Bummer…
The New Zealand weather is conspiring against me…or perhaps not…
I’ve been a bit bummed the last week as two awesome activities I had planned to do were cancelled due to weather.
First there was the heli-hike at Franz Joseph glacier…a helicopter assisted hike. This one was really hard because I was absolutely JAZZED to do this. I’ve always wanted to go on a helicopter!!! (I looked at the prices for flights in NYC once and almost fainted!)
The morning of the planned hike we checked in and were told they were running a little late. We came back in a half hour, as instructed, and were told we’d be going…start Liz jumping up and down like a 3-yr old! We headed off to get our boots and crampons and just as I finished tying my laces the hike was cancelled. I almost cried!
To be fair the weather got seriously crappy in a matter of minutes. The skies opened and tossed down freezing rain in buckets. Better not to be in a helicopter…or on a glacier in such weather.
Because I hadn’t spent that chunk of change on the heli-hike I decided to do a day trip to Milford Sound, a supposed “not-to-miss” sight….by plane! A girl on my bus, Sorcha from Ireland, had been given a free flight by work collegues and I decided to go with her. It was pretty darn expensive, but I thought it would be worth it because otherwise I wasn’t going to see Milford Sound.
We got up early, got ready, packed lunches and called the flight company to be picked up…..and were told the flight was cancelled! Outside I saw that the formerly green mountains were covered in snow and it was supposedly still snowing at Milford Sound. …not the kind of weather to go in a little 8-seater Cesna. This time though, I really did almost cry!
I realized that maybe the weather doesn’t hate me after all…maybe New Zealand wants me to come back for the things I’ve missed out on. I’d be more then happy to return here. It’s one of my favorite places!
I started contemplating bungee jumping, because here I was in Queenstown, Adventure Capital of the World, and not doing anything!!! I didn’t go through with it though…I still don’t see that much apeal in bouncing upside down on a string.
I did however have a fun night! The people who remained behind for a few extra days when my bus moved on, and a few people from the bus behind us, joined the pub quiz at our hostel. We did surprisingly well coming in second and earning ourselves a free drink each. Sadly, the team from the Kiwi Experience bus beat us….cementing the rivallry between their big green buses and our smaller orange ones. Still, it was a fun night…
Only one more city to hit before I fly home…just 3 days left!
My goodness, how time flies!…and I, apparently, don’t!!!
Tags: New Zealand
LizG