Its frickin freezing in here!
Trip Start
May 16, 2006
1
13
33
Trip End
Nov 18, 2006
Franz Josef, Wanaka and Queenstown, New Zealand
Friday, July 14, 2006
As geographers you can imagine how excited we were to be climbing a real life glacier (well actually i have to say that suzi's true geekdom showed its ugly head here as she was, shall we say, rather more excited than i was and insisted on giving our entire group lectures on the formations and definitions of the glacier!!! But i'm sure it was appreciated by all suze and only a few people avoided you!!! **In my defence...they did make the mistake of asking me 2 explain things and those of u at home who had the pleasure of doing a michelle clarke module will appreciate just how excited i must have been on finding out that a real life jokelup had happened here and our guide had seen it in action!!!**). Even without suzi's engaging commentary on all things glacial, it was an amazing to be climbing a glacier that big...it takes about a week to hike all the way to the top and whilst i was pretty keen on this idea suzi had a few reservations about a week sleeping in ice holes.....in hindsight she was probably right!! We got to see loads of blue ice (if anyone wants further clarification on how this is formed you know who to speak to!!! :)) AND we were given ice picks.....So obviously every time we stopped and waited for our guides to dig us more steps in the ice (yes it was pretty dangerous up there peeps!) we proceeded in hacking the glacier to pieces!!! Great fun! I think the highlight of the day, as agreed by all, was when I fell into a glacial pool up to my waist (a vicious murder plot by dangerous dave another guy on our trip!)! Although it wasn't much of a fall as more like a slip then a sit down!!! oh well!! We were also very proud to be crowned the slowest fast group ever......so proud!
Our next little adventure was in Wanaka, a gorgeous little town near Queenstown....lakes, snow capped mountains you get the picture! Also intrigueingly (or boringly) where Celine Dion lives...randomn!! We visited a little sports place where both of us proceeded on whooping the boys asses at golf and rifle shooting!! Girls rule! We also went to a bizarre place called Puzzle world....which was in fact puzzling! It did have a great maze though and we dismally failed to beat the record to get around it!
Queenstown:
AAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHH......Queenstown is enough to give old people several heartattacks a day!! It's like the adventure capital of the South and an amazing party town too! What more could a girl want???! We're both on a bit of a high today as we just did one of the highest Bungy's in New zealand.....a massive 109m high drop with a 60m freefall!!! So exhilerating!!! We did this over the shotover canyon in Queenstown and our crazy jumps included suzi being released hanging upside down, jen leaping off, being released backwards and also backwards sitting in a chair!!!! Couldn't get enough of it! check out our photos for the looks of extreme fear on our faces!!
Our other hair-raising activities here in Queenstown included the shotover jet, which is an extreme jet boat ride which takes you upriver through the canyons...a little too close to the canyons for comfort! Luging down the mountain above queenstown....a lot scarier than you'd think, especially when you're accompanied by 10 other crazy people most of whom are trying to barge you off the track!!
We also spent one rainy afternoon playing on the most amazing crazy golf course ever......which included a smoking volcanoe and chair lift rides for our golf balls!!!!
Our nightime adventures included the minus 5 ice bar...i.e everything made out of ice even the glasses and more free drinks willingly given out by bars than you could ever imagine!! We also enjoyed multiple parties in the spa at our hostel where we broke all the rules cramming 10 people in there and consuming alcoholic beverages and food stuffs!! naughty naughty!
Sadly QT was where we had 2 say bye 2 some awesome peops with whom we'd shared all the fun of the past week or so...miss u guys already!
There will be more cold adventures to follow as we head even further towards antartica in NZ..........
