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Kiwi experience bus tour
Tuesday 2nd February 2009
Had an early start to the day as I was going into the city with my uncle at 5.30am, as he had to go to work, I had the biggest full English breakfast yum! I sat around anxiously waiting to go to the kiwi experience bus stop. At around 8.15 Gideon came and helped me with my bags and took me around the corner, where a few other backpackers were waiting. Whilst I was waiting I got talking to an Essex girl, Denise, She was also here in NZ for a year and had the same idea as me, to travel down to the south island and work in Queenstown. The bus soon arrived after, it was packed. High season to go travelling! There was a bit of a kafuffle at the beginning of the journey with people getting on the wrong bus and missing the bus, but after all that we headed to the top of the biggest dormant volcano in Auckland - Mt Eden, from the top you could see all around. It was only a short stop here as we had a busy schedule; next stop was Cathedral Cove in the Coriander (where I was last week). We walked for 45 mins down hill to a beautiful little beach with the cathedral cove, Denise and I made 2 other friends Nicola and Claire so we chilled out and chilled with them. The walk back top a bit longer than 45mins as it was quite steep. Back on the hot sticky bus to go to out night accommodation, it was a family run hostel very cute! Denise and I got lucky as we some how got a twin room for the price of a dorm and had a secluded hut in the garden. After dinner Denise and I tried to plan our travels ahead so we could pre book the bus and not get stuck anywhere, we had an early night as it was a fairly early start tomorrow.
Wednesday 3rd February 2009
So the early start of 7.30am, only just making it on the bus, it seemed everyone had slept in too. The bus headed on down to Rotorua, on the way we stopped off at Karangahake to explore clad gorge, a very pleasant walk through what seemed to be something out ofjones adventures,walking across swing bridges and down dark caves. We then hurried back on the bus to get down to our destination, we had one last stop in Hauraki where I had a cheesy photo in front of the lord of the rings hobbit! Rotorua has sulphur dioxide gas caused by geothermal activity gives the town a distinctive eggy smell, Yuk! On arrival we were guided through the 'realm of tane' which was a place built up to look like a village, years and years ago. The tour guide taught us a little bit about history, culture and customs of the Maori people. A lot of us then headed of to go luging what I had done before in Auckland, but this one was bigger, better and a hell of a lot faster! To get to the top it took a 10 min gondola ride. We were rushed off again to go and learn a bit more about the village we were staying in with a tour around a geothermal park, where I saw bubbling mud baths, steam coming out of the ground and I sat down on hot rocks - very hot rocks, they showed us how they used to make clothes out of weaving plants and how they carve there bizarre wood statues. A lot of us were going to the Maori cultural evening for a feast. So we rushed to the hostel to sign in and get ready. The hostel was ok it was a 10 bed dorm, with a not so nice kitchen. Another bus picked us up at 7.00pm the bus driver was hilarious! He spoke to us in 55 languages told us his passion for rugby and how England are rubbish at the sport, then he chose a leader from the bus to represent us. The evening started with a traditional tribe haka you weren't aloud to laugh during this as it would offend them, but it was rather scary! After being accepted in to the village, we then went through to a fake village to see how they would have lived, then on through to watch a show on traditional dancing and singing. Whilst this was happening they were cooking our meat in an underground oven just like in Fiji, Dinner was served and even better pudding was after!
Thursday 4th February 2009
Denise and I hopped of the bus and stayed 2 extra nights in Rotorua , as we weren't keen on the rushing around and felt there was more to see. The next day Denise, Nicola, Claire and I went Zorbing, Zorbing is a massive inflatable ball which has another attached ball inside where you sit, and this inner ball is filled up with water. To get in you dive through a small whole in the side, when your in you try and push the ball over the edge and then you just roll down the hill, Claire, Nicola and I decided to all go together it was so much fun, you didn't know were you were going or when it was going to end! Great fun! After all that fun, Denise and I unfortunately went food shopping where we thought it would be best to plan some meals and save money, instead of going out for food. Not as easy as I thought it would be! For the rest of the day we all chilled out. And of course went out that evening to the local club for a boogie! And a couple of drinks.
Friday 5th February 2009
I had done all the fun activities in the area so Denise and I took a stroll around the park and dunked our feet in the thermal pool, the weather was fantastic but to hot so I couldn't really stay out long, we got an ice-cream and wondered back to the hostel. I packed up the mess I seemed to have made as we caught the bus the next day.
Saturday 6th February 2009
Got on the bus at 8.30 for a long bus drive to waitomo, that day was mostly spent on the bus except for a couple of stops, the first stop was in Rotorua for the people who didn't go Zorbing, and for the rest of us that had already been went off to watch a sheep show, yes its true the Kiwi's love there sheep, all 19 breeds of them! They showed us how to sheer a sheep, which looks like very hard work! And they showed us different breeds of sheep dogs and how they did there job! the next main stop was at and adventure park were you could do a small bungee, speed boating, or a giant swing, I didn't fancy any of the activities as there were bigger ones and better ones to do! We got to the hostel around 5ish, once again Denise and I were lucky as we paid for a dorm and received a twin J, I hope this is a regular occurrence, in the evening we all had a BBQ, so we got to know more people on the bus.
Sunday 7th February 2009
Today you could choose to head on down and go Black water rafting. Black water rafting is basically caving with exemptions of abseiling down in to the cave, flying fox through part of the cave and then jumping infreezing cold fresh water in a rubber dingy and floating down the cave, so I was defiantly up for it! It was an early pick up at 7.30 as we were going to be in the caves for 5 hours. Everyone got kitted up in a wet suit, helmet and harness. Whilst in the caves, we saw millions of glow worms and some eels, whilst we were down there we even jumped off a waterfall and climbed back up through it, which was very hard as the water fallen down on your back felt like a ton of bricks, and then we had the choose of climbing out of the caves by the water falls or and easy option, of course we all chose climbing out the waterfall, the 2 guides were really helpful and funny so we weren't in any danger! We then had to get back on a hot sticky bus as we were heading further down south to Taupo. That evening I was knackered and had an early night!
Monday 8th February 2009
This is going to sound very shocking but Denise and I went on a 8 hour hike, called the Tongariro crossing, we got picked up at 6.00am an hour bus drive there and the hike began, we officially started the walk at 7.15am it started very pleasant, and easy then it hit what they call the devils star case, then the walk became the official walk of death, they gave us a map with time barriers, of which we didn't complete once. The sun started to rise and it got hotter and harder, after the stairs there was more up hill struggle, but this part was very windy as we were so high up above the clouds, there was a steep drop either side of a narrow path, so yes it was very dangerous and not enjoyable. There was a small fun part to the hike and that is when we got to slide down the gravel to a flat part of the walk, but then it was up hill again. 8 hours later at 3.15 we arrived at the bus where I wanted to cry with joy! The hour trip home, was very quite as everyone was sleeping. That night I caught up on some diary writing before I knew it was 11.30pm.
Tuesday 9th February 09
Rest, rest, rest! I was all achy from the hike so today was nothing but rest! With some washing involved and eating but that was about it.
Friday 12th February 09
Nicola and Clare from Rotorua joined Denise and I in Taupo today, so we took a 1 hour walk up to the hot lakes, It was gorgeous there was a flowing hot waterfall which mixed with the warm stream made a hot bath! The closer you got to the waterfall the hotter it got; it was very relaxing with the sun shinning.When it got quite busy we then walked a further hour up to the Hakka falls were the views were just amazing I couldn't get over how nature could have made something so amazing! After I got back to the hostel the skydive bus was waiting outside for a group to go, I thought this was my chance to go and do it, I asked if there were any seats - of which there were, so I had no chance to think about it and just go and do it! So a short bus journey there, and an hour waiting, 6 people including me got our sexy overalls, hat and goggles on and met our skydive masters, mine was called Damo, he checked my harness, which was always a good sign then we all hopped in a small aeroplane, it took 20 minutes to get up to 15000ft, after 12000ft 2 ladies jumped out, my heart started to race! The rest of us who were going up further then had to have oxygen masks, exciting!!! Before I knew it the doors opened and the first girl jumped out, then my camera man hoped out and attached himself to the outside of the plane this was so he could film me jumping out, me and the master then scooted across the floor there, dangled our feet over the edge. He placed my head back then pushed us off!! It was CRAZY!!! I didn't feel scared at all, I just loved every minute of it! It was hard to concentrate on breathing as the air just rushed past you so fast! I couldn't see much apart from cloud, so as you can imagine my feet were freezing! I couldn't stop smiling! When you jump off you have to make a banana shape with your body and bend your legs I completely forgot to do this, but Damo had some how managed to swoop them up, I didn't even realise! The camera guy is in front of you doing signs for you to copy, after a fast 50 seconds, Damo pulled the parachute and you suddenly fly up!
The scenery is fantastic! It then takes 5 minutes to down to the ground, so you have a good amount of time to look around. When I was about to land I had to raise my feet up and hold on. It felt like I was going to crash but Damo had it all sorted.
Saturday 14th February 2009
Today Denise and I wonderd over to our friend, Nicola and Claire's hostel as we all were going for a walk down to the hot water falls, it was a very pleasant hour walk to thiscold lake withboiling hot waterfalls, so when you walked in, it was warm, after a good relax and swim,we carried on walking up to the hukka falls this was another hour up hill, but it was defently worth it! I couldn't believe how beautiful it was, the most water through the smallest space in the world, the water was icey blue and you could feel the cold breeze. We all then hopped on a bus back to town, had dinner and got ready to go out.
Sunday 15th February 2009
Today I was leaving Taupo with Denise, to head to River valley, it was a long bus journey luckily the weather wasn't to great so I wasn't missing out on anything. To get to the hostel we had to climb down a step hill, as the bus couldn't get down there. The hostel was on the lake, it had volleyball nets out side and the dorm room was a MASSIVE bunk bed which slept 8 on top and 8 underneath, luckily I was only there for 1 night, that evening I had a massive roast chicken dinner, which was very yummy then a few of us sat around playing card games, this took a while as no-one knew any rules or games!
Monday 16th February
Today was an early start as I was going white water rafting in the lake next to the hostel, there were a few people going, enough to fill out 4 boats, Denise and I ended up just us two in a boat with a trainee rafter and an examiner, which was great fun as we kept getting stuck in the rapids and flipped out, excellent! There were command we had to follow to help her, like paddle, paddle backwards, dive over the other side of the boat and all sorts, there was one point were we both had to leave the raft as it was so stuck! and stand on a rock, jump off and swim down the rapid! We also jumped off a 7 meter high rock, the whole experience was amazing! After that, we all jumped back on the kiwi experience bus and headed to Wellington, the longest most misserble drive! It was pooring it down and it took a good 5 hours! That evening I meet to girls who came from Bournemouth , fancy that!!
Tuesday 17th February 2009
The first day in Wellington, Denise and I thought it would be a good idea to stop and get a job here so we could keep up with all the fun activities, so we headed of job hunting L with the massive credit crunch there was nothing around not even bar work.
Wednesday 18th February 2009
Denise and I took a short walk to the Te Pupa museum, were we got to see a giant squid and learn more about New Zealand land and culture. We didn't do much in the afternoon, as it started to rain. After a long day of thinking about my trip I decided to re-plan my journey with out Denise as she was defiantly staying in Wellington. In the evening after a couple of really bad games of Pool we bumped in to Nicola and Claire, with not a lot to do we watched a film together on my very useful laptop!
Friday 20th February 2009
Had a ponder around the town and bought some hiking trainers they were a bargain had $90 off! Also did a food shop, but other than that didn't do a lot.
Saturday 21st February 2009
Meeting up with Nicola and Claire we all headed in to town as it was wellingtons carnival day, it was great fun, the sun was shinning and there was so much to see even Morris dancers. We spent most of the day there then nipped back for dinner then head out in the evening to watch the street parade, it started at 9 but we went early and got great watching positions, everybody was buzzing and town was alive so after the parade Denise and I went out for the last time together Nicola and Claire joined us fora bit but were to tired and went home early. Of course Denise and I partied on late.
Sunday 22nd February 2009
I was leaving Wellington today to head to the south island, so this morning Denise and I had to say our goodbyes L a short journey to the ferry and a 3 hour ferry ride south I arrived in Picton. Everybody on this bus didn't really know each other which was s good thing as then I was like the rest. The day was rainy and cloudy which was good as again it was a long day on the bus. I Got talking to a German girl we spoke so much about the world and she taught me a lot about the world war 2 and all the turkey immigrants living in her country. I loved learning about what she had to say as it bought me back down to earth and for me see how lucky I was! The new hostel was more like a hotel it was above a small pub in a small town. I popped down to the supermarket as I had decided to go on a trek, camp and kayak tomorrow.
Monday 23rd February 2009
An early start as the shuttle bus arrived outside at 7am to take me to a beautiful forest the Able Tasman. I decided to do something really out of my comfort zone - camping! As the Able Tasman is so large a small jet boat took me up north to the beach called Te Pukatea Bay, I started the hike at 10am luckily it was a gorgeous day. First I took the extra 45min walk around Anchorage to the look out views to take some pictures. This was the hardest part of the walk as I was just getting started. I then had a stroll on the next bay up to get across. With the tide being high the next bay wasn't as easy as cutting across but hiking an extra hour and 20 mins around. So before I tackled that I took a 10 min wonder to 'Cleopatra's pool' meaning to go for a dip but chickening out with it being so so freezing! A couple of hours after I stopped for lunch on the beach this was at around 1oclock so only 2 more hours to go. The last 2 hours were so pleasant and easy al though I am very glad to have had my new walking shoes on.So I arrived at Bark bay were I would be stopping for the night the camping gear was waiting on the beach for me. There were a few other tents already up so it didn't take long to start talking to people. I had my premade dinner before it got dark then a few of us sat by the fire until late. The night's sleep was rubbish! And very uncomfortable, I don't think ill be rushing to go camping any time soon.
Tuesday 24th February 2009
Today was Kayak day back to the Kaiteriteri beach were we first started. At 9.45 a boat arrived with people and kayaks there were 4 double kayaks in my group with the leader Cam. Cam showed us how to use the paddles properly and how to put on our 'skirts' (skirts are the wet suit material which was on me and joined me to the kayak) so when everyone was ready we headed of as a group down south. We all headed out to Pinnacle Island. This island was a seal economy so I got to see 3 big seals and 2 pups and 2 seals playing in the water I thought it was fab! We circled the tiny tiny island then carried on south stopping in conservation beach for lunch, we stopped for a good hour as we had been kayaking for 3 hours. Then heading out east to 'Adele's island' to play around in the kayaks with the rocks. We all paddled out even more east so we could sail. As it was a really windy day we could hold on to each others kayaks and put up a sail with the back edge people's paddles and the front edge people would the corners. I was in the middle I just had to make sure to hold on to the other kayaks as we would tip over. We then held with position for a good 2 hours heading towards the bay, when we got close we separated and paddled in, surfing the waves so it didn't take long, it felt good to get out of the kayak as I couldn't feel my feet or hands as they were so cold.
Thursday 25th February 2009
The bus left this morning at 8.30 to head to Westport. This was the place were everyone on the bus was new as it was the first bus in the south island. So I was hoping for a great bus load of people, of which I am lucky to say everybody seemed to be really nice and got on well with each other, and the bus driver seemed very experience and was a great laugh. The first stop was for a dip in the freezing cold lake, of which I didn't fancy so took a short walk, a very short walk as I seemed to be bitten by a million sand flies, they seem to love me! on the way to Westport the coach played a game called speed friendship dating, this was where the person on the window side (me) stayed sitting down and the isle people moved anticlockwise around the bus, every 5 mins they would change seats, its a great way to meet everyone on your bus but hard work! The next stop was in Westport called Buller adventures, this is where I went of jet boating with 17 other people, it was great fun! The boat took us at a stroll pace up the river, then a fast, whizzing, spinning pace back up the river, so everybody got drenched! Great fun. The drive to the hostel was only 5 mins into town which was fab as I didn't fancy sitting on a coach cold and wet for ages, the hostel was a cute family run hostel a nice change from Base hostels. That evening it was compulsory to meet in the local pub to get to know every one more.
Thursday 26th February 2009
The bus left this morning at 8.30 to head to Westport. This was the place were everyone on the bus was new as it was the first bus in the south island. So I was hoping for a great bus load of people, of which I am lucky to say everybody seemed to be really nice and got on well with each other, and the bus driver seemed very experience and was a great laugh. The first stop was for a dip in the freezing cold lake, of which I didn't fancy so took a short walk, a very short walk as I seemed to be bitten by a million sand flies, they seem to love me! On the way to Westport the coach played a game called speed friendship dating, this was where the person on the window side (me) stayed sitting down and the isle people moved anticlockwise around the bus, every 5 mins they would change seats; it's a great way to meet everyone on your bus but hard work! The next stop was in Westport called Buller adventures, this is where I went of jet boating with 17 other people, and it was great fun! The boat took us at a stroll pace up the river, then a fast, whizzing, spinning pace back up the river, so everybody got drenched! Great fun. The drive to the hostel was only 5 mins into town which was fab as I didn't fancy sitting on a coach cold and wet for ages, the hostel was a cute family run hostel a nice change from Base hostels. That evening it was compulsory to meet in the local pub to get to know every one more.
Friday 27th February 2009
Everybody was excited to go to 'uncle les's' poo party tonight. it was a themed party that was quite famous! on the way to Lake mahinapua we stopped off for a couple of walks, the first one was around Tauranga bay a seal colony it was a nice 1 hour walk to stretch legs although I didn't see any seal which was ok as I saw them and got very close to them on the kayak trip at the able Tasman. we drove for another hour or so then walked punakaiki so see its famous blow holes. we all then went to a charity shop to get tonight's fancy dress outfit the theme for our bus was bad taste, me and 2 other girls went as chavs, I was a pregnant one - I looked disgusting! We arrived in time for happy hour, where we were staying was a tiny pub, with a shed for showers and beds, but no one cared as it was for the party we were there! les cooked up steak and Venice with potatoes and salad a meal everyone needed and loved. people then got ready and headed into the pub. It was a fantastic night, people from all over the world and part of England, different ages all together having a great time!
Saturday 28th February 2009
A very hung over bus headed on down to Franz Joseph, it was quite a long journey so we stopped off at a crazy café which also had a really bad museum about possums and reindeer outside, quite the strange place. That evening a few of us headed to the pub for a quiet one.
Sunday 1st March 2009
Today was the day that I would be doing the full day glacier hike, a group of us walked round to the meeting building in the pouring rain, it didn't look to hopeful! After signing in and getting kitted up, unfortunately it was cancelled but you could go up and do the half day hike, but I didn't fancy this as apparently all you saw was dirty ice! Bit rubbish! So instead I had a sleeping day to recover from the poo party last night. In the evening the bus load joined up in the pub for a few games of pool.
Monday 2nd March 2009
Woo hoo it was sunny; this meant I could do the full day glacier hike. I had to go around to the pick up place at 9.15 am and they had heard it was all good to go up to hike. After getting kitted up top to toe with trousers, boots, jackets, mitts and hat. I were driven up to the beginning of the glacier, I had to walk for 45 mins through the forest to get to the glacier then we walked up along the river to the bottom of the glacier, At this point 60 people were split in to 6 groups depending on what you thought your level of fitness was, each group of 10 had an instructor, whilst at the bottom on the Glacier I had crampons to fit on the bottom of the boots, you couldn't go on the ice unless you had them on. The first part of the walk was the hardest as it was so steep and it wasn't on direct ice it was on top of grubble, as when the glacier pushes down it picks up the rocks so it forms a layer of rock on top of the ice. After the step rocky part it went on to dirty flat ice this wasn't to pretty to see but about 3 hours up and into the glacier it was pure white and blue ice, it also got a bit more interesting in the walk as we walked through crevasses and pulled ourselves up on rope, the guides would hack small steps in to the ice to help with the steep/dangerous parts. When at the top it was an easy pleasant walk back down to the bottom, overall it was beautiful, I got a bit soggy which made it very cold when stopping but what else would you expect I was on a huge block of ice! J That evening I had booked myself into a different hostel which had its own kitchen and bathroom in it a very good hostel!
Tuesday 3rd March 2009
Leaving the cool little hostel we drove to Wanaka. I had to get on a new bus which was fine as I was with some really nice couples, on the way the bus stopped off at the mirror lakes, which was a beautiful walk took about an hour loop, but the scenery is priceless, gorgeous!the south island is defiantly prettier than the north. we were all advised by the bus driver to have an quiet early night as the first night in Queenstown would be a heavy night, so a few of us just watched a DVD in the room, after a cheep $6 BBQ in the hostel.
Wednesday 4th March 2009
We could have a bit of a lay in this morning which is always nice, on the way to Queenstown we went to puzzle world, so everybody turned into big kids, it is the only place with a 2 level maze, and had optic illusions and was great fun, we spend a good couple of hours there, then back on the bus to Queenstown, another quick stop was made for people who were doing bungee jumps had to pay, and a couple of crazy people did the small bungee then and there. That evening the whole bus joined up and headed out and had a great nigt out.
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