Sea, Sun and...Ice

Hello,

I am currently in a noisy bar and it's 10.15pm. It wasn't so noisy two hours ago when I bought my internet time but there was a queue. Basically it means I have to be quick - again!!

You know I said, I needed to relax after the last bus trip? Well, that hasn't really gone to plan! Since the last blog, I have got myself a Stray bus pass which means you can hop on and of a bus going all round NZ. I've met lots of cool people and am having a great time.

My first real stop in the South Island was Abel Tasmin national park which I have viewed from every possible angle - from the ground, from the water and from the sky!! Oh yes, I did the sky jump! It was very very cool and I stayed very calm. In fact, I was stupidly calm - I should start getting scared of doing stupid things! The freefall was pretty crazy and then when the parachute was released it was mad looking at my feet and seeing nothing below them!

Abel Tasmin was the most beautiful place so far in NZ, with it's lush forest, sandy beaches and the bluest sea I have ever seen. Apart from Sky diving, we also made time for a bit of a hike, a sail on the sea (we saw some nice seals) and also blagged ourselves a cheap lift in a water taxi which was really fun as the driver went really fast since there were just two of us on there.


Click here to see a photo album of Abel Tasmin (Added later)

Yesterday, the scenery was a little different...I went on a full day hike on a glacier in Frans Joseph. I had to wear special boots with crampons on them to grip the ice. It was a very different experience to Abel Tasmin indeed! One of my friends ended up waist high in ice cold water when our guide took us the wrong way! We also had to go through a very very narrow crevice - it was hardly big enough to squeeze through and it was maybe 50 foot high. I thought, I was stuck at one point as I couldn't drag myself up with the rope to get out. I have never been so cold, so wet and so frightened - I was far more scared than the skydive but I'm glad, I did it - my legs are not so gleeful though - they hurt like hell! Oh yeah, I think my phone got soaked in ice water and has given up working, so I no longer have my phone or my numbers!

I'm on my way to Wanaka next but at the moment we are in yet another weird Kiwi bar/hostel and are staying in cabins - they look like big hen sheds!! We went to a strange bar/hostel two days ago, which had fancy dress boxes in the bar! Everyone dressed up and had as much fun as as possible in the not so interesting Barrytown or "Baz Vegas" as it's known! I decided that any town where a bloke named Barry rocked up and named the place after himself is best avoided!

Click here to see pics of Frans Joseph (Added later)

Speak to you when I'm next in civilization! Still can't upload pics so I may have to bore you with them when I get back!

Jo