Into freezzzzzzzing NZZZZZZ

So a rapid fire update.

I spent a Saturday night in Sydney, which is as eventful as can be when you are in bed by 10:30pm thanks to Goon (boxed wine) and the ridiculous invention of 1 hour free drinks... mistakenly interpreted by me and Dane (Canadian mate I know from Tubing in Laos, who happened to be in Sydney for the same time as me) as meaning 1 hour all you can drink. Anyway, you can see why these blogs have grown rather thin in recent months, as the culture and history of India is much more interesting to read than the escapades of a night out.

The next day, our last days in Syndey we ambled about the botanic gardens, posed with a couple on their wedding day, decided the Opera House was slightly yellow and better in pictures, photographed the "giant coathanger" bless-ed Ozzies simplifying things for themselves as always, in this case with Sydney Harbour Bridge, and I scoured the bustling streets of Sydney to get together some warm clothes for.....

New Zealand!

So far, so good. On the bus ride down from Christchurch (didn't get up to much there, bit grey in winter although nice gardens and Cathedral) to Queenstown I was really struck with the beauty of the landscape. At first it reminded me of Scotland with the rolling green fields, the sheep, the cows, the hills in the background. The intercity coach rolled on, winding its way through passes, and picking its way through a flock of very fluffy sheep. (Much fluffier than the Scottish breeds, definitely much fluffier.) The mountains of the West were perfectly reflected in the still lakes beneath, and I got my sighting of Mt Cook when the clouds parted. I really do love the mountains. You don't know what you got 'til its gone, but I definitely missed the mountains when I was in the outback. Nothingness is great, but snow capped, rugged black mountain peaks is better.

Having said all that I spent the next 3 nights in Queenstown, having hot, no, frozenfooted it down there for the Winterfest. The likes of Undie500 (a running race with all participants being in their underwear) Jaagerbomb World Record (an attempt to set up 900 Jaagerbombs-failed) and people jumping into the lake dressed as barbie dolls and angels (in the opening day).... all of which I managed to miss, yet still felt like I had done all the stuff the town has to offer (again mainly located in the bars). I splashed out an awful amount on their cheapest bungee called The Ledge, where I attempted a stylish run-jump-rotate-shoot, Matrix-esque action, which looked more like spastic flailing like I thought I was going to die (I genuinely did think I was going to die). It was an incredible rush, as it was when I did one in Peru, and it is probably something you surely cannot get bored of. I did afterwards decide it was time to escape Queenston and its money trap, knowing that apart from Frisbee Golf in the park- nothing was free and I had little chance of surviving the next couple of months if I got sucked into the fun and spending of Qtown anymore.

I went to Milford Sound- beautiful, and then trekked round Te Anau, up to Mt Luxmore covered in snow with ice axe in hand. Stunning scenery. Just come back.

Will expand another time xxx

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