6:43 p.m. - 2002-03-02
More rafting and an update
So, yesterday was a bust. I even went to bed early because I was so tired. I've probably mentioned this before, but the beer here is giving me wicked hangovers...so, as you might guess, I'm hungover a lot. But it was good, I slept well (not even people snoring in the 20 bed hall I was in woke me up). I had to get up at 6 to catch the bus at 7:15 which kind of sucked, but I managed it and slept on the bus.
We headed out of Nelson on our way to Westport. We were supposed to stop in Abel tasman national park, but the weather was lousy, so we didn't (this weather thing is starting to piss me off...stupid New Zealand weather). However, it was all good, because it afforded me the opportunity to go white water rafting again near Westport.
It was awesome. There were only two boats and a kayak, so there was no waiting around and the river was wicked. I totally want to raft more, and when I was talking to the guides, they offered me a job and said I could learn how to raft there. I said no...for now, anyway. Who knows, maybe I will come back and take them up on their offer. The area around here is so great. The west coast is very unpopulated (the town I'm in now only has a pop. of 4000) so there's a lot of bush and farmland but not a lot of people. I'm loving it.
I finally got rid of some annoying people who were on my bus - a bunch of English wankers and some annoying Dutch girls. They had been there since the beginning, and I tried to get rid of them by staying an extra night in River Valley, but they stayed too, the bastards. However, my extra night in Nelson has succesfully gotten rid of them. I am very happy. Very happy indeed.
I don't think I'm going to try and update everything that has happened since my last journal went belly side up. It would be too annoying...however, I will give a brief overview.
Got to Auckland, stayed with nice people, did nothing.
Got on the Kiwi Experience bus and headed to Rotorua (we were supposed to go to Whitianga, but there were torrential rains there...the damn weather again!)
Drank lots in Rotorua. Woke up with a terrible hangover.
Went to a thermal activity area with boiling mudpools and geysers in the afternoon.
Went to a Maori cultural night and ate food cooked hangi style (traditional Maori style of cooking food in the earth)
On the way to Taupo, stopped in Waitomo for some Balck water rafting...dark cave innertubing. Possibly one of the best things I've ever done.
Went to Taupo. Got drunk at the bar, the rest of the bus went to some club, I hung out with a bunch of Kiwi guys who were really cool.
Was supposed to do the Tongairiro Crossing (a hike along Volcanic region)...got cancelled for bad weather.
went to River Valley. Didn't drink much, actually.
Went white water rafting in the morning. pretty damn cool. relaxed the rest of the day and again, didn't drink much that night.
Went to Wellington, capitol of NZ. Went out and partied hard with my friend Sabine whom I was leaving the next day. She picked up, good for her! I just sang kareoke with a couple of guys till three in the morning.
Caught the ferry to the south island, was incredibly, terribly and horribly hungover the entire trip. kind of sucked.
Went to Nelson, and from there I think you're updated. All good, then. Good.
So, that's it for now. Keep me updated as to what is new with you guys, and write often because it's always nice to hear from people I know and love.
Miss you all.
