...continued
So, a last minute flight landed me in Christchurch at the end of the
week and all of a sudden there I was, reunited with my best friend once
again! The next three days I was pampered and spoiled by Sue. If anyone
is heading over that way, I recommend you stay with her. Boy, does she
know how to treat a guest! She'll even get you work! The day after I
arrived, Sue and I bartended a private party for a girl she knew from
work. This house, or should I say "houses" on this property were
incredible. This property is by the ocean, with a hot tub looking out
over it. They had tents and tables set up everywhere and a hundred and
fifty guests to fill them all up! It was a Rio/ Savannah themed party
so everyone was wearing bright coloured frilled blouses and skirts
(even some of the men) They even hired Rio dancers who wore big head
dresses. Sequences and feathers everywhere! Did I mention Sue and I
were in charge of distributing the alcohol......at the open bar? Let
the party begin! The night did start out with one near disasterous
mishap after the first attempt at serving a cup of lethal,
antifreeze-worthy punch out of the 500 year old slushy machine. As soon
as Sue pressed down on the lever, it decided to stay there and a geyser
of punch like you've never seen sprayed, no, projected out of that
sucker! It was impressive. While my first instinct was to stand in
front of it with my mouth wide open, I went with my second instinct and
tried to stick my thumb up the faucet (By the way, that doesn't work.
In fact, it makes it worse) Meanwhile, Sue was running around like a
chicken with her head cut off, trying to find a bin to catch it with.
Although it was no "thumb in the faucet" tactic, it seemed to do the
job. All we heard for the rest of the night was "So, have you learned
how to use the punch machine yet?" At least we can say that every guest
at that party will remember their bartenders that night.
Although my ordeal with Thomas should have taught me a lesson, I
decided to give it another go and once again put up flyers at hostels,
looking for others to travel the south island with. The very next day
while Sue and I were climbing at her gym this couple showed up and
basically said, "We're leaving immediately, are you in?" I had no time
to think so I said yes and before we knew it, they had their tent set
up in Suzanne's backyard for the night and we were on the road the next
morning. Raoul the Irish man and Karen the German girl. Yes another
one. Have I mentioned there are gazillions over here? I never have to
go back to Germany because I'm getting the full experience over here!
Carrie, are there any left over there? For those of you who don't know,
Carrie, Fabio and Elliot are moving to Germany as I'm writing this.
I'll probably know more German than they do by the time I get there.
The next few days were a total whirlwind. We first drove to Arthurs
Pass and did a day hike that nearly killed me. 2 hours on rolling rock
at a 45% angle. I thought I'd have a heart attack when we finally
reached the summit, then this couple who had to be in their 60's
plodded up next to me and say "Oh, wasn't that a nice walk". A NICE
WALK? Apparently these people have blood made from diesel or I'm
incredibly out of shape. I'd go with the latter.
The next day
we spent the morning bathing in hot springs, surrounded by mountains
where the clouds weren't hovering above us, but were around us. Very
hard to describe how beautiful it was. Then we raced to Kaikoura to do
an evening whale-watch, which was so fascinating! That night we camped
by the side of the road beside this field of tall grass. I kept waking
up in the middle of the night hearing snarling and growling, and
thinking our tent was being attacked. It wasn't until morning that
Karen admitted she snores.....ferociously. The very next morning we
were on the ferry crossing the Cook Strait and landed in Wellington
where Raoul and Karen went on there merry way and I was left once again
to put up notices for people to travel with.
I've been in
Wellington for only four days now, but it seems like two weeks! This is
my favourite city so far and I really don't want to leave. Wellington's
annual Arts Festival JUST started and I've been going crazy seeing
plays and documentaries, not to mention all the free museums! It's
unbelievable how they can afford to run these places without charging
admission! Today I rode the old cable car up to the cable car museum.
What was most impressive was how they created an entire cable car
museum with only TWO cable cars inside! Now that takes creativity.
After that I walked around the beautiful Botanic Gardens in search of
"Lady Norwood's Rose Garden". There were signs for it everywhere, so
naturally I'd be intrigued. This had to be some rose garden! After
searching for it for 45 minutes, I finally climb the last hill before
having this supposed garden of Eden revealed to me, when all of a
sudden I turned a corner and started walking down again, only to pass
another sign for it pointing back up the hill. There WAS no rose
garden! Apparently by "rose garden" they meant a bunch of random plants
that look exactly like the rest of the gardens, none of which come
close to resembling a rose. I felt ripped off, so I went to the
planetarium within the park thinking it would be a good idea to brush
up on my southern hemisphere constellations before camping for the next
three weeks. This place must have been a hundred years old. As soon as
we got in there, we were warned that the stars were assembled on the
roof in order to suit the electrical wiring and were not even close to
what we'd actually see in the sky, "So keep that in mind".
.....wwwwhat? What's the point of a planetarium that provides you with
a totally inaccurate night sky? Instead of Scorpio I'll be looking for
a Turtle, instead of the Southern Cross, I'll be looking for the
Southern Octagon, and Orion's Belt had become Orion's shoes. On top of
that, the projector actually casted it's shadow across the whole sky,
and half the machine's buttons didn't work so we were kept being told
to "imagine" whatever she was telling us about. Oh well, at least the
museums were really good.
So I have found new travelling
partners, both of whom I just met yesterday. They haven't actually met
each other yet, but they will when Polly, an English girl and I take
the ferry back to the south to meet up with Neil, an English lad who is
in Picton waiting for us. So, onto another adventure. I have a good
feeling about this one....... not that that means a thing. As long as
he doesn't shave his armpits, this might actually work out. Wish me
luck!
