Our week was too long and jam packed to write about, so here are the notes I kept during my travels:
Friday- Straight from finals to flight
- Stayed in the Christchurch airport lounge after landing at 1am until 7:30am bus
- Lounge had beanbags and backpackers sleeping everywhere
- 8.5 hour bus ride to Queenstown
- Stopped in local town farmers market - oat & caramel bar - yum!!
- Checked into 12 person dorm room at Nomads Hostel
- Dinner at local fish and chips stand down the street - fries and spring rolls
- Hot chocolate/wifi at local chocolate shop
- Teapot drinks at The Find with 3 roommates from Brisbane
Sunday
- Nevis bungy and tandem canyon
- AWESOME tempura tofu burger lunch at Fergburger
- 3.5 hour bike ride to Jack's Point along the lake
- Ciders and dinner at Longhorn pub
- Reading and cards night with the Brisbane boys at the hostel
Monday
- "Good old New Zealand - its the way the world used to be" - tour guide Kerrry
- First day of Stray tour - hilarious tour guide and group of only 6 travelers (Kerry calls himself Uncle F*** F***)
- Mirror Lake, Milford Sound Cruise, Valley of Disappearing Trees, Mnkey's Creek (filled up water bottle with pure glacier runoff water)
- Staying in single rooms at Te Anau motel - huge kitchen to make dinner, comfy lounge area, beautiful outdoor cabin feel
Tuesday
- Late 10am start from Te Anau towards Invercargill
- First stop, controversial windmills - locals think it takes away from the natural landscape
- Cool public restroom stop with automated door/paper dispenser and 10min limit. Also, cued elevator music when lock activated
- Invercargill museum stop to see Burt Monro motorcycle and documentary then lunch at Noodle Canteen
- 5pm ferry to Stewart Island. Best commentary of the day from Kerry: "Yeh I went snorkeling with hump back wales! Did ya know they have five foot penises?! Far out huh?!" Haha!!!
- 4 bed backpackers hostel with big kitchen and comfy couches/puzzles but SO COLD
- Quick walk after dinner to bay then ciders with Chelsea and Kerry at the southern most pub in the world - South Sea Hotel (picture below)
Wednesday
- Stewart Island: Sunrise jog to Fishmen's Point. Brekkie at hostel. Then hiking from Observation Rock to Dead Man's Cove and Horseshoe Bay. Intense trails! 3.5 hour trip
- Beer batter mussels and chips at South Sea Hotel. Delicious!
- Stop at Park n Save in Invercargill on bus ride back to Queenstown for the night
- Upgraded to 10 person room at Nomads w/bathroom
Thursday
- Bus to Mt.Cook
- Rainy day in the valleys, so stuck in the converted hotel for the afternoon... watched Love Potion #9 and later played Quiz Night at the hotel bar
- Quiz team name: "2 Americans..." - last place.... Free pitcher of lager for participating though!
Friday
- Weet Bix challenge on the bus since we were late. 2 min to eat one bar - eek! Kind of like saltine challenge
- Rangitata Rafting day! Awesome 2.5 hour trip with 5-stage rapids. Guide Mike was HYSTERICAL! At the end of river, cliff jumping.
- Group games in the hostel: Scrabble, UK version of taboo, Box challenge
- Super nice hostel with three level bunk beds!!
Saturday
- Re:Start coffee cafe and shopping in Christchurch
- Christchurch botanical gardens and rebuild bus tour
- Hurricanes on 2010/11 leave the city in a major state of construction and rebuilding
- Beautiful reconstruction so far! Very quaint artsy feel being established... quesidillas @ Mexican food stand in contruction park
- Burlesque show in Hornby - really weird
- Walked 5 miles to the airport on a highway
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