07th December 2006

Hello and welcome to the last of the 2006 letters from the moon. This is it, My last letter and I am not writing anymore this year even though I have 3 more days here and I am going on the tranzAlpine Railway tomorrow (one of the most scenic if the most scenic in the world) and well I can only tell you if the weather is like today (mid 20's, blue skies and beautifully clear then wow what a journey, you will know when the photos eventually get put onto ringo and they will by next weekend I promise).
So where we were we in the continuing adventures of a life not yet lived.

I was in Queenstown, the party capital of the South Island and I was there for about 3 days. After driving up from Te Aneu I checked in at the Deco Backpackers and stayed there. The view from the garden was of the lakes and you could the speed / fast boats and the steamer coming in and out of the quay. And with no clouds and lots of sun it was a beautiful place.
I spent Friday there shopping, reading, drinking beer and watching England crash out of the first Test. So that was fun.
On Saturday fully rested and slightly hungover I went off to do so extreme silly stuff. My first piece of excitment of the day was something called River Surfing. This involves surfing through grade 3 rapids on a boogie board (half a surfboard) and not drowning or letting the currents take you under, into rocks or into whirpools. It is as scary as it sounds, well it scared the living daylights out me, maybe because I dont like water that much as I am not a very strong swimmer. I got suited up and then led down a steep cliff to the edge of the river where you have to dive in and then the fun starts as you immediately with out much training get swept down stream into the rapids. Rapids which normally are easy to get through in a raft but at eye level, no. It was 6km of sheer fright and I survived although I did not want to do the next run. As well I was dead and one of the guides helped me out to the shore.......
In the Afternoon I went Quad biking and that was simply awesome especially again as I have done that before. we went out to private farm land and tore it up! I got covered in mud and eventually the instructors quad broke down so I helped recover it and drove their machines which we 400cc instead of 250cc and wow they flew. It was a cool couple of hours and a chance to get over near death!
Sunday morning I went Canyon Swinging. Now this is a thrill. You get strapped to a rope and then dangle over a 100 metre sheer rock face and then you have to jump (not fall) jump off and fall 60m then you swing out 200m over the canyon. Awesome and really a top rush better than the bungy.
I did 2 leaps of faith, the first was backwards and the second was jumping off sideways both of them were the max scare. TheDVDs of me are ace!
So that was extreme done with!
I drove to the lake resort of Wanaka next following the good advice of my long lost friend (well I see her 1 a year if lucky and thats about it) and she was bang on the money as I am now a huge lets all go back to Wanaka Fan.
I stayed in a great backpackers with views of the lake the mountains and you could sit and stare at them for hours and I probably did.
I got talking to some aussiesa and a crazed canadian and we all went walking in the evening to the top of mount iron to watch the sunset and that was cool. After that we all drank beer and the boss of the place joined us.
I went mountain biking the next day around the lake for about 4 hours in bright sunshine, with crystal clear waters, flowers, and the mountains everywhere.I really enjoyed my time there it was great.
I have always wanted to go Heli Hiking on a glacier since I got to NZ and so I left the next day for Fox Glacier and that was a great journey another one except the rain and the winds and low clouds made driving a little dull and for 4.5 hours quite a long time.
Fox Glacier is a small place full of buses and hotels and helicopter flights signs. The day I get there horizontal rain, no flights and no hiking.
I decide to go to the Beach which is 20km east and walk around it. The beach is grey with grey sand and angry grey waves crashing in, truly marvellous. There was a penguin on the beach with a broken foot and I think someone took it away to be looked after.
I walk around the beach and to a hole in the rock carved out by some miners and that was good. On return to the car, I discover that the thing wont start (no I never left my lights on) and so I end up pushing it around the car park trying to push start it. No that never happens. So I sit there and look at the rain for a bit. Bit bored and not wanting to walk to the nearest house (15km away). I sit and eventually so locals turn up and hooray jump leads so they get the car going and I drive off, get back to the hostel and spend the evening drying out.
The next day it had stopped raining well horizontally and so I go to the office to check for the flights but they are cancelled til midday so i go and eat and not much else.
At midday we have horizontal rain and winds so no flying nothing. So I go the base of th blue ice glacier and walk the 20 mins to see it and take a photo and get the most wet cold and damp unreal.
Giving up I go to the pub and drink for the rest of the day, there is simply nothing else to do.
I am booked to fly the next morning, but purple lightening, more heavy rain and wind all night and still the next day makes me leave fox and head out, back to wanaka for some partying with the guys back at the hostel. This time the journey back is awe inspiring as the clouds have lifted and the Haast pass is full of waterfalls and there is snow on the mountains, trees and the road which is kind of fun.
Wanaka surrounded in snow is even better as all the mountains come alive. The owner of the hostel has gone snowboarding for the day so I make myself at home and spend a quiet afternoon not doing much. Friday was the same to be fair. Not doing much.
Friday night we all went out (20 of us at least all from every country) and drank to stupid oclock in the morning and danced.
On the way back we all dived into a hot pool run by a local hotel. There were about 10 of us stay staring at the milky way at 3am, it was cold out side in the pool lovely.
I had a hangover that was nice. So about 4 of us went and walked up Rocky Mountain which took about 5 hours. It was a great tramp and has great views of the mountains and the glaciers.
We drank Saturday night and partied through til 5 it was a great night even when I had to jump in the lake (7 degrees never been colder trust me ) I had to jump our team lost Balderdash..........
I drove for 6 hours the next day to Christchurch as it was time to go and move on and see more of the country. The journey was ok Christchurch was well i dont know, i went to the local pak n save got some food and then crashed out for the evening.
The next day I drove to picton. Picton is where the ferry comes in from Wellington and no one ever stays there so I did and it was cool.
I went on the Queen Charlotte trail and tramped for 15 km which was amazing, the trail was great going around the coast and the forests.
Yesterday I went Whale Watching at Kai Kura. What a beautiful place that is. I recommend everyone goes there.
My whale watching involded getting in an aeroplane and flying out to see and then flying over a sperm whale, about 18ft in length. Talk about feeling contented. I was thrilled to see one, and the total size of it was massive. But what a sight. I also saw a pod of dusky dolphins, about 400 of them flying through the sea as well. It was incredible.
And that dear reader is where I leave my tails of derring do and really shouldnt.
I should really end on the fact that last night from the hostel veranda we watched the moon rise over the horizon and the sea was a golden colour, the southern cross was gleaming and the milkyway passed over the roof of the place. A fitting way to end my last moon story of 2006.
There we go. Thats yer lot.
It has been my absolute pleasure writing down pretty much all the legal experiences I have had since March and I have had the most incredible time and met the most adorable and wonderful people through my travels all around the world and you know who you are so you can sit and have a smug moment.
To everyone at home in the UK chill and thanks for travelling with me, I enjoyed driving the bus, maybe too much!!!

So Happy Christmans and have the best new year and make it happen whatever whereever and with who ever.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Luke