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Published: October 31st 2007
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Where do I start the Kiwi experience was certainly that, starting with the South Island, we were quite apprehensive about boarding the big green bus. After hearing its just like an 18-30s scene though after the first day realised its nothing like that, the drivers were very educational, there were frequent stops for sight seeing and walks etc, and everything was made easy for you all you had to do was get up on time in the morning sometimes that was a struggle as you can imagine.
The first few days there wasn’t a great deal going on then after a couple more stops a few more people joined the bus, and friendships were formed ha. The first nigh out as a group was a place called the Poo pub which in the middle of nowhere became the location for the P party, the theme was to go as something or someone beginning with P so there were pirates, policemen, presents, pinball machines, packman, princess, Pamela Anderson, the list goes on.
I was struggling in the hour we were giving in a neighbouring town to get our outfits together, and ended up going as pyjamas which came to a grand total
of 1pound 30 for the outfit from the charity shop. Not the most imaginative I know but when you consider Gary spent over 30 pound and had to spend the night in a bikini top hot pants and a long blonde wig dressed as Pamela Anderson I think I did quite well. After the party a lot of people had started getting on and in total there were 17 of us who had a really good crack together, heading further south of the south Island we arrived in Franz Joseph this is where the Franz Joseph glazier is and we had a day up on the glazier which I was looking forward to remembering Mr Walters lessons on them, back at school some of the sights on the glazier were unbelievable and hard to believe this particular glazier is the fastest moving in the world so on the way up you have to cut new steps in to stay safe. Waiting to begin we were nominated to go in the top group meaning it would be a fast pace and we would need to cut the steps into the glazier to allow us and the other groups to go up.
Everything was fine until we stopped for some food and stupidly sat on the ice, the weather had been a night mare all day as it was non stop rain obviously cold but this took the biscuit. As soon as we had got wet it was game over couldn’t feel our hands or feet and one girl even collapsed and we had to help carry her to another spot on the glazier to wait for the helicopter to come and collect her, after this drama me Gary, Nick, Monty, Johan and Toby decided to brighten the day up with a few sing songs mostly songs about ice etc, (cold as ice, ice ice baby why does it always rain on me, rain drops are falling on my head, don’t let the sun go down on me, raining men, the sun is shinning, the sun has got his hat on. I could go on ) each one pushing our guide over the edge that little bit more, when we got back to hostel me Gary and Nick I rewarded ourselves with a nice hot tub dip to thaw ourselves out
After Franz Joseph it was back on the big green bus
and heading south again a few stops later and we hit Queenstown a city in the south Island which was a ski resort and probably my favourite place so far. It just had a real nice feel to the place with the snow capped mountains and mirrored lakes and great night life, we came here as a group of about 17 though people were leaving going there separate ways and the numbers were dropping fast. We stayed here over a week and did some day trips to a couple of places one was the Milford sounds a group of lakes and mountains with huge water falls etc this was a great day also and the scenery was again untrue.
Also whilst here in Queenstown me and Gray had to face up to what we had talked of for months prior, which was the big bad bungee the highest in the southern hemisphere and the 3rd in the world, 134 meters in total. Heading up to the bungee in the bus, all nerves were through the roof and the bus kept going up and up and up, eventually we arrived and saw the Nevis in all its glory suspended over a
valley on wires which didn’t look the safest then it was time no looking back do it do it, and I cant explain how strange but also amazing it feels to be falling like that,
The last night in Queenstown was spent in the hostel bar with around ten of us dominating the karaoke I had put my name down to do champagne supernova with friends. Though when the song started I was outside with Verns (one of the Canadian lads) and missed the first minute or so, then we were on stage all of us and sung the oasis number then started singing tambourine man the Byrds version so the dj had no choice but to put it on. Then the grand finally hey Jude so good and after that night it became our travelling song for New Zealand.
The next morning i was running early i thought and got my bag and guitar on the big green bus before anyone, untill Gary told me it wasnt our bus and my bags were on there way to Milford sound for the day, meaning i was without clothes for a day or so, which was nice ha
Another couple of
Wheres wolly
Can you spot me boring nights were spent in Christchurch before heading north of the south Island toward the ferry crossing to the North Island, now with only seven of us remaining
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