i come back to Chrisrchurch.
Its a little different in the north as it mainly takes me up the centre of the island right to the top and then coming back to Auckland. You get a year to use this pass and like i say you spend as much or as little in each place. So i start tomorrow and the first stop is Kaikoura....cant wait to get on the road, im fully recoverd from my last week in Oz spent partying and ready to see some scenery.
KAIKOURA-
Had a great day in Kaikour, went to a seal colony on the Peninsular, we were suppost to be having a swim with them but it got cancelled due to rain! You could also swim with the dolphins and go and see some whales...but it was quite expensive and I of know what trips and stuff I want to do already.
The hostel we stayed in were having a bbq that night, en we went to the local village pub....... tried some of the kiwi beers.
The next morning we went to a look out point above the town and it was the most amazing view i have ever seen...you had the ocean which is so blue and the snow top mountains behind...some people said it only gets better further down.
In the afternoon on our way to the Nelson we went to a vineyard and did some wine tasting and then to a river to jump off of the rocks and have a swim.
Im going to be in Nelson about a week because a lad who i meet in OZ is coming over and we're going to do most of the south island together.
Up to now New Zealand could be the best place ive been...the scenery is the best ive seen and the people are so friendly and its cheaper than Austraila its just so relaxed over here.
The hostel we are in is devine its a little country style pub with accomodation at the back and its brand new. Proberly the comfest bed i've slept in since coming away . oh ye had a full sunday roast last night for the first time since x-mas day....it was one of the best.
Right i havent wrote for well over a week and i am now in queenstown, which is another place ive always wanted to visit, im still lovin NZ and is definatly the best place ive ever been.....this place has everything.
After my relaxing week in nelson waiting for rob, we've visited picton, westport, done the power boats on the bullen river, stayed in a lodge in the middle of nowhere and had a fancy dress party and the theme was tight and bright so i went as a pirate....new it would proberly one of very few fancy dress parties where there would'nt be a pirate.
The next stop was franz joesef to see both the franz glacier and the fox glacier, i did the skydive over fox it was quality 12000 feet and luv'd it, and did the heli hike on franz glacier which was also amazing in a totaly differnt way....did these both on the same day so all in all was a awesome day.
Then on to wanaka for a night before getting in to queenstown earlier today...luv it here allready and might even stay a couple of weeks.
On the way here stoped and had a look at the world's first bunge site but ive singed up for the big one tomorrow. So tomorrow i have got the canyon swing in the morning...this gives you a 60meter freefall drop and just before the rocks the rope tightens and you swing back and forth across the canyon, and in the afternoon i do the nevis bunge which is the 2nd biggest in the world 134meter (440 feet) and you jump out of a big cable car suspended in the canyon....cant wait.
So a big night out tonight and a day of adrenaline tomorrow.....I LOVE KIWI LAND!!!!!!!!
yesterday was the greatest day ever, i did two canyon swings as the 2nd only cost $50 and you get to do a differnt style, the first jump i hung out over the edge and they pull you back and forth, so you think your going to go and he stops you...and the 2nd i did was called gimp boy goes to hollywood where you are hanging out over the edge and you have to turn youself upside down so your looking at the ground, they mess about with you and then bombs away. The 2nd jump was amazing because you dont have any fear at all and just enjoy.
The Nevis bungee....could be the ultimate, loved everyminute of it and is definatly the scariest thing ive ever had to do but so worth it.
Just going to relax for a few days now i think.
Still luvin Qtown.....its quality and today we even had quite a bit of snow on the hills........also saw the fat dude from cold feet in the street today...jhon thompson i think his name is, he's here with matt willis the dude from busted and jodie kid and jack osbourne....there all here filming the adrenaline junki.
Also you can buy gin in tea pots and then finish the night off at FERGBERGER...proberly the best berger in the world....have i metioned that i love Queenstown.
OH yesterday an english girl died doing the mad dog river bording, she was staying in our hostel and was on holiday with her boyfriend she was only 21. She got stuck under the rocks and it took the guides 20 mins to free her, its in all the papers and the news....really sad!
We had a great day today,got up at 6am for the footie, liverpool v chelsea, shame about the result though....and started drinking...then at about 12 we decided to go and do the luge, which is on top of the Queenstown hill.
It's basically a go-cart track without an engin, all down hill action.
We had 6 goes and you get a cable car up to the top, where there is a resterant,bar, bungy jump (yes another one) and the views over Qtown are amazing in fact proberly the best view ever. You then get a ski lift to the top of the luge, some of the boys came off and quite a few cuts and bruises but such a laugh in fact have'nt laughed as much in along time, memeroble day. Have i metioned...." i LOVE QTOWN!" ha ha ha!
The last couple of days its been snowing more and more its devine but really cold now, its been about 5c in the day and getting down to -3 at night.
Only two more nights left now so going to make the most of it......
So Queenstown has finally come to an end but a place where i will definatly return at some point, on the last night the weather got down to -6 so it was a cold one shall we say.
Im in Christchurch again now but only for a night and then on to Kaikoura tomorrow also just for a night, before getting the ferrie crossing to the north Island and the capital city of Wellington.
The month i've been here has gone so Quick but looking forward to the north as people say its totally differnt, but to be honest dont think ill find any where better than the south!
I LOVE NEW ZEALAND!

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