Not Another Goodbye

My last few days in New Zealand were very laid back and most of my time was spent on the bus. For some reason bus journeys keep tiring me out. It feels feeble to say how exhausting doing nothing has been!

It was time to wake up as we arrived at Lake Tekapo for some snow tubing. It was awesome and I escaped unscathed. I shot down the slope every way possible on my own and in groups of three and four. It reminded me of the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour (Australia).

We had an hour of unlimited fun. I could have stayed there all day as they had hot pools and an ice skating rink. Unfortunately we did have to leave for our hostel in Rangitata.

In the summer months, Rangitata is a popular stop for rafting. During the winter, there wasn’t much else to do than go for a walk. It was late in the afternoon and the wind had picked up. I was all walked-out so I decided to watch the videos I took snow tubing and soak up the heat from the fire.

We stayed at a tiny remote place and were the only occupants for the night. The owner was lovely and joked with us as we all checked in. They only had two double rooms. Neil and Simone took one and then two girls took the other. This annoyed me as there were two other couples on the bus. One couple asked for a double room when it was their turn to check in but were obviously told they had been taken. Maybe it’s just me but I thought that was a bit unfair.

Once everyone was checked in, the owner pointed out a few things  - the big flatscreen TV, an array of DVDs, tea and coffee facilities, stuff for breakfast in the morning and an oven. In the oven was a dish filled with cake mix for us to bake later. I did not know that this place came with free chocolate cake. Nice. Very nice.

The common room was a cosy fit for all of us but everyone found their own space. It was the same situation with the kitchen. A maximum of three people could comfortably cook their meals. With 26 people here, we all had to be patient. There were no arguments and everyone got their food when they wanted. Amazing.

The evening was spent laughing at how bad The Tourist was, watching The Hangover, playing Pictionary and Scrabble (I won!) interspersed with funny stories and new introductions. Why didn’t I have this bus before?!

I went to bed safely on the first of a three tier bunk bed. Don’t believe me…?

*****

It was my final early start in New Zealand…it was my final everything in New Zealand! I really didn’t want to leave but Fiji was beckoning.

On my last bus journey I swapped details with people and said my goodbyes. I had a lovely chat with Artik (London) about Japan. He spent a week there and loved it. It was great to finally meet someone who has been and enjoyed it too!

I spent my final night in Christchurch re-organising my suitcase, writing last minute postcards and chatting with Neil and Simone. We happened to have booked a stay at the same hostel and ended up in the same room which was nice.

The next day I’ll be heading to Fiji to stay with a family in a traditional village then do a bit of island hopping before I make my way across to America. I always get a little nervous when I’m about to leave a country I’m comfortable with to a strange one I’ve never encountered. Hopefully we’ll get on as well as I have with New Zealand. It’s been fantastic. To put it in perspective, it almost toppled Japan off of the top spot.

Farewell New Zealand, I hope we meet again!

Better Late Than Never

Drinking the night before departure wasn’t the best of ideas. Nor was the decision to pack before I went to bed.

A 5:50am wake-up call is not pretty. My bus didn’t leave until 9am but I planned to Skype my friend from home. The temptation to sleep in was strong but a promise is a promise.

It was lovely speaking to my friend Nat. I spent a good two hours wittering on about my adventures in New Zealand. I completely monopolised the conversation. It didn’t feel like we were chatting for that long either. I felt bad about the one-sided conversation but we agreed to chat again soon.

I boarded the bus and headed for my usual seat. I positioned myself next to the wheel as nobody wants to sit there. It means I have a spare seat for all my crap. My plan backfired though as we had a fully booked bus.

Everyone was recovering from the night before. Some chose to stay silent and others ate breakfast Fergs. The smell of grease that early in the morning made my stomach churn in revulsion.

Before I speak to anyone I try to gauge the bus and see where I fit in. It was tricky as not that many people, including myself, were up for talking. I’m glad I’m not the only one who isn’t a morning person.

Faint whisperings of the sexual encounters from the night before reached my ears. It amazes me how frank some people are about certain elements of their lives. I know more about peoples’ sex lives and bowel movements than I’d ever dare to ask!

I’m no prude, but I’d much rather talk about guys with my girlfriends than some random strangers. Obviously that’s just me!

Sleep caught up with me and I snoozed for the first couple of hours. Every now and then I got chatting to a couple of the girls from the bus and everyone seemed quite friendly and chatty. Even though it was the largest group I’d been with, nobody was left out which was encouraging. There were no dominant personalities on board. It’s not great when people feel the need to control or be the loudest.

We arrived at Mount Cook, checked in, ate then headed out for a two hour walk. Getting my hiking boots from the bus seemed like too much of an arse so I chose to plough through the snow in my faux ugg boots. Not the wisest of choices but you’ll be surprised to know that I was one of the few who didn’t slip on the ice. Trainers were the worst for this walk. I wasn’t bothered about soaking my boots as I’d be throwing them out in a couple of days. They were on their last legs anyway.

It was a pleasant walk, one of many I’ve had in New Zealand. I anticipated there would be a lot of walking trails in NZ and I was worried that I’d hate it. I’m so impatient back home that I hate walking. I’d much rather cycle or go by car/bus, if the journey was further, than walk. I guess now I have all the time in the world, there’s no need to keep thinking about when I’ll get to the end as much. It also helps that my surroundings are idyllic. 

A narrow pathway had been carved into the snow which made the likelihood of getting lost near impossible. A high level of concentration went into making sure that I didn’t fall over. It meant that I didn’t get to truly appreciate the mountainous backdrop but I had fun crunching the ice either side of me. I loved the sound it made and the texture. It was the same satisfaction you feel when you crack the surface of a crème brulee.

We finally arrived at the viewpoint and took several photos.

I'll only bore you with one!

A quicker pace on the way back meant that we arrived in good time. People veered off separately for showers and power naps and reconvened for dinner. I wasn’t that hungry so had part of a fresh quiche I’d bought earlier in the day. It was a triumphant moment which may sound slightly strange. Other than Yorkshire puddings and the lack of a decent curry house, quiche is a food choice which I’ve unexpectedly missed. There was no sign of it in S.E. Asia which didn’t surprise me but Australia was practically void of the stuff. I found it in the odd supermarket but only in frozen form. When do I ever have access to a bloody oven?! So imagine my delight when I found a fresh quiche at a bargain price. Yes it’s weird but it made me enjoy it all the more.

As we were almost finished tucking into our food, the manager from the bar upstairs came through and asked if were interested in taking part in the pub quiz. It’s free to enter and each team gets a pitcher of beer. Hey, you had me at pub quiz mate.

I wasn’t confident that I’d know a lot seen as I’ve been completely outcast from society for the past nine months or so. If there are any questions on topical issues, I’m screwed. But low and behold, I flipping nailed that quiz. Ok, we didn’t win but I managed to access the deepest darkest crevasses of my trivia memory. I knew books written by Ben Elton and I knew the title of a Bruce Springsteen album. I felt like the guy in Bradley Cooper in Limitless as I was picking answers from random faint memories.

Unfortunately we did not have a clue about New Zealand

Most people, including me, headed to bed after the quiz. I needed to catch up on some sleep. There was no sign of anyone Irish or an offering of goon so I was safe.

Saving The Planet One Shower At A Time

My previous stay in Queenstown was action packed by day and pungent by night. This time around I checked into the Sanctuary room and planned on doing as little as possible in order to save money.

It was more like a semi-sanctuary as the room was no bigger, there was no TV, no table and chairs or tea and coffee and the towel was not fluffy. The showers were just like the rest in the hostel, timed. Who came up with that invention? Why would anybody think that releasing water from the shower for a set amount of time would change anything? I still end up pressing it again to get more water to come out. Nobody has a one minute shower. You’re not being environmentally friendly, you’re being a pain in the arse!! End rant.

The girls (from the night before) planned on going up to the viewpoint and luge but I missed them as they weren’t in their room when I went up. A definite shun but I didn’t take it to heart. I didn’t know them very well and I am easily forgotten.

I was tempted to go skiing again but decided against it. Instead, I’ll wait for a moment in the future where I can go out for a few days and learn properly. I’ve met so many ski instructors and snow lovers that finding someone to help me out shouldn’t be a problem.

Hannah and Kerry were both in Queenstown still. I randomly bumped into Hannah one night. I’d been keeping up to date with her skiing feats on Facebook. Our ability levels are at polar opposites. Hannah was awesome at it and stayed on in Queenstown to keep learning. I didn’t manage to meet up with Hannah before I left but we’re both heading to Fiji and America at similar times so I hope it’s not the last that I see of her.

Kerry was easier to pin down and we spent a night catching up and talking about our future travel plans, boys and our general outlooks on life. Our ponderings were rudely interrupted by a very strange guy who thought that telling us how much money he makes and how much sex he gets would woo us. I was polite and tried to subtly tell him to bugger off. Kerry’s patience had worn thin and told him straight that we wish to be left alone.

Meeting Kerry was as social as I got for my first couple of nights. Just like in Wanaka, I had the room to myself for two out of the three nights I was there so I took advantage of having some space. On my third night I moved to another dorm. I needn’t have worried as there were only two other guys occupying the dorm and they were lovely and clean too! The shower was shockingly bad though. The water ran for three seconds (I counted) and shut off again. What the f…?

Diego from Uruguay and Anibal from Chile were very friendly and chatty. They poked fun at my laziness despite the fact that they were as bad as me!

Leaving everything to the last day was not a good idea as I was crippled with stomach cramps. I’m not sure if it was something that I ate or just a random bug. I planned on spending the day in Arrowtown but decided to try and sleep it off.

Disappointed that I was wasting my day, I tackled the walk up to the viewpoint in Queenstown. It was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be. I was sweating a lot and had to have a minute break every so often. Whenever people walked past me I tried my best not to look like I was suffering. I managed to make it in a good time though so I can’t be that bad.

Thanks to the advice from a fellow bus passenger, I stayed to watch Queenstown light up.  

Queenstown by day...

...and by night. Is it bad that I could spot Fergburger from this high up?

It was a fantastic view and worth the agonising walk. I walked around for a bit and watched a couple of people do the ledge bungy. The drop is minuscule compared to the Nevis but the process of jumping off a ledge in itself is scary stuff.

Tickets are only checked at the bottom of the gondola so I cheekily travelled down unnoticed. I didn’t fancy a walk down the beaten track in the dark.

As a reward for my efforts, I treated myself to a farewell Fergburger. Three burgers in around a week isn’t bad at all. Some have three in 24 hours. I bumped into Neil and Simone while I was waiting for my burger. It turns out they’ll be hopping on the bus tomorrow too so at least there’ll be some familiar faces.

Back at the hostel, I started talking to two Irish girls who had checked in before I went out for my walk. I gave them my perspective of New Zealand. 

Jodie and Kate were so easy to talk to and there was never that awkward silence when nobody knows what else to say. Diego and Anibal are still learning English and sometimes they had no idea what I was saying. I helped them learn a few words though.

I planned on spending my last night packing my bag and catching an early night. That was until the Irish brought out the goon. We started with drinking games and then joined Diego, Anibal and his friends in the kitchen. The hostel has a curfew on drinking so it was back to the room for dancing and more drinking.

Overall, it was a very random night. I think there was something in the water as the guys could not keep their hands off of me...literally. My roommates and the guys at pool were very grabby. On the one side I was called beautiful and on the other, a guy tried to guess my bra size. When would that ever work? Oh my, you know the size of my boobs, what a man!!

He was wrong anyway but he tried to convince me otherwise waffling on about how the majority of women don’t know their true bra size. Hold up ladies, don’t measure yourself, get a drunken kiwi to get your true bra size.

It came as a relief that I managed to find a local that isn’t very nice (to put it politely). I was beginning to think this place was a little too perfect.

My evening ended with me pushing out one of the guys’ friends as he tried to kidnap me. He’d already failed to get with Jodie so he resorted to desperate measures. I managed to shove him out whilst everyone else was spark out in bed. Thanks for the help!

What a night, what a crazy-assed night. It was a shame I wouldn’t get to spend longer with Kate and Jodie but perhaps, for my own safety, it’s best that I move on.

Making Feathery Friends

Somehow I managed to drift off back to sleep despite the freezing temperature. It wasn’t long until my alarm went off though. It was time to throw off the duvet and get dressed.

As you know I’m not a morning person so this is usually a slow process. I never know what I’m going to wear and I always end up rummaging around in my bag to pick things out.

This time was different. I sped up like a Benny Hill comedy sketch. I layered up as fast as I could and made my way to the kitchen where I hoped that the fire was on.

It was and the place was pretty much empty. I think everyone else sensibly stayed in bed that bit longer. I needed some breakfast so I made a dash for it.

With muesli in tow, I nestled down in front of the fire.  I was joined by three Brits who were staying there in a campervan. We got talking about our travels and swapped our STA Travel traumas. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that has had a nice thing to say about them. How are they still running?

It happened again. Japan was mentioned and one of the girls, Louise, was really interested in visiting the country. Off I went on my little Japan tangent. By the end of it, Louise was still smiling and said that she wants to go more than ever now. I passed her my details and said that if she ever goes, to drop me a line and I’ll help the best I can. I’m not sure if I’ll hear from her as I wrote it on a flimsy piece of paper that could easily be misplaced. I’m happy to talk about Japan to anyone though so it’d be nice to hear from her.

We’d managed to talk all the way up until it was my time to leave. We said our goodbyes and I left with the bus for Invercargill. Most people from the bus chose to stay here for the night. Neil and Simone were going to hop off at Bluff to go hiking and I and one other were taking the ferry boat out to Stewart Island.

On the way to Te Anau I fell asleep. Even though I was right at the back, E.T. noticed and told everyone to turn around and stare at me. Nobody took a photo which is what usually happens!

We stopped off to get food for the evening. I wasn’t in a sensible mood whatsoever. My basket consisted off Tim Tams, snakes, bread and a potato. I was happy with my purchases!

Before we left Te Anau, we picked up another passenger – Michael from Munich. Normally when I meet someone from Germany I instantly ask whereabouts. As I was born in Germany, I always hope to find someone who is from the same city as my birthplace.

To say that, in my opinion, Germans make up most of the travelling population, I’ve only met one from Hannover. Even though there are Germans everywhere, I’ve also noticed that they’re not always the friendliest so I start with that. It’s something different and they react positively to it.

On the way down, we played a game called This Is Your Life. Someone comes up with three statements about themselves and one is a lie. It’s a really good game as you hear some crazy stories. Mine were all Japan related and most people guessed the lie which was annoying. I said – I’ve eaten Fugu, the potentially poisonous fish, I’ve fallen off of Mount Fuji and I’ve walked around naked in public. The third one is a trick as I was naked in public in the onsen pools but phrasing it like that makes it sound like I just walked down the street with no clothes on. I thought everyone would think that was a lie but no, I look like someone who randomly takes their clothes off in public!

E.T.’s choices were hilarious – he’s had 18 operations, he’s a hermaphrodite and Pamela Anderson introduced herself to him. I obviously thought the second one was a lie but most people opted for the Pamela Anderson story. E.T. is not a hermaphrodite and if he was, I doubt he’d let a bus full of strangers know!

When everyone stopped off at Invercargill I was a bit jealous as there’s a cinema, bowling and free pool. I’m probably going to miss out on a good night. I was still looking forward to Stewart Island though.

Before we boarded the boat, the few of us who were moving on from Invercargill stopped off at a viewpoint.

I made loose arrangements with Neil and Simone to meet back in Queenstown to go skiing. It would be great to get back out there and have another go.

Now it was just Caroline (French-Canadian) and me left to take on the ferry ride to Stewart Island. Caroline had taken anti-sickness tablets but I was confident that I wouldn’t need anything as I’d never been sea sick before.

What a joke. This was some kind of demon ferry ride. We spent more time in the air than on the water, it was crazy. I was ok for the first ten minutes but then I caved in. I thought I was going to be sick.

In a desperate bid to evade the vomit, I plugged in some music. The Lion King soundtrack came on. Hakuna Matata would not help me right now! I skipped to the next album which was Michael Buble. I bobbed to I Haven’t Met You Yet but everything else was too mellow. I needed something raaargh

It distracted me long enough so that I wasn’t sick everywhere. The song choices were a little unnerving – Apocalypse Please and the talk of the end of the world or how about Time Is Running Out with the opening lyrics, "I think I'm drowning, asphyxiated..." Damn!

The boat had been moving for a while and I was tempted to ask the captain how long we had left. I hesitated as I felt like I’d vomit Exorcist style if I opened my mouth.

Finally, the hellish ride stopped and I dashed off. I managed to keep everything down. The fresh air relieved me of my nausea as Caroline and I trundled off to our bed for the night.

Finding the hostel wasn’t a problem but locating the reception was a mystery. Eventually we figured it out and entered our room. Although it didn’t look like it was well heated, we had a million blankets and a duvet to snuggle under so I was looking forward to a toasty night’s sleep.

There didn’t seem to be much to do that evening so I snuggled up in bed and watched a few programmes on my laptop before I went to sleep.

*****

I awoke to a surprisingly crisp cool morning. It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be so getting ready wasn’t a big issue. I was able to take my time, grab some breakfast and make my way out to Ulva Island for some bird watching. I was on the prowl for a kiwi.

Caroline and I set off in good time. We had half an hour to get there but it was only a five minute walk. The hostel receptionist pointed out where we needed to be on the map. The boat was due to depart from Golden Bay.

As we exited the hostel, there were two roads to choose from. One was called Golden Bay Road and the other one wasn’t signposted. I suggested we went up the Golden Bay Road as the title in itself is a giveaway. Caroline looked at the map and said that the receptionist told her not to go up the road with a hill. Now we all know that I have no sense of direction and I’m forever getting lost. I decided to trust Caroline and went up the other street.

The funny thing was, the road that we were walking on was also a hill. I didn’t have a good feeling about this at all and hoped that the road linked back up to Golden Bay. It didn’t and we got lost. I flagged down a car and asked for directions. We were a long way from where we were supposed to be and only had ten minutes to get to the bay. I was worried.

After a lot of power walking and a mad sprint finish, I made it to the bay in time. I asked the woman at the ticket desk if they could wait a minute for Caroline who came down a few minutes after me.

We made it! I bought a ticket in the form of a leaf and boarded the small boat. Two guys were already sat down and joked about my sweaty demeanour. It didn’t take long for me to cool down as there was a peep hole right at the front of the boat. It was very much a Titanic moment.

As we had an afternoon ferry booked back to Bluff, we spent around three hours on the island following the various trails in an attempt to spot the elusive kiwi. There aren’t that many around and not that many people get to see them in the flesh. I was hoping that today was my lucky day.

A parakeet whooshed by me within minutes of stepping off the boat. I wandered around at a snail’s pace taking in the glorious nature around me. My eyes darted all over – to the branches for the common birds and the ground for the flightless kiwi bird.

I took a lot of nature shots. I wish I knew what this was!

Branches that reminded me of spider legs. Creepy

My buddy the Stewart Island Robin

New Zealand Pigeon - the only other birds that would sit still and let me take photos!

Overall I saw eight different types of bird. I never thought I’d be this excited about seeing a feathery creature but I really did have fun on Ulva Island. I made a new friend too. A cute little Robin flew across to me and started pecking by my feet. I walked off only to find it had flown in front of me. We walked together and I listened to it singing.

Three hours passed by so quickly. Although the trails around the island take an hour and a half to walk, I only just made it back in time for the boat.

With a few minutes to spare, I bought a booklet and read the signs that describe the history of Ulva Island. It's so fascinating how people are working towards creating a haven for endangered species. Between 1993 and 1997 all of the rats on Ulva island were killed. This is just one of many steps that have and still are being taken to eradicate weeds and pests from this island. I hope that all their hard works pays off in the end.

Once we were back in Stewart Island, hunger took over and I decided to head back to the hostel for lunch rather than walk along the bay. I wanted to make sure that I was fully alert for the boat ride back and not exhausted from all the walking.

Thankfully, the ferry back was nowhere near as bad as the previous journey. I managed to get a window seat and plugged in my music as a distraction.

E.T. met us at the ferry terminal and took us over to the viewpoint to meet the others from the bus. It turns out that everyone decided to have an early night in Invercargill so I didn’t miss out on anything.

We had a little photo session…

A long way from home

Chain that links the south island to Stewart Island (not literally!)

…then made our way back to Queenstown. It was a long journey and Bryony had prepared a game for us. The classic pass the parcel. For those who have never played this childhood party game, a prize is wrapped up several times. Music is played and when it stops, whoever is holding the parcel takes off a layer. As a child there would usually be sweets in between layers but what we found were dares. I love playing games that involve dares. It means I can be a complete idiot and have fun without any judgement as I’m just following through with a dare. It’s a great excuse to be a bit crazy.

Most of the dares were pretty tame. I had to lick a window and smell someone’s hair. I also had to catch a sheep. Unfortunately it was pitch black and we could not see any sheep. It was a dare I had to postpone. It was all good fun though.

We arrived in Queenstown quite late in the evening. I was too tired to cook so I had another Fergburger. It was delicious. I went for a Cock Cajun this time and it was the best chicken burger I’ve ever had in my life. That is no exaggeration. The chicken breast strips were thick, juicy and chargrilled. It had a lovely zingy spice to it that left your lips tingling slightly but it wasn’t too overpowering.

I didn’t time my burger demolishment well as some of the girls from the bus were going to head out for some drinks. Thankfully I had a little while for my Ferg baby to subside.

What started out as a bus outing, ended up being just me and a few others as everyone headed to bed for an early night. Great, as soon as I want to go out for some drinks, nobody wants to bother!

In the end we went to a couple of bars but I was in bed by 2am. Weak!

Cocktails in teapots, ha!

I love teeeea!

I made plans with the others to meet the next day to go to the viewpoint. I had no idea what I’d be doing for the rest of my time in Queenstown. My priority is to save money so I won’t be jumping out of any planes or crashing into fences any time soon!

Looking For Some Hot Stuff

Queenstown is the party town. The place is packed with bars and great eats. By day I tried to be as active as possible. This week I skied and did two canyon swings but by night, I mellowed out. Instead of partying, I skyped my parents and friends. I really enjoyed catching up with them.

Now that I’m getting down to my final destinations, my budget has grown tighter. It’s put things into perspective for me. Spending money on alcohol and partying with people that I don’t really care about (and vice versa!) isn’t a worthy investment. I’d rather put it towards more adventures and even a fantastic meal. You’d be surprised how much a great meal can lift your spirits after living off of baked potatoes, pasta and basic noodle dishes for weeks on end!

Perhaps I haven’t done everything there is possibly to do in Queenstown but I’ll be back in a few days. There are a couple of bars I’d like to visit and I still haven’t been to the view point. Everything else there is to do costs a lot of money and aren’t much of an interest to me right now. I’ve already been rafting and done a skydive. Nothing else stands out as something that I MUST do.

Next on the list was Milford Sound and Stewart Island. Today was a big day which is why the bus departed at 6:45am. I already warned my dorm roommates that I’d be leaving incredibly early and apologised in advance if I woke them up! I had everything packed up and ready to go so all I needed to do was drag everything out. What I didn’t anticipate was the obstacle course that was set out for me in the morning. A mountain of clothes and a stealthily hidden bag were my main tripping hazards. I managed to get out safely.

To ensure that I wasn’t rushing, I got up super early and had some time to spare. I sat at reception and had a chat with the guy behind the desk. I always end up quizzing people about the job situation in New Zealand and how they managed to find work. So far, it just seems like you have to be in the right place at the right time with a bag load of luck.

Later, some girls checked out and I recognised two of them from the previous bus. Everyone else was new to me. We picked up Neil and Simone, a Canadian couple who I’d met on the North Island. There was ten of us in total which wasn’t too bad. All girls apart from Neil.

Despite our small numbers, there was no trailer (because of the icy roads) so all our stuff had to be shoved in the back. Our driver was friendly and helped us all place our heavy bags in the right place.

With a new driver, came a new weird nickname. E.T. which was a bit odd as he looked nothing like an alien. Far from it, he was the best looking driver we’ve had! This is more of a compliment to him than a dig at the other drivers I hasten to add.

As it was a long drive, we stopped quite often to take photos and go on brief walks.

Can't get any fresher than that.

At Te Anau we stopped for a bite to eat and booked our Milford Cruise. I also paid for the boat ride across to Stewart Island. I didn’t realise how expensive it was and that we’d only be there for less than 24 hours. If I’d known earlier I would have arranged to hop off and spend an extra day there to make the journey more worthwhile.

We moved on towards Milford and boarded the cruise. We were surrounded by Asian tourists and rude men who had no qualms about shoving us. Helen (from our bus) had one guy grab her arm and pushed her out of the way. I’m not quite sure how I would have reacted to that. Helen was too shocked to retaliate.

As the boat took off, we made our way to the top deck. I took plenty of photos, as did everyone else, but I didn’t really get it. This was meant to be a top contender for one of the wonders of the world. Not to go all Karl Pilkington on you guys but it wasn’t anything special.

They say that it all depends on the weather. It rains two out of every three days and we caught the day with no rain so there weren't as many waterfalls. I wasn’t the only one who was underwhelmed but it made a nice day out all the same.

Someone I know was told that the best way to see and experience Milford and Doubtful Sound is to go on a kayaking trip. I was originally going to hop off in Te Anau and visit Doubtful Sound but the only trip that was running was a cruise like the one I was on but it would set me back $200. I’d rather wait and come back another time.

On the way out of the boat, I experienced my own rude-man-incident. This guy held my arm slightly and pushed me out of the way. What puzzled me more was that he had a tonne of room to get by so pushing me out of the way was fruitless. I aired my grievance - "Err EXCUSE ME!!" He looked at me in shock and mumbled a weak apology. I told him that there was no need to push me out of the way. I felt like I made my point. Cheeky git!

We stayed in a place called Gunns Camp which was a series of secluded lodgings. The amenities were basic and the only heating came from wood/coal fires. It was our responsibility to set it up and keep it going throughout the night. I could already foresee that our fire would go out and I’d freeze. It’s exactly what happened on the Castaway trip in Australia!

Warming up was my first priority so I pitched up a chair right next to the fire, as did a few others. We sat back as our bodies sighed in relief. I was just getting settled when E.T. came over and said that there is a waterfall not too far from here if anyone would like to go. I’d managed to find the perfect seat next to the fire and a plug socket for my laptop. I needed to re-charge my camera and, without anything else to do around the place, I intended to watch a movie later.

For some mad reason, I decided to go and see this three tier waterfall.

When I came back, my chair was empty. I went and got my laptop and cables but when I returned my chair was taken. I should have marked my territory. Instead I found an even comfier seat and placed it within a good distance from the fire so I was still able to warm up.

E.T. suggested we all pitch in for a communal meal. Bryony cooked us spaghetti bolognaise and there was plenty for everyone to have seconds. I was thankful to her as I’d have had no idea what I’d eat that night. The meal was really tasty and it meant that we all ate together too which was nice.

Most people opted for an early night. I was tired but I knew I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep until later so I waited until the electricity was turned off. At 9:45pm I made my way across to our cabin and found that my roommate was fast asleep. I couldn’t see a thing. I threw on the first things I could find and curled up in bed. At that point the room was nice and toasty.

As predicted I woke up in the middle of the night absolutely freezing. The fire had gone out and there were no more matches to start it back up again. I wasn’t as cold as I was that night in Australia but it still wasn’t pleasant. I was told that Stewart Island is even colder so I lay in bed picturing the layers I’d wear for that day.

Everybody's Heard About The Ferg

So skiing didn’t go quite according to plan. I hoped that was all my bad luck right there as I was about to swing across a canyon!

I walked over to the meeting point and joined the others from the bus. Everyone was giddy and excited whereas I felt like I was going to throw up. My mood lifted slightly when I weighed myself as I was 2kg lighter than when I was last weighed (skydive). It could be dodgy scales but they’d have to be pretty accurate for something like this right? I’m going with that.

The meeting time passed and my tandem swing partner was nowhere to be seen. At first I was a bit disappointed. I was nervous and having someone with me would help. Someone pointed out that it would be a greater achievement doing this alone. In the grand scheme of things it would fit in with my trip. I have conquered many fears on my own, why should this be any different? Let’s do this!!

Being the only one from the Stray bus doing the swing meant that I had nobody to make sure that I did this. I needed a pep talk at that moment.

Driving up was quite calming looking out at the fantastic surrounding views. Then I saw the bridges for the bungy and swing. Eugh. What am I doing? Why am I here? How did I ever think that I would enjoy this?

These questions buzzed around in my head and were left unanswered as I didn’t have time to register anything. I was being led out to the drop off point. There was only me and another couple that went out first.

Just in case you can't quite see, that IS a long way down

For some reason, I thought that watching someone else do it would help me. It didn’t. The Scottish couple were nice and really encouraging. They loved it. It was my turn. Ah!

I did not make things easy for myself. Sully helped me through it and secured my harness. He was abrupt and quite pushy but in a friendly way. That sounds contradictory but he’s done this hundreds of times and knows that once you get out there you love it so the more you sit and think about it, the less likely you are to actually do it.

In his own words, he politely told me to suck it up and get out there and stop being a fanny. I trusted Sully. Perhaps I warmed to him as he shared the name with a cuddly Pixar character. Man I love Monsters Inc.

We went through the process in stages. First, all I was doing was getting the harness secured. Then I needed to sit down in the harness. I’m not going anywhere. It was time to get lowered out. Ok this is a little scary but I’m not going to drop yet so I can just breathe and everything will be ok.

“Ok Danielle, it’s going to happen.” What!? Oh dear……..

Waaaah!

This is fricking awesome!!! Don’t get me wrong, the drop was intensely scary but as soon as that second was over the rush went straight to my head. I flung my arms up like I was on a roller coaster and enjoyed the ride.

Just like when I did the skydive, I panicked yet everything turned out to be brilliant. Even if I could predict the future and see that I was smiling at the end of it, I’d still be bricking it beforehand. I think it’s a natural reaction for most people who don’t have balls of steel.

The Scottish couple didn’t think I’d go through with it. As I babbled excitedly, a couple of girls came across to do their swing. One girl was fine and the other was freaking out. If it’s possible, I think she was worse than me. The girl wouldn’t let go of Sully as they were lowered out. I’m not sure whether she enjoyed it or not but I think she was happy that she did it.

Whilst they did their jump, I decided to do it again. It only costs $40 to jump again. That’s 20 quid which is a ridiculously low price to ignore. I wanted to go backwards this time.

Starting off cockily, I got strapped up. I knew what was coming this time so all was good right? Well, sort of. My brain was still getting over what I just put it through last time so I think it was protesting.

Before, I just shimmied forward and was eased off of the platform. This time I had to walk backwards. Despite being strapped to a harness, I knew that I was walking backwards off the edge. It was weird and I didn’t enjoy that much.

Sully said I could put my arms out like wings but I was still a bit nervy going backwards. In hindsight, I should have done that. Boom, off I went.

Going backwards gives you a bigger thrill but swinging forwards means you get to see the surroundings. You get thrown about a bit going backwards! Wow, what a thrill.

We all went back to look at our videos and photos. I couldn’t choose which package to get. In the meantime, the Scottish couple came over to show me their photos. At first I just focused on them and said they were great. It was only as they pointed me out in the background of each photo that I laughed. In each one, I was stood there with my hand across my mouth in shock. The rest were similar shots of me looking dumbfounded. I’ll forever be in their memories, sorry!

It was time to head back. I’d spent far too much money on the videos but I was happy that I got two swings for less than the retail price for one.

When I got back to the hostel, I started to think about how I could round of this fantastic day. But of course, I needed a Fergburger.

Everyone who has been to New Zealand will have heard of the Fergburger as it is a rite of passage for anyone coming through Queenstown. For those outsiders, a Fergburger is not just a burger. It’s a thing of splendour, of pure yumminess. Well just look for yourselves…

I included my phone for perspective.

The burger was massive but I still managed to cram it into my mouth. On a different occasion I had a Cock Cajun FergBurger. It was twice the size and I had to squish it down slightly and even then I struggled.

My brain was happy still and my stomach was blissfully happy if a little bloated (Ferg baby!). I settled down for the night with a massive grin on my face. Next on the list - Milford Sound. I’d be catching the bus at an ungodly hour the next day.

On A Slippery Slope To Failure

No dorm room stay would be the same without a scrabble around in the dark for belongings. I’d already packed everything that I needed for the day but I needed to unlock my locker and drag everything out. It wasn't that early but the room was still dark and everyone was comatose.

Layered up, I made my way across to the bus stop to meet Sapphire and head out to Coronet Peak for our day of skiing. I decided to ski over snowboarding as everyone says that it’s easier to learn. I was so excited.

We made it in good time and got our skis, poles and boots from rentals. To make sure that everything was securely fitted, I asked for help adjusting my boots. These things are practically welded onto your feet. It was a weird sensation having something suctioned to your leg and foot. Walking around was even stranger. It felt like I was walking on the moon.

It wasn’t difficult to find the meeting point for our first lesson. A huge group of people huddled around the locker area gripping skis and snowboards awkwardly. Sapphire and I waddled over and we were introduced to our instructor, Helen.

There was no way of knowing beforehand how many people would be in our group lesson but we were told 6-8. Our group grew to 15 as some late stragglers tagged on. I was a bit worried about how this was going to work but went along with it all the same.

Helen briefed us on the skis and how to step into them. We put one on first and got used to sliding forwards and backwards with it, lifting it up, hopping and twisting it mid-air. The last manoeuvre made me lose my balance and I fell over. I wasn’t wearing any waterproof bottoms so I hoped that would be the only time I fell. Surprisingly my joggers held out the water and I was fine.

Everyone was a bit wobbly at this point so I didn’t feel too inept. We attached our second ski and started to move around in circles and down the smallest of declines. Straight skis to move forwards and a wedge/triangle shape to brake. Helen beamed, “10 out of 10 Danielle.” Ha, this is alright.

Although we had an hour and a half lesson, ten minutes was wasted due to the confusion with the last minute additions. Also, because of the large group it meant that many of us were waiting around to ski down the slope and brake. It didn’t give us much practise.

I look confused even before I put the skis on, oh dear.

The lesson ended and we had a couple of hours before our next session. Sapphire and I had some nasty chips and gravy. Afterwards, I went out for some much needed practise. Whilst doing so, I met a few people from our group. One couple had gone up one of the larger slopes and said it was easy. I asked if they’d skied before and they said it was their first time. I decided to follow them up and give it a go.

It was a decision I’d soon regret as my wedge was not working. I was going faster and faster which made me panic. Thankfully the fluffy snow at the bottom slowed me down and I managed to dodge oncoming obstructions. I did not want to do that again.

Another couple asked about the slope and I told them that I found it tricky but I didn’t fall over. They went up and eased down calmly and broke without any hassles. The girl did say that she almost fell over and hurt her hip as the ski jutted out but found the rest of the way was alright. Hmm, maybe there’s something I’ve missed and I’ll catch up with the second lesson.

Practising wasn’t that easy as the beginner’s slope and area was crowded with instructors and learners. I tried my best until Helen returned and just hoped everything would fall together.

We all went up the first slope together as a group. We weren’t at a level good enough to try the ski-lift. Instead, a conveyor belt system or magic carpet as they call it, helped us up to the top. I felt like I was in a doll factory and was idly waiting for a giant stamp to label “reject” on me leaving me cast out from the others.

One by one, we all descended down the slope. Others went down gently and Helen critiqued their efforts to help us learn. I went next and flew down. Everyone was surprised I managed to stay upright. I don’t understand why I can’t brake. Exasperated, I asked Helen what I was doing wrong. Helen told me to wait where I was and she’d help me out.

It turned out that Helen asked me to wait at the top of the second slope and she’d help me out. Everyone looked at me and wondered why I wasn’t following them. I felt like a reject and was so frustrated with myself. I’m not used to finding sports and activities difficult. I was always able to grasp things like this easily from a young age. Perhaps it’s because I’m not as fearless anymore and the panic throws off my coordination.

The first couple I encountered during my practise earlier looked at me like I was dirt on their shoe. They told me to go up and meet Helen as I should have done before. Smug arses.

This time I was at the very top of the slope and I was scared. Helen told us all to wait where one of the girls was stood. I skied down the first bit ok. The second part was a bit trickier. I sped up and I couldn’t stop. I breezed past one of the girls as she stopped and I kept going until a fence broke my fall. Shit. I was so embarrassed. Helen came over and asked if I was ok and I burst into tears. I didn’t even feel any pain, I was just so frustrated and embarrassed.

Everyone else kept practising and Helen stuck with me. She put a contraption on the front of my skis to make it easier to form the wedge. This miracle piece of plastic helped and I was able to stop. Time and again, I managed to stop. Helen stood in front of me the whole time just in case I decided to veer off into a fence again.

We went down one more time without the contraption and I was able to do it. I still wasn’t confident. Helen praised me for sticking with it despite crashing. I just need more practise and hopefully I’ll get the hang of it. I wasn’t sure if I’d have the funds to come up again but it’s not something I will give up on that’s for sure.

Even though there was still a bit of time left before the resort closed, I was absolutely freezing. Sapphire and I called it a day and went inside to get changed and make our way back to the hostel.

Before I left, I went to the toilets to see if I had any marks on my face. I couldn’t see anything but there was a faint mark under my jawline.

Later on in the evening, I went to the kitchen to make myself some food. I went to fold my arms but I couldn’t. It was so weird. My arm was so stiff and every time I tried to place my right arm under my left armpit, I felt a searing pain.

Once I’d eaten I went back to my room and took my top off to see what was wrong. It didn’t feel like it was my arm. It was so strange. My whole left arm was red and swollen. I had one graze and some nasty bruises that ran from my wrist to my bicep. Yet more bruises to add to the collection. Sheesh, what is wrong with me?

With all that excitement in one day, I decided to rest and plod about the next day in anticipation for the swing. I wanted the soreness in my arm to ease off so I wasn’t up for anything too active. Just like the skydive, I was starting to get nervous!

Leaving Luxury For Squalor

Time is slipping away from me and it never feels like I’ve spent enough time in each place that I’ve visited. Is it better to leave a country wanting more or to be left satiated and content? I’d hope for the latter and so would my bank account but I doubt that will ever happen!

With all this time to myself, I’ve been mulling over what I’m going to do when my RTW flight ends. I know I should take each day as it comes and not worry too much about the future, but that end date is looming and I can’t help it. Should I fly back to Australia and finish my visa and if so should I fly back to Sydney or look for work in a more remote location to save money? Should I stay at home and plot my next adventure? There doesn’t seem to be a simple answer as there are equal pros and cons to each path. I still have a couple of months to think about it but if I’m still torn I might just have to roll a dice.

New Zealand has now been added to the list of places where I’d like to work. Most working visas are valid for people up to the age of 30. It means it’s now or never really as I know that if I come back home with intentions to settle, I’ll want to heavily pursue my writing and there might not be an easy exit from that if things develop for me.

I don’t have to worry about that until next year though so Australia or home is my sole dilemma at the moment. Phew, I need a break.

Simon and Ema invited me to the cinema to watch Men In Black 3. Simon applied for a job at Treble Cone Ski Resort but it’s not been confirmed yet so he had spent the day handing out CVs. All I’d done was pack my suitcase.

Wanaka’s cinema – Paradiso – is unique for many reasons. There’s a quaint café that serves snacks and hot meals. They bake fresh cookies and serve drinks to people in the cinema. There’s only one room and one screen. Within in that are sofas, comfy seats and a car. Yes…a car!

The film was alright and the warm cookie was delicious. I bid farewell to Simon and Ema and headed back to the hostel. Another bus was due in that evening so I was prepping myself for Battle Of The Buses mark three!

Well my intentions of meeting everyone from the bus was hopeless. The rugby was on so the bar was deserted. I came down later to find that the battle had been cancelled and I had no idea who was from Stray and who were from the enemy buses. I’d already made a tit out of myself in search of Paul the other night, I didn’t fancy doing that again. I’d meet everyone the next day anyway. I was more disappointed that I didn’t get another chance to win.

*****

For some reason, things haven’t clicked for me socially in New Zealand. I don’t know what I did in SE Asia but I met loads of lovely people and I rarely felt lonely. I had a great balance between being with awesome people and having time to myself. I felt a bit left out in Kyoto and Koh Phangan but those feelings were always short-lived as I moved on and met more people.

My only explanation is that I still can’t get over my fear of large social groups. It happened at the hostel in Sydney and now I fear that history is repeating itself. I thrive on a one-to-one basis or small groups but as soon as it reaches double figures, I seize up without even noticing it. I retreat and I’ve had years of practice being a wallflower so I tend to move around unnoticed.

At first I just thought I was homesick or that I wasn’t really that bothered about making friends. Since meeting Simon and co in Wanaka, I know that’s definitely not true. I had a great time and loved their company.

So throwing myself out of a plane is a piece of cake but put me in a room full of people and I cower in the corner. What the hell is that all about?!

You don’t need to be psychic to figure out what happened when I joined a full bus destined for Queenstown. I was already at a disadvantage as I was the only new person and there was definitely a family unit unfolding in front of me. They had a morning song – Des’ree’s You Gotta Be and then another guy played his favourite music. Now I thought this was a joke but he played more than one song and nobody objected. This was a daily occurrence. Justin Bieber. Where’s the nearest exit?

Everyone seemed friendly enough though and I spoke to a couple of people throughout the day but each time we left the bus everyone ran off to their little groups. I wasn’t too fussed as I was staying on in Queenstown which meant I’d be getting on a different bus again.

One of the last stops was at AJ Hackett’s bungy base. Before I came to New Zealand I really wanted to do the swing but then I changed my mind. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it and thought I’d rather save my money for something else.

We all made our way into the reception area and took a seat on the cushioned stools positioned near a large screen. A bubbly worker switched on a video that I think was meant to inspire us but it just made my head spin. It chronicled the origins of the first bungy and AJ Hackett’s continued pursuits. He is mad. Absolutely crazy. I wanted to keep my feet firmly on the ground and not attach them to a rope of intertwined elastic string.

A lot of people had signed up to do the Nevis bungy and they all looked really excited about it. Motors, our bus driver, decided to do the bungy swing. Well if I was going to get it for free, I’d probably do something as well!

If one more person signed up everyone would get $20 each off their bungys. Nobody else was budging. It can’t be that bad if you do a tandem swing right? I was missing the adrenalin rush that all my other activities had given me. I needed another hit. I signed up for the Nevis Bungy Swing and planned on doing it with Motors. I got a further discount for doing a tandem swing so it only came to $120 instead of $180. I was happy with that.

One girl from the bus, Leonie, had booked a bungy jump at night which looked incredible. If I was going to do that, I’d do it at night. The photos look spectacular and hopefully having your vision impaired by the darkness would help.

As we pulled up to the hostel I’d be staying at the next few nights, I saw a familiar face. It was Sapphire who I’d seen in Wanaka a few days ago. We had a brief catch up and realised that we both wanted to go skiing. We went to the main office in Queenstown and booked a combo pass for rentals and lessons. We’d be heading out the next day. I was excited that my stay in Queenstown will be busy with activities. I’d had my break in Wanaka and now I was ready to do something crazy again.

With everyone on a high at arriving in the party town that is Queenstown, the plan was to go out at get very drunk. I fell asleep and felt rotten. I wanted to feel fresh for tomorrow’s skiing session so I decided to skip out. How boring, I know. As I’m coming towards the end of my trip, I really need to save the pennies. Throwing it at a bar man is not my idea of fun. I’d rather splash out on activities during the day. I’d much prefer a pub visit than ricocheting off the staggering drunks within the bars.

That little power nap bit me in the arse later as I couldn’t sleep. There was music playing outside, a loud person skyping outside my door and the room stank of rotting clothes. I’ve inhaled some of the worst smells ever since travelling.

I rolled over to try and get comfortable and saw two more familiar faces – the Germans from Wanaka. It was actually two friends of the ones that I stayed with in Wanaka and they actually turned out to be quite nice.

Sanctuary this was not, but I couldn’t sniff at the price that I paid. Literally, my nasal hairs had melted from the stench. I was hardly the innocent dorm roommate though. The lockers are metal so I always ended up making noise when I tried to sort my stuff out. The mattresses rest upon springs so when the person on the top bunk lies on their mattress, it sinks down. I inadvertently kicked the guy above in the arse several times when I shifted in the night. Whoops!

No smelly roommates could distract me from my excitement for my impending activities. Bring on the adventure!