Kiwi Basecamp Christchurch

... and am trying not being ill. I’m not going to be tied and I’m going to start doing because it used to be true that more I did the more energy I’d have.

If you want to get something done give it to a busy person.

I’ve also made some plans for the next adventure, I go to Oz in 10 days, they won’t let me in without a onward ticket so, I better get ...

... as they can! There are French flags all over the place and everything has a French name, like "le petite café" or whatever!


It is very charming though and there are lots of gorgeous little café's and restaurants lining the waterfront. There is also lots of little pastel coloured holiday cottages and cute hotels that would be lovely to stay in. The water is a beautiful aqua colour and you can go swimming with the dolphins if you ...

... down slopes and through a pool of water 3m deep that we got through in one piece, although water came halfway up the doors. It was great fun. Back at the centre I bought some earring made of paua shell. We returned to the hotel and had dinner. We were allowed to spend $55 each on dinner from the airline, and we intended to use it. I had a glass of pinot noir and steak with a rich sauce, bacon and roasted vegetables. David had paella. I had swiss roll ...

Tonight, some of us went to see a rugby game, the Christchurch Crusaders (New Zealand) verses Queensland Reds (Australia). It rained all day, and it continued raining some throughout the game, so we ended up getting free tickets. Almost all of us were given tickets by someone who wasn't using theirs.

It was really ...

... we began bunking down for the night. I decided to sneak behind the wagon for a pee, just down along a small track to the stream bank. My plans came unstuck when I walked straight into a big spider's web and felt the monster slap my face. It felt as big as a bloody mangrove crab! Peter Garrett had nothing on my writhing dance I did out of the track, as I tried to extract myself fron the sticky mess and avoid the Arthropod from the Paleozoic Era. I took shelter in the covered wagon ...

... guess we can't avoid that and do the Star trek Experience. I am also quite keen to get married in an Elvis Chapel but guess I have to find a willing partner, watch this space lol! We have an overnight trip into the Grand Canyon booked. After Las Vegas Sue heads back and I do teh big trek over to NY. Will find my way to Connecticut for the big '09 event Katrina and Lou's wedding and then back to the "Big Apple" for teo days and then home sweet home.

... They come here to feed in bachelor groups and will eventually leave for waters elsewhere to find mates. Sperm whales are the largest toothed predator on the planet. They can grow to lengths of 18 meters and weigh up to 35-40 metric tons. Their main food are squids. Here in Kaikura Canyon, they eat a variety of squids including the Giant Squid (Archeteuthis dux) and Collosal Squid. They can dive to depths of 1500 meters in search of their prey ...

... to Wanaka. Glenorchy's an hour North and is tiny - real end of the earth feel to the place and we take on part of the Routeburn track. Next stop is Milford Sound, a 600km round trip away. It's worth every kilometre. Breathtaking roads wind their way down the Sound and the imposing peaks that stride regally out of the water. Then it's back to Queenstown for a couple of nights. Chris starts to put up the tent - hmmm seem to be missing half of it. Where could it be? Yes, a 600km ...

... microwave, grill and 2 hobs... it might sound average but we really are flash-packing in this style of van. Most backpackers have a transit van with a bed in the back and a pull out gas burner, so at least we have a modicum of comfort and self sustainability. Christchurch is an undeniably pretty town, but with Humphrey ready to cough and splutter his way over the mountains, the open road awaits us. We have made our way south in the south island along ...

... disaster.

Small portions of **** food would be one thing, but there was absolutely no way I was prepared to pay over NZ$ 200 between us for **** food and Fawlty Towers service!

So for the first time in my life, I suggested that we leave before we'd even ordered.

Everyone agreed, so we apologised to the waiters (one even said "I can't blame you!"), and jumped back into the car, praying that we could find another restaurant ...