These are the four students I hung out with most and got the closest to:
Colin-
He is a sophomore and is a very caring, fun, and loving guy. We became very close on this trip, sharing problems and stories about home, friends, and relationships. We gave each other a lot of massages---I am grateful to find someone who loved them as much as me and didn't care if we did them all the time--score!! After getting to know Colin, I knew I could count on him for anything and everything. He was such a great guy, he gave me a lot of sarcasm, but I dished it right back. He unfortunately is transferring to William and Mary (he got in the last day we were in NZ-such excitement that day). I am so proud of him, sad that he is leaving, but excited for him to start something new!
Colin is part of band called Dreams of University. He plays guitar and is sick beat-boxer. His band is pretty successful-he has done many concert is multiple states and at many universities, however, his singer has recently resigned. The band did just pick up a new singer, but at this time they are not performing and on a hold. Colin's style is pretty punk, he does own and wear girls pants (which came in handy one evening when I needed his white pants in Sydney because I could wear his). He also loves the artist Childish Gambino who is a rapper and great one liners in his songs. He had a severe mohawk too when we go to Lennox until his hair grew out.
Colin is a great listener and always there to comfort, support, and help me and any other student. Lots of the students went to him to talk and he was always waiting with a hug. He is a very psychologically focused individual and helped a lot of students with issues/problems they were having with bf/gf/emotions.
Abby-
She is my cabin-mate and a junior at BSU. She was my assistant who helped me a lot over the semester. We started out sharing a room since one of the cabins wasn't ready when we arrived and two other students lived in my cabin, but once they moved out, Abby and I decided to still live together and just have a spare room. I liked having someone to talk to right before bed and some always there. She was a mom to the whole group and me. She did a lot of the cleaning and cooking in my cabin when I would be running around taking care of things. She talked her mom 2-3x/day on skype and her mom became my mom. Her mom would send Abby, Colin, and I packages for all the holidays and for no reason at all---so sweet!! Abby was a worry wort though--she always expected the worst and was not a huge risk taker, but she grew a lot this semester. She stepped out of her comfort zone and backpacking trips and even camped a few times in a van when we traveled in NZ. I look forward to the dinners and sleepovers we plan to have next fall.
Casey-
She is freshmen who was very competitive and loved soccer and volleyball. She is very sweet girl, I went over to cabin 1 one morning and crawled into her bed with her. Shes quite tiny but hugging and cuddling with her is perfect because when standing she fits right under my chin! She can rest on my chest and I can place my chin on her head--we fit like a puzzle. She also loved to play scrabble as do I which is great. We had a long over 2 hr conversation one day when we kayaked on the lake talking about relationships and future plans. She unfortunately is transferring as well, however, she is just going to St. Francis in Indiana so I will be able to see her still.
Cami-
She is a tall, red head senior who loves biology. She is such a warm person though she is very opinionated. She loves to snuggle and play chef! She is a very religious individual though very comfortable with her sexuality (smacked my behind a few times when I wasn't even that close to her yet). Her cinnamon apples were the best and he made an awesome pineapple upside down cake mmmmmm!
Australia Spring 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Second May 1--arrived in LA, explored Santa Monica
After arriving in LAX, it took only an hour or so to get through customs. Customs consisted of waiting in a long line to get my passport checked and then finding my bags and bringing them to get checked. No one else's bags got checked but mine because I said I had an apple and it is not allowed to bring in Fruits and Veggies into other countries. All I had to do was send all my bad through a scanner and give them my apple and I was good to go!
I was expecting American customs to be more harsh from what others were saying, but it was not invasive and rather simple. I had to then drop my bags at the connecting baggage and proceed out.
Colin and I had to get our boarding passes for the next flight so we figured we would just get it now. Colin had a little trouble getting his boarding pass due to some confusion with the airline, his ticket was under another students name but we got it all figured out.
Then his dancer friend came to get him and I left to hang out in Santa Monica. I just took a free shuttle to the bus stop and then public bus for $1 to the pier and promenade. I walked to the beach, walked the pier, and looked at the stores at the promenade. It was kind of nice to have some time alone and I just walked where I wanted to go. I got free internet at the food court so I sat there for a bit checking my email and tried 7 different flavors of frozen yogurt in the promenade. By this time it was about time to head back to the bus stop. Again the fair was only $1 and then hopped on the free shuttle to the airport.
I found some of the students were sitting at the gate and we all hung out until boarding at 11PM. Once we all boarded, I guess the plane was having some safety issues and we had to have 3 mechanics come to try and fix it, however, the plane was telling them that it was unsafe to fly. I guess I should be grateful that we didn't take it and something unfortunate happened, but this meant we were delayed an hour and a half and we had to get off and board another plane. We got off around 12:45AM and took off finally just after 1 AM.
I slept on most of this plane which was nice, but I was really ready to be home. This pilot performed the best landing I have ever experienced. He graced the bottom of the ground, never touching it on the landing. I never felt the plane hit the ground and couldn't tell we were even on the ground, thats how softly he landed.
We got to the gate around 7:20AM which put everyone who had a connection a little delayed.
All the Indy connections were made because Dr. Avila got them to hold the flight for them to run through the airport, however, Colin missed his so I waited with him to reschedule his flight. Once he got it straightened out, I went down to baggage check to find my family. Right as I came down the elevator, Brando and Lauren ran to me. I saw my mom and dad with both of my suitcases already off the belt, making their way to me. I got a bit teary eyed seeing them running toward me. My mom was crying and I gave her and my dad huge hugs!! It felt so good to be back home!
We went right out to eat at LaPetite---mmm American food!!! It was very weird to be in a car though and be driven on the other side of the car. I think that will be the biggest adjustment for starters, going back to the right side of the road and the left side of the car. (When I drove the first time the next day, I pulled out on the left side of the street and also put the windshield wipers on and not the turn signal---oops!)
I had a lot to unpack and show when I got home. I went and surprised Kylie at her soccer game, but I think the jetl-ag was setting in because I kept falling asleep at the game and it was only 5PM.
The best feeling though was seeing everyone in my family and getting into my own bed!!! It feels great to be back and I can't wait to share all my adventures!!
I was expecting American customs to be more harsh from what others were saying, but it was not invasive and rather simple. I had to then drop my bags at the connecting baggage and proceed out.
Colin and I had to get our boarding passes for the next flight so we figured we would just get it now. Colin had a little trouble getting his boarding pass due to some confusion with the airline, his ticket was under another students name but we got it all figured out.
Then his dancer friend came to get him and I left to hang out in Santa Monica. I just took a free shuttle to the bus stop and then public bus for $1 to the pier and promenade. I walked to the beach, walked the pier, and looked at the stores at the promenade. It was kind of nice to have some time alone and I just walked where I wanted to go. I got free internet at the food court so I sat there for a bit checking my email and tried 7 different flavors of frozen yogurt in the promenade. By this time it was about time to head back to the bus stop. Again the fair was only $1 and then hopped on the free shuttle to the airport.
I found some of the students were sitting at the gate and we all hung out until boarding at 11PM. Once we all boarded, I guess the plane was having some safety issues and we had to have 3 mechanics come to try and fix it, however, the plane was telling them that it was unsafe to fly. I guess I should be grateful that we didn't take it and something unfortunate happened, but this meant we were delayed an hour and a half and we had to get off and board another plane. We got off around 12:45AM and took off finally just after 1 AM.
I slept on most of this plane which was nice, but I was really ready to be home. This pilot performed the best landing I have ever experienced. He graced the bottom of the ground, never touching it on the landing. I never felt the plane hit the ground and couldn't tell we were even on the ground, thats how softly he landed.
We got to the gate around 7:20AM which put everyone who had a connection a little delayed.
All the Indy connections were made because Dr. Avila got them to hold the flight for them to run through the airport, however, Colin missed his so I waited with him to reschedule his flight. Once he got it straightened out, I went down to baggage check to find my family. Right as I came down the elevator, Brando and Lauren ran to me. I saw my mom and dad with both of my suitcases already off the belt, making their way to me. I got a bit teary eyed seeing them running toward me. My mom was crying and I gave her and my dad huge hugs!! It felt so good to be back home!
We went right out to eat at LaPetite---mmm American food!!! It was very weird to be in a car though and be driven on the other side of the car. I think that will be the biggest adjustment for starters, going back to the right side of the road and the left side of the car. (When I drove the first time the next day, I pulled out on the left side of the street and also put the windshield wipers on and not the turn signal---oops!)
I had a lot to unpack and show when I got home. I went and surprised Kylie at her soccer game, but I think the jetl-ag was setting in because I kept falling asleep at the game and it was only 5PM.
The best feeling though was seeing everyone in my family and getting into my own bed!!! It feels great to be back and I can't wait to share all my adventures!!
The first May 1--Auckland city to airport, flew to LA
I woke up around 8:30, repacked me stuff and checked out around 10 from the hostel. We walked around Queens Street which was the main drag for about an hour and then took the Airbus back to the airport. We had to get our bags out of storage, repack my bags to get them the right weight and then check in. Luckily I got to check two bags at check-in and I marked them fragile to keep my souvenirs safe.
Auckland airport had free internet on three computers and I decided to check my email which meant I had to wait for a computer to become open and then jumped on.
We proceeded through security and surprisingly I got through with all my food except for one jar (I had two) of peanut butter (and it was the gross pb anyway). I had a jar of jelly and another jar of pb which they didn't even touch. Once we passed security, I met up with a few more BSU students and we hung out in the lounge area. I walked around to the other shops to waste time and a pb&j sandwich for lunch. We had about 3 hours to hang out so we played card games and shopped around. More and more students started meeting up and then the Avilas came too and we all headed to the gate. About 6:45PM, we all boarded the plane. The plane again was huge, however, not as high-tech (no touch screens this time, we had small remotes in the arm rests). All of us sat relatively close, either in the same aisles or across from each other.
It was freezing on the plane when I stepped on, but there was a pillow, a blanket, and headphones awaiting me at my seat. I started a movie ("No Strings Attached") right away when I got on. About an hour in, we were served dinner--I got a vegan meal just to be safe and got a fruit cup, salad cup, 2 rice/corn patties, steamed vegetables and beans--it was okay, a little bland but was filling. After dinner, I went to sleep and slept solid for about 4 hours. When I woke up, the plane was dark and everyone was sleeping. I had to get up and walk around a little, but then I laid back down for another 3 hours.
When I woke up this time, breakfast was being served. I had: 2 corn patties, mushrooms, 2 manicotti-looking things, OJ, cereal and soy milk, and a fruit cup. Again it wasn't bad but rather bland---kinda disappointed with the meals on this flight and the other students got pancakes----How are those not vegetarian it beats me.
After breakfast, I got up and stretched in the back of the plane for about a half hour and walked around. I listened to music for the rest of the flight and filled out declaration sheets. The plane ride went very fast for me, I mean I slept more of it, but it felt like only a few hours and we were landing. I guess there was some really bad turbulence and I just slept right through it. I also felt like I was eating the whole time. New Zealand Air took very good care of me and always made me feel comfortable.
We landed at 12:30PM in LAX to relive May 1st all over again.
Auckland airport had free internet on three computers and I decided to check my email which meant I had to wait for a computer to become open and then jumped on.
We proceeded through security and surprisingly I got through with all my food except for one jar (I had two) of peanut butter (and it was the gross pb anyway). I had a jar of jelly and another jar of pb which they didn't even touch. Once we passed security, I met up with a few more BSU students and we hung out in the lounge area. I walked around to the other shops to waste time and a pb&j sandwich for lunch. We had about 3 hours to hang out so we played card games and shopped around. More and more students started meeting up and then the Avilas came too and we all headed to the gate. About 6:45PM, we all boarded the plane. The plane again was huge, however, not as high-tech (no touch screens this time, we had small remotes in the arm rests). All of us sat relatively close, either in the same aisles or across from each other.
It was freezing on the plane when I stepped on, but there was a pillow, a blanket, and headphones awaiting me at my seat. I started a movie ("No Strings Attached") right away when I got on. About an hour in, we were served dinner--I got a vegan meal just to be safe and got a fruit cup, salad cup, 2 rice/corn patties, steamed vegetables and beans--it was okay, a little bland but was filling. After dinner, I went to sleep and slept solid for about 4 hours. When I woke up, the plane was dark and everyone was sleeping. I had to get up and walk around a little, but then I laid back down for another 3 hours.
When I woke up this time, breakfast was being served. I had: 2 corn patties, mushrooms, 2 manicotti-looking things, OJ, cereal and soy milk, and a fruit cup. Again it wasn't bad but rather bland---kinda disappointed with the meals on this flight and the other students got pancakes----How are those not vegetarian it beats me.
After breakfast, I got up and stretched in the back of the plane for about a half hour and walked around. I listened to music for the rest of the flight and filled out declaration sheets. The plane ride went very fast for me, I mean I slept more of it, but it felt like only a few hours and we were landing. I guess there was some really bad turbulence and I just slept right through it. I also felt like I was eating the whole time. New Zealand Air took very good care of me and always made me feel comfortable.
We landed at 12:30PM in LAX to relive May 1st all over again.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Flew Queenstown to Auckland-went to Auckland city/walk and meet other students
I slept very well---the bed was so comfy (compared to a van). I slept on the top bunk above Jenn.I got up around 8AM and found Misha staring at me at the side of my bed.Startled me a little, but them I laughed---the best way to wake up honestly--laughing that is not Misha standing by my bed hahaha. After that warm wake-up, I jumped off the top bunk, repacked my stuff, and we were off to the airport.
First we had to stop and fill up the vans for the last time. At the gas station we ran into Mark and his mom who had also been touring NZ too. We followed each other to the drop off the vans and all checked in together. Unfortunately all our flights were jumbled up and we flew 2 and 3 on 3 different flights due to online booking and tickets getting sold out before everyone was on.
Everyone was on the first flight together but Abby and Colin, but they had theirs only like 2 hours later. This first flight was only 45 minutes (still got an Anzac cookie, chips, and a drink) and stopped in Christchurch where I had a 2.5 hour lay-over. Rory and I were the only two on this next flight together (others had different connecting flights) so we just walked around the airport. In Christchurch is where the earthquake, however, I didn't see any damage directly. The cashier in one of the stores said they would be closing the next day and opening in their new facility, so I am assuming there had been some damage to the airport. I never left the airport either so that could be the reason I didn't see anything anyway. The three hours went pretty fast because I napped for about an hour and when I woke up, there was only 20 minutes until boarding and then I was back in the air. The flight to Auckland was only an hour and I got more Anzacs (I am really going to miss this biscuits they call them (cookies in America) because they are so good), chips, and a drink again. (That would never happen in the States--sometimes on 3-4 hours rides they don't offer anything). The flight was very smooth and once I landed in Auckland I had to go from the International airport to meet up with the rest of the group.
We repacked some of our bags and then decided to head to Auckland city for the night. We took the Air bus to the city which took about 30 minutes. We booked rooms at another Base hostel and went there to check-in. Then we all ran out to grab some dinner, I had some subway and then went back to the hostel to shower. Again the shower was a 20 second button which I had to constantly hit, but it did its job and I was out. We decided to head out on the town that night. The first stop as Freddy's Ice House, however, I chose not to go in. It cost NZ$25 for 30 minutes to stand in a small Ice bar. I guess it had some ice statues, the bar was completely ice, and about -5.5 degrees Celsius.They provide gloves, and a coat for those entering in.
I just waited outside and walked the harbour as the others went in. I took a stroll by the water, checked out the neat boats, walked by a ton of restaurants, saw some interesting people out that night (lots of costumes out that night, a 40-50 year old in a red, sparkly unitard, and lots of young, drunk kids).
I met back up with the others and we decided to head to the Globe bar which was the bar attached to our hostel. It wasn't hopping yet, and when I walked in I saw two stripper poles on the dance floor--kinda risque if you ask me. We only took a peek and then went to find the other BSU students apartment which they rented for a week as they stayed in Auckland. It was a good walk, about 20 minutes or so---including a few steep hills (which I enjoyed). It was nice being reunited once again! We hung out at the 2 bedroom apt for an hour, just filling each other in on what we did and where we went and then went back to the hostel.
Colin and I decided to go back down to the Globe which was now packed so we danced a little and then headed back to the room. We had a 6 bedroom dorm this time and shared it with a German girl backpacking around. She was very nice and we chatted for a little bit while we were there but not for long. Once I got back to the room it was bedtime for me---only one more day in NZ :(
First we had to stop and fill up the vans for the last time. At the gas station we ran into Mark and his mom who had also been touring NZ too. We followed each other to the drop off the vans and all checked in together. Unfortunately all our flights were jumbled up and we flew 2 and 3 on 3 different flights due to online booking and tickets getting sold out before everyone was on.
Everyone was on the first flight together but Abby and Colin, but they had theirs only like 2 hours later. This first flight was only 45 minutes (still got an Anzac cookie, chips, and a drink) and stopped in Christchurch where I had a 2.5 hour lay-over. Rory and I were the only two on this next flight together (others had different connecting flights) so we just walked around the airport. In Christchurch is where the earthquake, however, I didn't see any damage directly. The cashier in one of the stores said they would be closing the next day and opening in their new facility, so I am assuming there had been some damage to the airport. I never left the airport either so that could be the reason I didn't see anything anyway. The three hours went pretty fast because I napped for about an hour and when I woke up, there was only 20 minutes until boarding and then I was back in the air. The flight to Auckland was only an hour and I got more Anzacs (I am really going to miss this biscuits they call them (cookies in America) because they are so good), chips, and a drink again. (That would never happen in the States--sometimes on 3-4 hours rides they don't offer anything). The flight was very smooth and once I landed in Auckland I had to go from the International airport to meet up with the rest of the group.
We repacked some of our bags and then decided to head to Auckland city for the night. We took the Air bus to the city which took about 30 minutes. We booked rooms at another Base hostel and went there to check-in. Then we all ran out to grab some dinner, I had some subway and then went back to the hostel to shower. Again the shower was a 20 second button which I had to constantly hit, but it did its job and I was out. We decided to head out on the town that night. The first stop as Freddy's Ice House, however, I chose not to go in. It cost NZ$25 for 30 minutes to stand in a small Ice bar. I guess it had some ice statues, the bar was completely ice, and about -5.5 degrees Celsius.They provide gloves, and a coat for those entering in.
I just waited outside and walked the harbour as the others went in. I took a stroll by the water, checked out the neat boats, walked by a ton of restaurants, saw some interesting people out that night (lots of costumes out that night, a 40-50 year old in a red, sparkly unitard, and lots of young, drunk kids).
I met back up with the others and we decided to head to the Globe bar which was the bar attached to our hostel. It wasn't hopping yet, and when I walked in I saw two stripper poles on the dance floor--kinda risque if you ask me. We only took a peek and then went to find the other BSU students apartment which they rented for a week as they stayed in Auckland. It was a good walk, about 20 minutes or so---including a few steep hills (which I enjoyed). It was nice being reunited once again! We hung out at the 2 bedroom apt for an hour, just filling each other in on what we did and where we went and then went back to the hostel.
Colin and I decided to go back down to the Globe which was now packed so we danced a little and then headed back to the room. We had a 6 bedroom dorm this time and shared it with a German girl backpacking around. She was very nice and we chatted for a little bit while we were there but not for long. Once I got back to the room it was bedtime for me---only one more day in NZ :(
Friday, April 29, 2011
Queenstown Explore/Zipline/Furgburger
I slept very well on this couch---it was very comfy compared to the van I guess! I got up at 9:30AM, packed up my stuff, Misha brought all of us some breakfast from the buffet to share. We had to check out by 10 and get Misha to his bungee jump. The rest of us looked around the bustling town and then had to move the vans---being in a town, it was back to time allotted parking. Colin and I decided to go zip-lining and we signed up to go at 4.
I decided to do a hike on my own up the huge Gondola (long ski lift). The hike was rather exhausting and difficult. It was completely up-hill and the path was made mostly of tree stubs, rock edges, and dirt. There was another path called the Vertigo path on the way up which was for dirt bikers--there were a few bikes that flew past me on their way down---one even coming a little too close, all I head was "watch out girl" and he zipped behind me. The second part of the path was a dirt and rock road. Cars I guess can drive up here on this road, but mostly its for walkers, runners, climbers. The hike usually takes about an hour, I was hauling it so I go up there within 40 minutes. What a magnificent view. I was out of breath several times on the way up and especially at the top but once i got up there it was well worth it. Surrounded by mountains and huge lake, I could see the entire town from there too! I saw the bungee jump-off, paragliding,a chairlift, the luge (racecar/bumper car course which went from the top of the chairlift to the Gondola), and gift shop (bought a beautiful necklace made from the native shell-peril shells).
I decided to continue hiking and started on the Ben Lemond hike (5 hour round trip hike for fit individuals the books suggested). The hike had a couple terrains to walk on--the first was dirt and rocks like the other I just took. The path was about a foot wide only. I walked through two forestry parts with very tall trees and much shade. The temperatures would change up there---since one minute I would be blazing in the sun on the side of this hill and the next be in trees and putting more layers on.
The second terrain was more sand and mud. This part was wet some of the time so my shoes were sliding and by the end completely covered. The sights were incredible though---I was walking on this hill and the mountains kept wrapping around me. I was facing the mountains and the lake and more and more expanded as I ventured around this hill. Such natural beauty---I never would have stopped on this track if I didn't have to go zipline soon. The only scary part of that the path was so narrow and the fall was so dangerous and deadly off the side of the hill if I even made one wrong step. I was freaking myself out being all alone, but I only crossed paths with 4 people or so, again that same good thing made me nervous too---what if I had trouble or needed help---no one was there! I was in the middle of nowhere so I was extra careful----the way down was more scary because now I was slipping down-hill. My heart start pounding twice when I slipped in the mud and thought it was it but I caught myself and kept trekking down. I love the hike, but had to turn around after about 40 minutes to get back to the Gondola.When the path got too muddy, I decided to turn around. On my way back, I heard two mountain goats in the distance making some weird noises and communicating in some way. I could only hear them, I couldn't see them at all. Passing a couple, they warn me to watch out for mountain goats, but I didn't come across any at all. Probably should have worn real hiking boots because my shoes were just covered in mud by the time I walked back.
I added a small hike up to the Skyline Loop where I can to the top of the chairlift and the beginning of the luge. I took some more pics of the beautiful scenery and then headed down to find Colin. He was waiting by the gift shop so we walked around a bit, i ate the lunch I packed, and then we went and checked in at the Zip-line treehouse. Colin was very nervous because he was scared of heights but he really wanted to do this. I said I would do it too, but I was looking to make it more adventurous and fly upside down.
The first step was getting some gear----gloves, hats for warmth, hard hat for safety, and harness. We looked super cool and very official in our gear--lol! We met our guides, heard some safety rules, and then were off to the first line.
The first line was the shortest just to give us a feel for it---we were allowed to do whatever we wanted! For ziplining, the guides hooked us up, controlled our braking speed, but we didn't have to hold any ropes or our own cords at all. I was a little nervous for the first one to see what it felt like, but very excited. Colin's teeth were chattering a lot, but he went before me and had a great time. Once I was clipped in, the safety door opened and I walked down about 4-5 stairs before weight was put on the cord and I took off down the line.
1-flew straight forward, lifted legs on the side, flew with no hands, swinging my legs and arms around
2-Guide taught us how to go upside down so I walked off backwards down the step, threw my head back, tucked my feet up, and released my hands---wow what a thrill!
3-Zipped upside down again, only hooked one foot this time and shot the other in arabesque. I guess the guide was impressed too Colin said after I went.
4-I videotaped this one while riding. This last one was 3x as long as the others so I went upside down, then face up to film the beautiful mountains I was passing, and then flipped upside down again.
I felt so free on the lines, and very safe. I liked how I could fool around on it and what a blast! I was very proud of Colin--he had a lot of fun!
To get to the next zipline, we had to walk down the treehouse and the next tree house was right there. As we traveled tree houses, the guides shared information about how NZ is working more and more on sustainability. The guides shared how the world needs to improve the sustainability of the land for future generations. Ziptrek is also dedicated to being a sustainable company. All of their power is generated by solar power panels on top of the trees and also a stationary bike at the check-in treehouse. I rode the bike when I first checked in and we were waiting for the other zipliners and to keep myself warm. The ziplines were not permanently embedded into the trees so when the tree grows, screw could be undone and adjusted to fit the new growth. At the last line, the guides shared how one of the guides is creating a new project for Laos---providing clean water system, sanitation system, and power system for the people who have nothing. One thing I thought was a phenomenal idea was the way he generated power. He was building a merry-go-round which kids would play on all day and then generate power at night for the neighborhoods. How neat is that!!! I hope his ideas take off and America adopts some of them too!
After the last line, we had to walk back up to the check-in treehouse to get our bags and then we walked all the way down the Gondola. It took about 40 minutes to get down. The sun was setting now so about half way down we were traveling in the dark, but luckily we had our flashlights. The path on the way down was just as tricky as on the way up. The path is not well distinguished in the light and in the dark its even worse so I slipped and missteped a couple times. Some parts were really steep too and I had to almost jump down.
Once we reached the bottom, we met up with the other students and went to Fergburger (known burger joint with wacky names and giant burgers). A typical burger was the size of my hand. I decided to get a kids Spring Chicken burger (NZ$7) so it was a bit smaller but delicious. This place was the hot spot though, constantly busy, burgers coming out nonstop.
Once we ate, we headed back to Base (our hostel). We got an eight bedroom dorm to share for NZ$25/person. This was a very nice hostel--beds were really comfy, the shower though had a button which had to be pushed every 20 sec to keep the water going or it would turn off. I guess that saves water! It was kind of annoying, but I got in and got out as fast as possible.
We each got a free drink for staying there so we got our free ticket and went to the bar. At the bar, I bumped into the girls who climbed with us on the Glacier who were also drive from Fox Glacier and were staying at Base that night too. We chatted about our adventures that day and then the rest of the BSU students and I went upstairs to shower. We all were really tired and ended up staying in the room that night playing some scrabble- I played with Rory, Misha, and Colin. I also go into a wrestling match with Colin somehow---we were playing around and laughing. He pinned me down a few times, but I seemed to get myself out every time. He is much like a brother to me and we pick on each other like we are siblings. We had a lot of fun just chilling in the room together. I had every intention of going back down to the bar for Ladies Night, but we were all too exhausted. I went to bed around 11-11:30PM. My calves were a bit sore and I was pooped so I climbed into the top bunk and went to bed. We all said goodnight to each other and Misha decided to say to goodnight to every one singularly which made me smile. We all have grown so close together its going to be very hard to say good-bye in a few days.
I don't want to think about good-bye, I have made some great friends and I will miss them all.
Minutes later I was asleep.
I decided to do a hike on my own up the huge Gondola (long ski lift). The hike was rather exhausting and difficult. It was completely up-hill and the path was made mostly of tree stubs, rock edges, and dirt. There was another path called the Vertigo path on the way up which was for dirt bikers--there were a few bikes that flew past me on their way down---one even coming a little too close, all I head was "watch out girl" and he zipped behind me. The second part of the path was a dirt and rock road. Cars I guess can drive up here on this road, but mostly its for walkers, runners, climbers. The hike usually takes about an hour, I was hauling it so I go up there within 40 minutes. What a magnificent view. I was out of breath several times on the way up and especially at the top but once i got up there it was well worth it. Surrounded by mountains and huge lake, I could see the entire town from there too! I saw the bungee jump-off, paragliding,a chairlift, the luge (racecar/bumper car course which went from the top of the chairlift to the Gondola), and gift shop (bought a beautiful necklace made from the native shell-peril shells).
I decided to continue hiking and started on the Ben Lemond hike (5 hour round trip hike for fit individuals the books suggested). The hike had a couple terrains to walk on--the first was dirt and rocks like the other I just took. The path was about a foot wide only. I walked through two forestry parts with very tall trees and much shade. The temperatures would change up there---since one minute I would be blazing in the sun on the side of this hill and the next be in trees and putting more layers on.
The second terrain was more sand and mud. This part was wet some of the time so my shoes were sliding and by the end completely covered. The sights were incredible though---I was walking on this hill and the mountains kept wrapping around me. I was facing the mountains and the lake and more and more expanded as I ventured around this hill. Such natural beauty---I never would have stopped on this track if I didn't have to go zipline soon. The only scary part of that the path was so narrow and the fall was so dangerous and deadly off the side of the hill if I even made one wrong step. I was freaking myself out being all alone, but I only crossed paths with 4 people or so, again that same good thing made me nervous too---what if I had trouble or needed help---no one was there! I was in the middle of nowhere so I was extra careful----the way down was more scary because now I was slipping down-hill. My heart start pounding twice when I slipped in the mud and thought it was it but I caught myself and kept trekking down. I love the hike, but had to turn around after about 40 minutes to get back to the Gondola.When the path got too muddy, I decided to turn around. On my way back, I heard two mountain goats in the distance making some weird noises and communicating in some way. I could only hear them, I couldn't see them at all. Passing a couple, they warn me to watch out for mountain goats, but I didn't come across any at all. Probably should have worn real hiking boots because my shoes were just covered in mud by the time I walked back.
I added a small hike up to the Skyline Loop where I can to the top of the chairlift and the beginning of the luge. I took some more pics of the beautiful scenery and then headed down to find Colin. He was waiting by the gift shop so we walked around a bit, i ate the lunch I packed, and then we went and checked in at the Zip-line treehouse. Colin was very nervous because he was scared of heights but he really wanted to do this. I said I would do it too, but I was looking to make it more adventurous and fly upside down.
The first step was getting some gear----gloves, hats for warmth, hard hat for safety, and harness. We looked super cool and very official in our gear--lol! We met our guides, heard some safety rules, and then were off to the first line.
The first line was the shortest just to give us a feel for it---we were allowed to do whatever we wanted! For ziplining, the guides hooked us up, controlled our braking speed, but we didn't have to hold any ropes or our own cords at all. I was a little nervous for the first one to see what it felt like, but very excited. Colin's teeth were chattering a lot, but he went before me and had a great time. Once I was clipped in, the safety door opened and I walked down about 4-5 stairs before weight was put on the cord and I took off down the line.
1-flew straight forward, lifted legs on the side, flew with no hands, swinging my legs and arms around
2-Guide taught us how to go upside down so I walked off backwards down the step, threw my head back, tucked my feet up, and released my hands---wow what a thrill!
3-Zipped upside down again, only hooked one foot this time and shot the other in arabesque. I guess the guide was impressed too Colin said after I went.
4-I videotaped this one while riding. This last one was 3x as long as the others so I went upside down, then face up to film the beautiful mountains I was passing, and then flipped upside down again.
I felt so free on the lines, and very safe. I liked how I could fool around on it and what a blast! I was very proud of Colin--he had a lot of fun!
To get to the next zipline, we had to walk down the treehouse and the next tree house was right there. As we traveled tree houses, the guides shared information about how NZ is working more and more on sustainability. The guides shared how the world needs to improve the sustainability of the land for future generations. Ziptrek is also dedicated to being a sustainable company. All of their power is generated by solar power panels on top of the trees and also a stationary bike at the check-in treehouse. I rode the bike when I first checked in and we were waiting for the other zipliners and to keep myself warm. The ziplines were not permanently embedded into the trees so when the tree grows, screw could be undone and adjusted to fit the new growth. At the last line, the guides shared how one of the guides is creating a new project for Laos---providing clean water system, sanitation system, and power system for the people who have nothing. One thing I thought was a phenomenal idea was the way he generated power. He was building a merry-go-round which kids would play on all day and then generate power at night for the neighborhoods. How neat is that!!! I hope his ideas take off and America adopts some of them too!
After the last line, we had to walk back up to the check-in treehouse to get our bags and then we walked all the way down the Gondola. It took about 40 minutes to get down. The sun was setting now so about half way down we were traveling in the dark, but luckily we had our flashlights. The path on the way down was just as tricky as on the way up. The path is not well distinguished in the light and in the dark its even worse so I slipped and missteped a couple times. Some parts were really steep too and I had to almost jump down.
Once we reached the bottom, we met up with the other students and went to Fergburger (known burger joint with wacky names and giant burgers). A typical burger was the size of my hand. I decided to get a kids Spring Chicken burger (NZ$7) so it was a bit smaller but delicious. This place was the hot spot though, constantly busy, burgers coming out nonstop.
Once we ate, we headed back to Base (our hostel). We got an eight bedroom dorm to share for NZ$25/person. This was a very nice hostel--beds were really comfy, the shower though had a button which had to be pushed every 20 sec to keep the water going or it would turn off. I guess that saves water! It was kind of annoying, but I got in and got out as fast as possible.
We each got a free drink for staying there so we got our free ticket and went to the bar. At the bar, I bumped into the girls who climbed with us on the Glacier who were also drive from Fox Glacier and were staying at Base that night too. We chatted about our adventures that day and then the rest of the BSU students and I went upstairs to shower. We all were really tired and ended up staying in the room that night playing some scrabble- I played with Rory, Misha, and Colin. I also go into a wrestling match with Colin somehow---we were playing around and laughing. He pinned me down a few times, but I seemed to get myself out every time. He is much like a brother to me and we pick on each other like we are siblings. We had a lot of fun just chilling in the room together. I had every intention of going back down to the bar for Ladies Night, but we were all too exhausted. I went to bed around 11-11:30PM. My calves were a bit sore and I was pooped so I climbed into the top bunk and went to bed. We all said goodnight to each other and Misha decided to say to goodnight to every one singularly which made me smile. We all have grown so close together its going to be very hard to say good-bye in a few days.
I don't want to think about good-bye, I have made some great friends and I will miss them all.
Minutes later I was asleep.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Glacier Climb/drive to Queensown
When we woke the car was completely fogged/iced over so it took 10 minutes to defrost the van. I did not sleep that much that night because I kept waking up, readjusting and trying to keep as much covered as possible.
I woke up around 7:30AM, moved the van to the Glacier Guides parking lot, added more layers of clothing and went to check in. Colin and I were doing the full day Nimble Fox hike, Jenn the half day, and Abby was just going to hang out for the day in town.
Colin and I had to get our gear, including crampons (ice skates with traction grips on the bottom), backpack, hiking boots, hat and mittens, raincoat, and packed lunches. We met our guides for the day, mine was Andrew (mid 20-yr old, fun, joked around) and headed out to the buses. We drive about 10 minutes to get to the car park where we began the hike. The initial walk took about 45 minutes, walking through sand and rocks to begin then a beautiful rain forest. Lots of lush, green trees, bushes, moss---it was a fairly long and up-hill hike. The sun was luckily out today and I think I may have over-dressed for this part. I had 3 shirts, a sweatshirt, and raincoat on with 2 pairs of bottoms, 3 pairs of socks and boots. So I was a little warm---sweating actually. The hike just kept getting more and more steep, so I had to take off 2 layers.
The rain forest was very damp but bright green, not what I was expecting by a glacier. We made it to this one ladder part which had a chain leading to the top. We were told to hold on because the step over was pure cliff. Looking out when I got to the top, I could see the Glacier---what a majestic scene-unbelievable.
We walked to the Glacier after this. Before entering, we had to get our crampons on, applied the layers I took off back on, and started to climb/walk. The crampons were a little odd at first---felt like walking on stilts, but they gripped very nicely on the ice surface.
We had a beautiful hike--I did get a bit chilly while walking---and was being extra careful not to slip. I felt every time I moved I would fall, but the crampons really help. The glacier was not as white as I imagined, although looked kind of dirty with all the debris which were embedded from rock falls and from the glacier moving around what rock had been there. We came upon 2 waterfalls and boy is that water delicious. Crisp and cold, the best water I have every tasted. Refreshing!!
We walked about 4-5 hours on the Glacier itself. We even had out lunch just off the glacier on some rocks. I packed us a pb & j,an apple,and teddy grahams. After lunch we went back to climbing until we couldn't hike safely anymore. The cliffs were too steep. We turned back around and had to headed back the way we came. It took us a quarter of the time we took getting up going downhill and were back to the bus in no time. Getting back to the shop, reunited with Abby and Jenn. Misha, Rory, and Misha went ice climbing Fraz Joseph--not far from Fox so we met them there and then went off to Queenstown together. Alyssa and I both drove than vans. I drove the whole way there---most small winds and a few of the most extreme curves. There were a lot of animals and roadkill on the streets. I unfortunately hit a possum right after Alyssa who was in front of me hit one too.
We had to make an emergency gas stop because we were under an eighth of a tank, and then continued on-ward. Right before getting to Queenstown---we hit the most windy road possible---basically half circles and u-turns all the time. Surprising, Queentstown was still awake when we arrived at midnight.Misha got us all an hotel room which was huge---two master bedrooms and beautiful and comfy couch which I slept on for the night. We all brought our stuff inside and we sat down to watch Dilemma. It was a funny! Then it was shower time---felts so good to be clean again. We all went to bed around 2:45-3AM.
The days are going way too fast here--I am so glad we get to see both islands, lots of driving, but thats ok. The northern island---more beach lik ane AUS-like
The southern island has more adventurous!
The NZ accent funds more educational, crisp than AUS and I think I like their better.
What an action packed day---not just some rest will do, on a couch that it!
My feet were killing me by the end of the evening.
I woke up around 7:30AM, moved the van to the Glacier Guides parking lot, added more layers of clothing and went to check in. Colin and I were doing the full day Nimble Fox hike, Jenn the half day, and Abby was just going to hang out for the day in town.
Colin and I had to get our gear, including crampons (ice skates with traction grips on the bottom), backpack, hiking boots, hat and mittens, raincoat, and packed lunches. We met our guides for the day, mine was Andrew (mid 20-yr old, fun, joked around) and headed out to the buses. We drive about 10 minutes to get to the car park where we began the hike. The initial walk took about 45 minutes, walking through sand and rocks to begin then a beautiful rain forest. Lots of lush, green trees, bushes, moss---it was a fairly long and up-hill hike. The sun was luckily out today and I think I may have over-dressed for this part. I had 3 shirts, a sweatshirt, and raincoat on with 2 pairs of bottoms, 3 pairs of socks and boots. So I was a little warm---sweating actually. The hike just kept getting more and more steep, so I had to take off 2 layers.
The rain forest was very damp but bright green, not what I was expecting by a glacier. We made it to this one ladder part which had a chain leading to the top. We were told to hold on because the step over was pure cliff. Looking out when I got to the top, I could see the Glacier---what a majestic scene-unbelievable.
We walked to the Glacier after this. Before entering, we had to get our crampons on, applied the layers I took off back on, and started to climb/walk. The crampons were a little odd at first---felt like walking on stilts, but they gripped very nicely on the ice surface.
We had a beautiful hike--I did get a bit chilly while walking---and was being extra careful not to slip. I felt every time I moved I would fall, but the crampons really help. The glacier was not as white as I imagined, although looked kind of dirty with all the debris which were embedded from rock falls and from the glacier moving around what rock had been there. We came upon 2 waterfalls and boy is that water delicious. Crisp and cold, the best water I have every tasted. Refreshing!!
We walked about 4-5 hours on the Glacier itself. We even had out lunch just off the glacier on some rocks. I packed us a pb & j,an apple,and teddy grahams. After lunch we went back to climbing until we couldn't hike safely anymore. The cliffs were too steep. We turned back around and had to headed back the way we came. It took us a quarter of the time we took getting up going downhill and were back to the bus in no time. Getting back to the shop, reunited with Abby and Jenn. Misha, Rory, and Misha went ice climbing Fraz Joseph--not far from Fox so we met them there and then went off to Queenstown together. Alyssa and I both drove than vans. I drove the whole way there---most small winds and a few of the most extreme curves. There were a lot of animals and roadkill on the streets. I unfortunately hit a possum right after Alyssa who was in front of me hit one too.
We had to make an emergency gas stop because we were under an eighth of a tank, and then continued on-ward. Right before getting to Queenstown---we hit the most windy road possible---basically half circles and u-turns all the time. Surprising, Queentstown was still awake when we arrived at midnight.Misha got us all an hotel room which was huge---two master bedrooms and beautiful and comfy couch which I slept on for the night. We all brought our stuff inside and we sat down to watch Dilemma. It was a funny! Then it was shower time---felts so good to be clean again. We all went to bed around 2:45-3AM.
The days are going way too fast here--I am so glad we get to see both islands, lots of driving, but thats ok. The northern island---more beach lik ane AUS-like
The southern island has more adventurous!
The NZ accent funds more educational, crisp than AUS and I think I like their better.
What an action packed day---not just some rest will do, on a couch that it!
My feet were killing me by the end of the evening.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Dolpin Encounter/drove to Fox Glacier
Woke up at 7:15AM and went to the front desk to book my Dolphin Encounter trip. I have always wanted to swim with dolphins and I thought this would be an amazing way to do so---hundreds of wild dolphins swimming along-side me. I was very nervous, but something I really wanted to do. I had to get all my stuff out of the hostel room while not waking the other three. Colin kindly drove me down the block to the Encounter place. When I got there, I signed in and got a wetsuit---this is a full, very buoyant wetsuit, socks, flippers, snorkel and mask, and wet suit hood. From head to toe, I was officially covered. After getting on the attire, I was taking into a briefing--where we were warned these are wild dolphins and they could either swim away or play with us. We were told not to reach out for them because that would scare them and to make noises with our snorkels to get them to play with us. I was getting a little more nervous seeing how close they dolphins were going to be and that there could be anywhere from 200-700 dolphins!
After watching the video, it was time to load the bus with my group (11 others). The bus brought us to the boat at South Bay. The boat was small-medium size---one skipper and one guide. We were all instructed of emergency procedures and then we were out to find these Dusky dolphins. After about 10 minutes of jetting out into the Pacific, we came up upon a pod of dolphins. The skipper got the boat surrounded by dolphins and told us to get all our gear on. He turned off the motor, blew the horn and we all slipped into the water. I think my body went into shock---it was beyond cold--- I stuck my head down and immediately there were dolphins darting past me. They would swim right along-side me. The group and I started making the funny noises (I felt like such a weirdo, but it made the dolphins feel at home). These dolphins were not very playful and the pod swam off within 5-10 minutes so the horn blew again and we all swam toward the boat, reboarded, and were off to follow them.
Now it was cold and windy and my fingers were going numb---not a great feeling. It was only about a 5 minute drive to catch up with the dolphins and where we found more. There were hundreds--200-300 dolphins all around the boat. The horn blew again and we slipped back into the water. I couldn't get away from the dolphins now----there were 3-4 around me the entire time. These were way more playful, they were jumping out of the water, darting super close to my face and body, gracing my sides, I even got to play with one in particular. We were told to make eye contact and swim in circles and act as much like dolphins as possible----so I did just that--I put my arms behind my back, made eye contact, and got a dolphin to follow me. It was such an amazing feeling---he/she was following me round and round and round. It was a game to them. To be honest the dolphins made me a little uncomfortable because they were darting so quickly and right by my side.
My hands were completely numb by now and the waves were getting fairly large. I kept getting water in my snorkel which was making my stomach hurt. Salt water just doesn't make me feel good and I think it was combination of rocking in the water too. I was fairly far from the boat so the waves were taller than the boat and that made me nervous.We stayed out here for about 25 minutes and even though the horn didn't blow, I had to get back to the boat--which was a swim since I was pushed out by waves. When I got back to the boat, I started to feel seasick. I knew I was done being in the water and had to get my wetsuit off and get some dry clothing on to feel better.
I was shaking uncontrollably because it was so cold. I couldn't use my own fingers and that made it really hard to get my flippers off. The guide helped me a lot by pulling everything off for me as I stood there and shivered. I couldn't help my teeth chatter and body convulsions-I was the coldest I have ever been I think. Everyone else was feeling the same and we were all struggling and freezing together. Once the wetsuit was off, I got my towel and put on as much dry clothing as possible. Normally I am pretty good about changing quickly, but my body was moving in slow motion and I couldn't do anything about it---It took me longer than usual to get clothing on, and part of it was because I was being rocked around the boat. I couldn't even tie my own shoes because my fingers were so numb.
There was a couple times I thought I was going to get sick and was about to get a barf bucket, but I kept myself calm and focused on getting dressed. The guide also gave us a tube of hot water which everyone took turns with as we were changing. This was extremely warm, but being so numb I couldn't really tell--it just felt refreshing. Once I was dressed, I moved to the front of the boat to take videos/pics, get some ginger cookies (help to settle the stomach) and some hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was steaming but I was gulping it down by the cup to get warm. I was still shaking and couldn't help it.
One woman wanted to go in one more time so we waited for her to get some more pictures and then we were back to the dock. I waited at the front of the boat--eating ginger cookies to keep from getting sick.
It never felt so good to be on land. From the boat, we went back to the bus and back to the shop. I felt like I was still rocking when we got back. I jumped right into the hot shower, warming all my extremities. I still couldn't feel my toes or fingers, but just being in the hot water felt amazing. After getting dressed again, I found Jenn, Colin, and Abby (traveling with this van now because we were climbing the glacier together) waiting for me in the cafe. I guess I still looked cold and was shaking, they said. They each tried to warm me up, gave me their blankets. About a half hour into the drive, I could feel me toes and fingers again. It felt so good to be warm. Jenn luckily drove first and I got to lay down for a little. I felt a little sick in the car though----I sat in the middle row of the van. Laying down made me feel more nausea so I sat up and watched the beautiful scenery passing. This is the only day trip we would have and it was beautiful to see how massive and gorgeous the mountains are.
A few hours in, Jenn and I had to go to the bathroom and there was nothing for miles and miles and miles. There were no rest-stops so I would have to face my fear. Danielle would have to learn to squat in the wild. I was not a huge fan of this and very scared to do so. But Jenn found me a spot and coached me through----its definitely a weird feeling to go to the bathroom in public and hope we didn't have to stop again. We took only three highways the whole way to Fox Glacier. From 70--to 7--to 6. Jen drove for about 4-4.5 hours. These roads were really windy---not helping me with my motion sickness already. From the sea to the van, my stomach hurt really bad. The scenery distracted me thought---such beauty. We also came across lots and lots of sheep, cows, alpacas, and llamas. Jenn did a great job driving and even came upon some huge cliffs which she carefully drive around.
At about 7:30PM, we made a gas stop, and then I took over driving. I only drive for the last 2 hours---lots of curves and crossed 8 one-lane bridges. These were a little nerve-racking and I had to approach very cautiously. There were not many other cars on the road, but the bridges were narrow and I just wanted to be extra careful. There were a few sharp turns, but we made it to Fox Glacier within 2 hours. The town was very very tiny---one street, 3-4 cafes (only things open when we got there), gas station, and small general store. Everyone was pretty hungry so we went to one of the cafes--we walked into one and we were all looked at pretty funny---I guess we looked very tired and like we had been driving in a car for sometime--go figure! We felt uncomfortable so we went to another one where we sat, had some hot chips and talked. That night we decided to sleep in the van and cuddle each other. Colin, Jenn, and I spooned in the back and Abby had the front. We bundled each other under many blankets, but still it got very cold during the night. Abby turned the heat on twice during the night to keep us warm, and I slept with the blankets over my head. Buurrrrrrr
After watching the video, it was time to load the bus with my group (11 others). The bus brought us to the boat at South Bay. The boat was small-medium size---one skipper and one guide. We were all instructed of emergency procedures and then we were out to find these Dusky dolphins. After about 10 minutes of jetting out into the Pacific, we came up upon a pod of dolphins. The skipper got the boat surrounded by dolphins and told us to get all our gear on. He turned off the motor, blew the horn and we all slipped into the water. I think my body went into shock---it was beyond cold--- I stuck my head down and immediately there were dolphins darting past me. They would swim right along-side me. The group and I started making the funny noises (I felt like such a weirdo, but it made the dolphins feel at home). These dolphins were not very playful and the pod swam off within 5-10 minutes so the horn blew again and we all swam toward the boat, reboarded, and were off to follow them.
Now it was cold and windy and my fingers were going numb---not a great feeling. It was only about a 5 minute drive to catch up with the dolphins and where we found more. There were hundreds--200-300 dolphins all around the boat. The horn blew again and we slipped back into the water. I couldn't get away from the dolphins now----there were 3-4 around me the entire time. These were way more playful, they were jumping out of the water, darting super close to my face and body, gracing my sides, I even got to play with one in particular. We were told to make eye contact and swim in circles and act as much like dolphins as possible----so I did just that--I put my arms behind my back, made eye contact, and got a dolphin to follow me. It was such an amazing feeling---he/she was following me round and round and round. It was a game to them. To be honest the dolphins made me a little uncomfortable because they were darting so quickly and right by my side.
My hands were completely numb by now and the waves were getting fairly large. I kept getting water in my snorkel which was making my stomach hurt. Salt water just doesn't make me feel good and I think it was combination of rocking in the water too. I was fairly far from the boat so the waves were taller than the boat and that made me nervous.We stayed out here for about 25 minutes and even though the horn didn't blow, I had to get back to the boat--which was a swim since I was pushed out by waves. When I got back to the boat, I started to feel seasick. I knew I was done being in the water and had to get my wetsuit off and get some dry clothing on to feel better.
I was shaking uncontrollably because it was so cold. I couldn't use my own fingers and that made it really hard to get my flippers off. The guide helped me a lot by pulling everything off for me as I stood there and shivered. I couldn't help my teeth chatter and body convulsions-I was the coldest I have ever been I think. Everyone else was feeling the same and we were all struggling and freezing together. Once the wetsuit was off, I got my towel and put on as much dry clothing as possible. Normally I am pretty good about changing quickly, but my body was moving in slow motion and I couldn't do anything about it---It took me longer than usual to get clothing on, and part of it was because I was being rocked around the boat. I couldn't even tie my own shoes because my fingers were so numb.
There was a couple times I thought I was going to get sick and was about to get a barf bucket, but I kept myself calm and focused on getting dressed. The guide also gave us a tube of hot water which everyone took turns with as we were changing. This was extremely warm, but being so numb I couldn't really tell--it just felt refreshing. Once I was dressed, I moved to the front of the boat to take videos/pics, get some ginger cookies (help to settle the stomach) and some hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was steaming but I was gulping it down by the cup to get warm. I was still shaking and couldn't help it.
One woman wanted to go in one more time so we waited for her to get some more pictures and then we were back to the dock. I waited at the front of the boat--eating ginger cookies to keep from getting sick.
It never felt so good to be on land. From the boat, we went back to the bus and back to the shop. I felt like I was still rocking when we got back. I jumped right into the hot shower, warming all my extremities. I still couldn't feel my toes or fingers, but just being in the hot water felt amazing. After getting dressed again, I found Jenn, Colin, and Abby (traveling with this van now because we were climbing the glacier together) waiting for me in the cafe. I guess I still looked cold and was shaking, they said. They each tried to warm me up, gave me their blankets. About a half hour into the drive, I could feel me toes and fingers again. It felt so good to be warm. Jenn luckily drove first and I got to lay down for a little. I felt a little sick in the car though----I sat in the middle row of the van. Laying down made me feel more nausea so I sat up and watched the beautiful scenery passing. This is the only day trip we would have and it was beautiful to see how massive and gorgeous the mountains are.
A few hours in, Jenn and I had to go to the bathroom and there was nothing for miles and miles and miles. There were no rest-stops so I would have to face my fear. Danielle would have to learn to squat in the wild. I was not a huge fan of this and very scared to do so. But Jenn found me a spot and coached me through----its definitely a weird feeling to go to the bathroom in public and hope we didn't have to stop again. We took only three highways the whole way to Fox Glacier. From 70--to 7--to 6. Jen drove for about 4-4.5 hours. These roads were really windy---not helping me with my motion sickness already. From the sea to the van, my stomach hurt really bad. The scenery distracted me thought---such beauty. We also came across lots and lots of sheep, cows, alpacas, and llamas. Jenn did a great job driving and even came upon some huge cliffs which she carefully drive around.
At about 7:30PM, we made a gas stop, and then I took over driving. I only drive for the last 2 hours---lots of curves and crossed 8 one-lane bridges. These were a little nerve-racking and I had to approach very cautiously. There were not many other cars on the road, but the bridges were narrow and I just wanted to be extra careful. There were a few sharp turns, but we made it to Fox Glacier within 2 hours. The town was very very tiny---one street, 3-4 cafes (only things open when we got there), gas station, and small general store. Everyone was pretty hungry so we went to one of the cafes--we walked into one and we were all looked at pretty funny---I guess we looked very tired and like we had been driving in a car for sometime--go figure! We felt uncomfortable so we went to another one where we sat, had some hot chips and talked. That night we decided to sleep in the van and cuddle each other. Colin, Jenn, and I spooned in the back and Abby had the front. We bundled each other under many blankets, but still it got very cold during the night. Abby turned the heat on twice during the night to keep us warm, and I slept with the blankets over my head. Buurrrrrrr
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