Tuesday, April 25, 2006
from Queenstown
I bought a calling card this morning to call my daddy on his bday (Happy Birthday Daddy!!) and when I hung up I realized I had used fewer minutes than I thought, so I'll just use them all up on the internet instead because it's super super cheap here.
The glacier hike was awesome. Glaciers are the kind of things that boring geography books are made out of. But seeing one and hiking up one was so so so much more thrilling and impressive than my 5th grade geography book. We went through one crevasse where I had to turn sideways to get through. It's amazing just to see all of that ice, and the Franz Josef glacier is particularly interesting because it's one of the only ones that's in a rainforest. At the bottom it moves 1 metre a day and 8 at the top. Teya and I weren't hiking together, but she hated it, so I guess it just depends on who you are. I loved it and would do it again any day. It was challenging and thrilling but I wasn't really sore or anything.
I did however, get absolutely eaten by sandflies in Haast on Sunday. I may be minorly allergic to them or because they're really swollen.
It stormed Saturday night and there was a landslide in the gorge we had to drive through from Franz Josef to Wanaka on Sunday. They closed the pass so we hung out at a cafe in Haast for about 4 hours (that's where the flies were- after 2 days of rain in Franz, the sun FINALLY came out, so I was enjoying sitting outside). We thought we might have to go back to Franz, or to Christchurch for the night, but they were able to clear the road. When we passed the landslide there were just 3 Kiwi guys standing there holding shovels, kinda directing traffic, and drinking beer (???).
I loved Wanaka, an adorable little ski town on Wanaka Lake. A few years ago the locals decided they wanted a movie theatre, so they just bought this little cafe, filled it with old couches and started showing films about 6 months after they were released (bc they're cheaper then). Now, it's quite famous. They still do intermission in the movies and serve hot homemade cookies that are bigger than your hand. It's amazing. We all cramed on the couches and watched some movie about snowboarding in Alaska and now I want to do that too. On Monday morning I took a long walk outside of Wanaka. It was a beautifully perfect day. I past a golf course and went on this little jogging track too. (Mom and Daddy- when I become rich and famous, this is where I will send you for a weekend, because it is beautiful and you will love it) =)
I've met a 19 year old English guy that has never tried peanut butter! Apparently it's not that common in the UK?
I'm in love with Queenstown. Yesterday was a beautiful day. I love that it's built around a lake and surrounded my mountains with snow on the top. When we got here yesterday I sat on a bench for awhile, swang on a swingset on the rocky beach, walked around town, walked around the lake, sat in a tree, made dinner with Teya and hung out with new friends.
Today is rainy again and freezing. It's Anzac Day (national war memorial day for Oz and NZ) so everything was closed till 1:00. I slept in then walked around with people, had coffee, made dinner with Teya. Our new favorite thing is cheese, humus, and asparagus sandwiches on soya and lindseed bread.
I want to go to South Afrika. I also want to teach English in Taiwan for a year. And visit Singapore and England.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'm off to see Milford Sound. Just a quick day trip, but it is supposedly amazing. Thursday I drive to Christchurch and catch a plane to Wellington (last minute impromptu trip that's just me). I'll spend Thursday night there and meet up with Ezanne (new South African friend) on Friday, spend friday night and saturday in Wellington, fly back to Christchurch Saturday night and to Sydney Sunday morning. Busy, busy...
Today, after I left a cafe, it occured to me that the lady working there might have had an American accent, but I couldn't remember and I didn't really notice. It's so weird not noticing the differences between Aussie, Kiwi and American accents. I have to think about it in order to notice it now. I've also noticed that although my accent hasn't changed, I've picked up a lot of phrases. And, when I crossed a one-way street today, it felt so uncomfortable to look left first. I'm afraid I may get hit by a car crossing the street when I come home because I'm so used to checking right.
this is poorly written and not really that interesting (sorry!) but I just don't want to waste these minutes.
Everyone leave Daddy a happy bday message!
love love love,
mich
The glacier hike was awesome. Glaciers are the kind of things that boring geography books are made out of. But seeing one and hiking up one was so so so much more thrilling and impressive than my 5th grade geography book. We went through one crevasse where I had to turn sideways to get through. It's amazing just to see all of that ice, and the Franz Josef glacier is particularly interesting because it's one of the only ones that's in a rainforest. At the bottom it moves 1 metre a day and 8 at the top. Teya and I weren't hiking together, but she hated it, so I guess it just depends on who you are. I loved it and would do it again any day. It was challenging and thrilling but I wasn't really sore or anything.
I did however, get absolutely eaten by sandflies in Haast on Sunday. I may be minorly allergic to them or because they're really swollen.
It stormed Saturday night and there was a landslide in the gorge we had to drive through from Franz Josef to Wanaka on Sunday. They closed the pass so we hung out at a cafe in Haast for about 4 hours (that's where the flies were- after 2 days of rain in Franz, the sun FINALLY came out, so I was enjoying sitting outside). We thought we might have to go back to Franz, or to Christchurch for the night, but they were able to clear the road. When we passed the landslide there were just 3 Kiwi guys standing there holding shovels, kinda directing traffic, and drinking beer (???).
I loved Wanaka, an adorable little ski town on Wanaka Lake. A few years ago the locals decided they wanted a movie theatre, so they just bought this little cafe, filled it with old couches and started showing films about 6 months after they were released (bc they're cheaper then). Now, it's quite famous. They still do intermission in the movies and serve hot homemade cookies that are bigger than your hand. It's amazing. We all cramed on the couches and watched some movie about snowboarding in Alaska and now I want to do that too. On Monday morning I took a long walk outside of Wanaka. It was a beautifully perfect day. I past a golf course and went on this little jogging track too. (Mom and Daddy- when I become rich and famous, this is where I will send you for a weekend, because it is beautiful and you will love it) =)
I've met a 19 year old English guy that has never tried peanut butter! Apparently it's not that common in the UK?
I'm in love with Queenstown. Yesterday was a beautiful day. I love that it's built around a lake and surrounded my mountains with snow on the top. When we got here yesterday I sat on a bench for awhile, swang on a swingset on the rocky beach, walked around town, walked around the lake, sat in a tree, made dinner with Teya and hung out with new friends.
Today is rainy again and freezing. It's Anzac Day (national war memorial day for Oz and NZ) so everything was closed till 1:00. I slept in then walked around with people, had coffee, made dinner with Teya. Our new favorite thing is cheese, humus, and asparagus sandwiches on soya and lindseed bread.
I want to go to South Afrika. I also want to teach English in Taiwan for a year. And visit Singapore and England.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'm off to see Milford Sound. Just a quick day trip, but it is supposedly amazing. Thursday I drive to Christchurch and catch a plane to Wellington (last minute impromptu trip that's just me). I'll spend Thursday night there and meet up with Ezanne (new South African friend) on Friday, spend friday night and saturday in Wellington, fly back to Christchurch Saturday night and to Sydney Sunday morning. Busy, busy...
Today, after I left a cafe, it occured to me that the lady working there might have had an American accent, but I couldn't remember and I didn't really notice. It's so weird not noticing the differences between Aussie, Kiwi and American accents. I have to think about it in order to notice it now. I've also noticed that although my accent hasn't changed, I've picked up a lot of phrases. And, when I crossed a one-way street today, it felt so uncomfortable to look left first. I'm afraid I may get hit by a car crossing the street when I come home because I'm so used to checking right.
this is poorly written and not really that interesting (sorry!) but I just don't want to waste these minutes.
Everyone leave Daddy a happy bday message!
love love love,
mich
