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Melissa's & Gemma's Travels
Wel we fianlly left Oz on 24th Aug after making it our home for the last 3 months. Very strange to leave a contry after all that time. We had a couple of nights out in Cairns, but we had loads of stuff to sort out, so we didn't make it up to Cape trib. it is supposed top be the only place in the worls where the rain forest meets the beach! But that is how travelling goes, you have to deal with it! It's not like we are going to see more amazing sights! We arrived in NZ the same day into Auckland( North Island)!
Well a big hello from the other side of the world! It really does feel like that is some cases, mostly the +11 hrs time difference from back home! But NZ is a lot like home, which is very scary! The scenery consists of lots of sheep and cows, and hills but to a much bigger degree!
We arrived in auckland and rested after a our long travelling. the next morning we where up and going to collect our CAMPERVAN! Wahoo. we where so excited that we where going to be on our very own ROAD TRIP!
We picked up our home for the next 3 weeks, called Peanut! We feel in love instantly, it has a Snoopy on the side, but not as you know it, lot's of swearing, which is quite fitting for us!
We set off on our our NZ adventure with not a clue where we where going! Plus the van was an Automatic! You should have seen the look of panic when the guy told me and Gemma! Still he gave us the run down, and just figured the rest out by ourselves! Turns out we love it, and now are a little worried to coming back to a manual car, as you can just cruise along very easily in a Automatic!
Our !st stop was Rotorua where we took advantage of the Natural Springs there! They are amazing that the earth just creates such heat! We spent the evening relaxing in the pool, but the only down side was it smelt like rotten eggs! Just as well we got used to it after a while! No pegs needed. The next day we got up to do out 1st adrenalin sport ' Zorbing'. It was sooooo much fun. We did the wet cycle which means we wern't going to come out dry! The big desision was whether to do the straight run or the zig zag! The desision was made for us when we realised the straight was a lot faster! To see our pics, visit gem's journal www.statraveljournals.com/gemma21!
We then headed down to Taupo, wher the lake is supposed to be amazing. Unfortunaltly we must have caught it on a bad day as the weather was a little over cast, but we have to head back up that way, so we are hoping to see it in all its glory!
So we made our way down to Turangi, where we booked up to do White water rafting, No.2 on the adrenalin junkie list! Oh my god how much fun was it. We tackled the grade +3, which was scary enough for your first time! We crashed to many rapids, including - ' the b****'& ' close shave'! I was thinking of you Mum whislt we were nearly chucked out of the raft! And yes you are right you would have deafened us, but me and Gem ceratinly put up a good show for the British! I loved it so much, that if we come across another we will get on there and at a higher level!
We then made the mammoth trip down to Wellington the nations Capital! It looked amazing , but arriving to late to explore, and the next morning we had to sort out our speakers, as the only music we had was from my MP3 player and one ting speaker! We caught the ferry at 2pm and then arrived in the South Island in a 3hr crossing!
WE drove off the ferry at Picton and planned to get as near Christchurch as possible! As it was 5pm when we got off the ferry, most of the driving was in the dark, around very steep and windy mountains! We got as far as Cheviot, where we spent the night in a public car park, had our tuna pasta and got an early night!
Next morning we set of bright and early. Had a phone call from my long lost realitives, and planned to meet them that evening! It was another hours drive into Christchurch where we wandered round the city, which was very beautiful! We went to New Brighton for out typically English lunch of ' Fish and Chips'! We wlaked down brighton pier, and where amazed by 'nutter', who made some fab drawings in the sand! You'll see the pics!
We then went to a Water slide park calle Hydro Slide, 1- to kill time, and 2 - to have a shower as I wanted to look presentable for the relatives! It was great fun though, we got to act like 5 yr olds again, so it was all good.
We then went to meet my relatives Ian & Chrissie! It was so lovely to finally meet them, after all the confusion on when we going to be arriving! It was so very kind of them to open up their doors to littel englisg packpackers!
As you can imagine we had a long chin wag, and we had some home cooked food which chrissie made us! It was so nice to be in a house with all the comforts! We couldn't be parted from our van, so spent the night on the driveway! It wasn't really long enough, so we are hopefully stopping in on our way back up. I maybe meeting some of the family as well, so look forward to that. Also cannot wait to get your CD Ian, our NZ Road trip wouldn't be complete without it! Mum & Tracey we will send it home for you as it is just what you both would love folk music!
After a good bye's we where on the road again to Queenstown! It was a long trip on 7 hours, but we made it before dark! We went into town for our 4th meal out since we have been away! It was a lovely Steak house, and we forced a horrible bottle of wine down our necks! I even think it was better than Goon! We then went to a bar for a drink, but with all the driving we didn't end up stayinbg out!
We where hoping to do our Worlds highest canyon swing today, but due to the bad weather it was fully booked from all the skiers! We have booked on for tomorrow morning though 9.30am, so no going back! We thought is was very appropriote as we have done the world's highest bungy, so we had to do the worlds highest swing!
Snowboarding doesn't look hopeful though, with the winds being so high all the lift have been shut! It appears all the snow is melting fast as well! Still there is always another time and place eh!
I must say NZ is just an amazing place and so very beautiful! You can certainly see why Lord of the bloody Rings was filmed here! Also for all you budding fans, we have palssed many locations where variuos scenes where shot, not that either Gem or myself know which ones!
Love to everyone!
Mel x
P.s I am big Congratulations to Heather and Duncan on their engagment! And I will be completly offended if you tie the know before I come home. I will get Sarah to scream the house down!!!!!! he he, no but serioulsy it is wonderful news!
Sarah, my love m your adventures. I will take the time to sit down and reply to you email I only discovered the other day!
Jason keep your chin up about football, great believer in fate now, so things will all fall into place!
Brenda & Geoff - You are both stars, Thanks for all your help with the communication with Ian & Chrissie!
HAPPY DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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