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So the South Island started with me throwing up…I thought I'd gotten over the travel sickness of my childhood but apparently not as I couldn't stand the waves on the ferry over to Picton. They were huge and the boat was rocking from side to side for well over 3 hours L But to keep my spirits high the first stop of the day was to do wine and liquor tasting in the Marlborough vineyards before heading to Abel Tasman National Park - one of the most popular national parks in the country. The national park was fabulous, it was right on the ocean so you got brilliant views as you were hiking around and I even did a half day sailing trip to get up close and personal with sea lions and penguins! Sadly the wind didn't pick up enough to sail but we were on a catamaran so glided across the waves nicely before a 3 hour hike back to camp.
The next day was stop after stop after stop along route to Barrytown. We saw the Buller River and Gorge, the Westport seal colony, Punakaiki pancake rocks and hiked down tracks to beautiful beaches before arriving in the town that states 'what happens in Barrytown stays in Barrytown!'. There was NOTHING to do here but have a party and a fancy dress party at that - with the theme Christmas (not very original but hey!). Now I don't want to brag but I came 2nd in the fancy dress competition with my outfit of shoving my body into a box for packaging presents. Tied in with gaffer tape I managed to dance the night away and even play the game where you have to pick a cereal box up with you teeth off the floor. I was down to the last 5 winners but to win the actual prize we had a dance off. Now my moves couldn't compete with the only boy left in the competition Felix and he won hands down without having to dance! Lucy will be pleased to know that the worm made an appearance and got quite an applause haha!!
Now my favorite activity of the trip was at Franz Josef, hiking the glacier. It was an amazing experience, from the outset it looked fairly small but once you are on top of the glacier climbing through cracks and crevasses you realize you look like a needle in a haystack! We even had to climb over parts using ropes which terrified me, not going to lie I may have had a bit of a freak out but our guide took charge and lead me to safety! Another 8 hour hike done with I relaxed in the hot pools by our hostel and got nice and toasty again J
After a night in Makarora we headed to Cromwell to meet Nicki's family Moira and Trevor for our Christmas celebrations. They were so lovely making us feel so at home, and we had some pretty darn amazing meals at their house that I haven't been used to since I left mum and dad in May! Was definitely strange not eating a Christmas roast with all the trimmings but we had gourmet grub: bacon and egg muffins, profiteroles, prawn and avocado cocktail, champagne, BBQ of steak and lamb chops, rice, potatoes, salad and for desert it was chocolate trifle and cream mmmmm!!! Was delicious but I still love the great British roast…good job I've got mum cooking one for my return! The following days after that were pretty much lazy days sleeping in until 12pm until our big new years eve celebrations down in Queenstown. It was brilliant; we went up the gondola for great views, ate a buffet lunch, went on the luge (which is like race carting) down the hill and then met up with people from our stray bus to bring in the new century. It was the best new years I've had, no drama for once!
The past few days have been winding down; went to Dunedin to visit my friend Kelly who I met traveling South America and am currently in Christchurch. Dunedin was fun; we saw sea lions, penguins and went to the world's steepest street Baldwin Street where it's a killer trying to hike up it. I have now been to the steepest and the windiest (San Francisco) streets in the world. Now the only thing I can say about Christchurch is that it is BORING!!!! There is nothing to do, absolutely nothing! Tomorrow I am heading up to Mount Cook for Nicki's cousins wedding so I wonder what stories that will bring…..
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