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06/09
Hi Everyone,
We were treated to yet another glorious day today and driven down the coast road and then inland to Lake Wanaka. Now this is another fanatastic location on the South Island and is also the site of another Sky Dive school. En route to Wanaka we drove through Haast and on to Lake Hawea where we had breathtaking views across to the mountains and mirror type images over the lake. About 8 of the 'lads' were going to do a jump when we reached the town and I had saved myself for this knowing that the location would be ideal if the weather held. Fortunately for me it did and I decided to go for it in a slightly different way. Of course a lot of these jumps are geared towards first time thrill seekers as a lot of the dare devil stuff in New Zealand is. I dispensed with the all trappings so I had no camerman to distract me and just went with the jump master. Again I went for the big one from 15000ft but on this occasion we squeezed into a plane with four other 'jumpers', and camermen, that totalled 12 people in a very small area. If you were going to feel claustrophobic and ill, now was the time.
I was given the option of which way I wanted to go out of the plane, I thought there was only one, and that was down, but apparently not. I was the last to go again but this time we just tumbled out, did several somersaults and watched as the plane disappeared away from us as we dropped. We then spun crazilly through the air and through a series of manouvres, the difference being that I was not feeling any of the anxiety of the first jump, non of the shock to my system, I was able to equalize my ears and was taking so much more in. My concentration was much better, I felt I had control over my senses and was really enjoying the whole thing so much better than before. It was still every bit as thrilling but I was getting more out of it. It must have been obvious to my Jump master because as the chute opened and he was able to talk to me he let me take control of guiding us this way and that and actually fly the chute turning right and left and lining up for the land site. Of course I had to give the control back but it was another great experience. All the lads were on the ground by the time I came down and they were all equally as excited, cheering and clapping as I came in. It brought to a close another fabulous day and sealed in my mind that this is something I will definately be doing again and again if I have the opportunity.
By the time we got to the hostel everyone else had checked in and occupied their rooms, my friend Justin had ckecked me in with them which was a very pleasant surprise and a nice thought, and also greatly appreciated. There was not much time for me in Wanaka but I did manage a walk around and a look at the hang gliding off a nearby mountain, now there's a thought!
07/09 Sunday. Up early and down to the lake for a quick photo before departing for Queenstown. We drove through Kawarau Gorge which is where the first Bungy jump was set up and still exsists today, no I didn't go for it and funnilly enough it doesn't actually appeal to me, well not the little ones anyway. One of the crew ' went for it' and did well but it is all over in a flash and quite a lot of money for what you get. I think I can do better sticking to jumping from a plane. We continued onto Queenstown which is the Ski Centre and a lovely little town.
This is where I am going to really miss out, had I been on the correct bus to the East As trip, I would be in Queenstown for 3 day from tomorrow, as it is I have to travel directly to Christchurch arriving in the early evening and leave the next day for my flight to Melbourne, Australia. I had a good poke around the town, unfortunately a couple of the crew are not feeling too well so were not able to come out for our last evening together. We all had a group photo taken by the lake and I made sure I had pictures of those who had shared most of my experiences including my sky dive buddies!
Now life has been full of coincidences since I started this whole trip abroad, and the following day was to be exception. On the bus with me to Christchurch are Helen, Cary, Michael and Kerry and my mate Michael from Ireland! We had been thrown back together for the last day of my visit to New Zealand, how spooky was that? We ventured in to Chrischurch on a grey and fairly miserable journey, we were all at the same hostel in the middle of town and that suited us just fine as we could catch a mini bus to the airport the next day, Michael, Helen and Cary were flying out a bit earlier than myself but it made sense to go with them and just hang out for an extra hour. We booked the mini bus and met up again later in the bar, back to old ways!
I had enough to occupy my time and did so with no trouble at all. I met the guys in the bar but it was a light session and we all retired quite early. Christchurch looks like a nice place to be, it is a 'garden city' with lots of parks and very much rugby orientated. Unfortunately I have not been able to see much of it and I had to sacrifice a stay with some friends of a friend because of the lack of time. I would have been nice to have done everything and seen everyone but time waits for no man and it sure hasn't waited for me. The whole trip to New Zealand has gone in a flash and there simply has not been enough time to do the Country justice. I will be coming back, it has an aweful lot to offer any visitor but really you need much more than three and a half weeks to see anything at all. The South Island alone deserves at least a month as a visitor and the North has a very different type of experience with more of the Maori way of life to explore. I have thoroughly enjoyed it, so it is 'Kiora', for now and thank you to all the wonderful people I have met along the way, take care on your travels and good luck, I feel sure that we will bump into one another again, I hope so anyway.
See you soon,
Chris
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