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Mwahahahahaaaa!!!! Guess who just conquered the 134m Nevis bungy jump - yes, the highest bungy in Australasia and the highest all-year-round bungy
If you haven't guessed, I'm in New Zealand right now and in the party capital of Queenstown. I've honestly never seen so many ski/snowboarding shops in my life. It's THE big thing over here. It's especially the case since the winter sports season has just started, as has the winter festival which began two days ago. However, the festivities to celebrate the start of the festival had to be cancelled a couple of days ago because of - and this excuse reminded me of England - too much snow! Although it dampended a few of the high spirits and forced me and my friends to postpone our bungy jump, we simply moved it back and have been having a blast in the meantime!
So, what's happened. Well, I arrived into Christchurch early morning on the 11th of June and settled in. It was a beautiful town, albeit very quiet. There wasn't much to do there part from walk around, shop and take a few pictures. The biggest change I noticed when arriving in NZ was the temperature! It was absolutely freezing. Lucky I had a radiator in my room and even more lucky I got a hat, gloves and a scarf in Sydney for $14 (AUD)! So, I ended up buying a winter coat in Christchurch as I lost my previous one in Indonesia whenever that was - seems like yonks ago now!
Christchurch was pretty peaceful. I took a few pictures here and there, played chess with a Kiwi on the outside life-size chess board (like the one in Selfridges in London) and also bumped into some familiar faces!
First was at the airport. I got out of the plane and picked up my bags from baggage claim (now on my list of the things I hate most in life, along with queueing and filling in forms) and then saw the two old Wimbledon College friends I saw in Rainbow Beach, Australia! I knew they were arriving into Christchurch on the same day, but they were flying from Sydney. Turns out the flights were at similar times. So we got on the bus together to the hostel and stayed there for the night. The next morning they left as they started their Kiwi Experience bus trip. I had yet to organise mine. They were in much more of a rush as they only have 16 days in NZ!
Second. After a couple days in Christchurch and having organised my Kiwi Experience, I decided to do some laundry I couldn't be bothered to do in Melbourne. On taking my laundry down from my room, I dropped my laundry bag as I saw three guys from Wimbledon College who I shared classes with very regularly - even moreso than the two other guys! It was mental. I ended up chatting with them for a while as we exchanged travel stories and filled each other in on life back home. Coincidental thing was that they weren't even staying at my hostel - they were just there to use the free phone! It was a great surprise.
Third. I was sitting on the phone to sort out my account situation and saw a friend from Byron Bay who was with me from when I found out about the credit card fraud. It was good to have met with so many familiar faces - especially on arriving in a new country!
I ended up staying with the friend from Byron Bay for a few days before I departed Christchurch on the 14th of June. I then headed to Kaikoura. We passed through beautiful scenery and numerous snow-capped mountains. It was incredible - along with how many sheep we saw! I then stayed that night in a room with an American studying over in Australia but over in NZ on holiday, and three pre-uni gappers from Devon. Since meeting the three boys from Devon, we haven't parted. We have been having the time of our lives and hit it off from the get-go. I've changed my itinerary and am heading with them up to Rorotua (the one stop before Auckland - my final stop). So, I'm with them for pretty much all my time here in NZ. It's so awesome. We've booked snowboarding for the 27th-29th June and just went bungy jumping today! We'll also be skydiving in Taupo (cheapest place in NZ to do it). Pictures of my adventures in Oz and the start of NZ are still to come - promise!
So, after Kaikoura, we went to Nelson. Stayed there for a night and played table football for most of the afternoon. The American left us there as he was staying for two nights, but we would later see him in Franz Josef. In Nelson we didn't do much apart from see a Seal Colony which was pretty cool. Mountains are everywhere in this country - no lie - as are sheep, or did I mention that already? After Nelson was Westport for a night. Then Lake Mahinapua - a beautiful and very reflective lake. Sometimes it looked like a mirror! We stayed there for a night for the infamous fancy dress night of the Kiwi Experience. The theme was - dress as something beginning with the first letter of your name. I was a doctor, while the three guys from Devon (Luke, Ross & James) went as a ladyboy, a roman and a johnny. It was a hilarious night. Plenty of pictures from there to come for sure!!
Then was Franz Josef. We were to stay there two nights, as we were spending the second day on an 8-hour trek of the famous Franz Josef glacier. Now, I know you think you know cold. But honestly, you don't know cold until you've fallen through ice and place your leg into extremely cold water on a huge glacier. We trekked over ice mountains, slid between huge ice corridors and saw amazing views. It was tiring but well worth it. After Franz Josef we were heading to Wanaka. That was a real ski town, though nice and small. I even bumped into a young couple I hadn't seen since a month previous in Cairns. It was crazy and took me by real surprise!
After Wanaka was Queenstown on the 21st of June. Everyone was hyped. We all knew Queenstown was THE party town. Not only that, but winter festival was also starting. So multiply the party town by ten, and you get Queenstown as it is now. We partied hard on the first night and had a great time. Since then, we've booked snowboarding and did the bungy today. It was the most exhilirating experience of my life. I was pumped for the whole journey before it. Each of the Devon boys had their fear kick in at some point before reaching the edge, but I didn't. I was as confident as ever. I was even confident as I saw all my boys do it before me (I was the lightest in weight and hence was last). However, once I reached the ledge it kicked in that I had to jump off it. It hit me that I was doing something my mind said ''no'' to. It looked crazy, insane and stupid. On the first countdown - 5,4,3,2,1 - I didn't move. I froze. The bungy guy then said to me, ''Come on, Darryl. You gotta do this'' (or something like that - I think it was me talking to myself to be honest!). I then said to myself, ''Yeah, I do gotta do this. I wanna do this. LET'S DO IT!''. So, I bent my knees, put my right hand out as if to leap into the air like superman, and jumped into nothing. After a few seconds, I felt a jiggle - I knew I was attached to a cord. The feeling of safety reassured me and calmed me down quicker than you can say 'bungy jump'. I then kept my arm out and enjoyed the fall. I then felt the bounce kick in. I had to pull on a cord by my knee after two bounces. I did and turned upright to be pulled back up. I was elated. I done it!! I screamed in joy and enjoyed the picture perfect view as I was raised back up. The pictures to be uploaded soon. I will try and compress the DVD of it that I bought and upload it. If not, you'll see the Superman in action when I get back!
Okay, so that's all for now. I'll try and update you again in Queenstown after snowboarding. If not, probably when I revisit Christchurch on my way to the North Island. I'll be there in Wellington on the 2nd of July. I know you're all probably wanting photos of all this stuff I'm telling you that I'm doing. They are coming, I promise ;)
May the Force be with you,
Adrenaline Junkie Darryl :P
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