Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'...
Trip Start
Feb 02, 2006
1
13
19
Trip End
May 02, 2006
Greymouth, New Zealand
Sunday, April 9, 2006
Just another NZ update on our latest mischief...!
Leaving Dunedin, we headed by our little car towards Milford Sound - basically a very picturesque bay area popular for ferry cruising, known as a fiord* (and NOT a Sound as the Guide was keen to point out)
We stayed the night before and after in Te Anau, a small town, where we continued our backpacker routine of cooking subway style - FRESH! We actually did make food and not eat subway sandwiches.
We milford cruise was great, luckily for my weak stomach - pretty calm. Managed to see dolphins (yes more!) and seals...which was nice(!). The drive upto was scenic and we stopped along the way to take piccies - which you'll all have to endure when you visit. About 1000 and counting...You have been warned!
After the cruise day, we headed out to Queenstown - adventure capital of the world. We stayed at the appropriately named...Bungi backpackers. And! You'll never guess what we did....??? Yes, that's right - we did adventure activities (bungi excluded!). I did a jet boat around the kawerau river, great having 360 degree spins, and getting pretty drenched! Also, a white water rafting adventure on shotover river (my cuz Kiran did this too) that was excellent, and yes I got very, very wet! A must-do that one.
Jay decided against these EXCITING activities, opting for a boring SKY DIVE! Just kidding! I am very proud of her, she went tandem from 12000ft, I couldn't do that. We also have the DVD for you all to see! She has recommended this to me and everyone she's met on the trip so far, and I mean... Everyone!
From here, we drove towards Franz Josef, one of 3 only warm glaciers, stopping enroute at Arrowtown (old western style town, think American Adventure theme park with cars!), and Wanaka - yes that's spelt correctly! In Wanaka, we went to a Puzzling Park, with lifesize mazes and lots of mindboggling puzzles...let's just say both our brains had a serious workout, and that's no mean feat for me especially!
Onto FJ, we did a 6 hour trek, with 4 hours of ice trekking, unbelievable, very demanding, but we both did it. An immense feeling of satisfaction, the views were spectacular (note new word) and the blue ice was beautiful. The poor guide, treks up here 5 days a week, she's like Xena warrior princess, as she used a pickaxe to break up the ice for us trekkers to make stairways and safe steps. All was very safely indeed. That evening, for Jay's b'day - we celebrated with lovely roast meal. mmm. and a beer. mmm.
Next stop up the coast was Greymouth, in all reality - there's bugger all to do there, but it broke up some yet more scenic (sound like a broken record hey?) driving.
Next update from Wellington. My fingers probably hurt as much as your eyes...! Sorry!
*sorry I can't remember the difference betwen them! Who cares!!!
