Asian Climate, Why Have You Forsaken Me?!?!
Trip Start
Nov 13, 2007
1
90
106
Trip End
Oct 08, 2008
Christchurch,
South Island,
New Zealand
Monday, August 4, 2008
well after 3 glorious nights in luxury in brisbane i finally got airborne again and headed on to new zealand. a massive thanks to lisa and ray for looking after me for my time in brisbane, for feeding me and bringing me to the doctor's and letting me stay in the cubbyhole again and providing DVD's and jaffa's (why dont we have them in ireland?!) and a washing machine and dryer etc etc. i owe you guys bigtime.
the flight over was fine - about 3 hours and pretty much no turbulence. so despite the ludicrous o'clock 06:30 alarm clock and the HIGHLY cheeky lady skipping the WHOLE queue for the security check it was a good day (she somehow failed to notice the 10 minute queue snaking around the terminal building and just joined at the very front. i wouldve said something only her boyfriend who was seeing her off was a very very large and scary looking mauri man so i thought it best to let it go, hopefully she missed her flight or something.)
the coming into land bit was awesome - all the mountains are totally covered in snow and it was so beautiful. then i noticed the excessive flooding in all the fields and the girl next to me told me theyve had mad freak storms and rain here the last couple of weeks - the worst in months. hopefully thats the end of it....
the first thing that hit me? the cold. my days its colder than home - a mere 8 degrees on the streets today. im in the YHA in a little single room with a VERY comfy bed and duvet and after a load of us watched oceans 13 in the common room i headed off to a very good sleep.
today ive just walked for about 5 hours all over the place - wandered through the botanical gardens, went on 2 tourist walks i read about and just strolled in the sunshine slash rain showers. tomorrow i pick up the new car rental and so another intrepid adventure begins. i planned a rough route last night that im hoping will all be passable (wearther permitting). next stop after here is lake tekapu.
one final comment before i sign off, i had to laugh at all the school girls around this afternoon. this is probly the closest climate to home since ive left home so im a way away from the short skirts of warmer regions. but the girls here wear their kilts so long they are practically sweeping the roads!!! im not talking loreto bray circa 4th to 6th year / 1993 - 1995 skirt length, im talking actually trailing along the ground long. its hilarious. so mum all those years ago when you despaired at our skirt length fashion, just think, it couldve been worse. :-)
oh and finally - a massive CONGRATULATIONS to aoife and clemens on the birth of beautiful baby cormac!!! and congratulations to niall and jessica aswell on their fantastic news of an imminent new arrival....
