Boats, Trolleys, Wings

So I've been tasked with doing the rest of New Zealand after Milford which means this has to be either ten pages long or a really summarised version - as we're in Bangkok, the sun is shining and a great swimming pool awaits, I'll be going for the latter.

I can't deny being a little disappointed in the Milford track. Don't get me wrong, it is really beautiful as is all of New Zealand and, once again, this is going to sound most ungrateful. But New Zealand scenery is very hyped up therefore has a lot to live up to. So much of it is like the UK lake district, Scotland and the peak district (which I personally think is very beautiful so that is a compliment, just to confirm!) and I must admit that travel, for me, should be about something different.

The sounds are admittedly something we don't have in the UK and are lovely, but my favourite place for scenery was Queenstown without a doubt. We were again very lucky with the weather and had clear blue skies which made Lake Wakatipu look remarkable (sorry - couldn't resist!) and it is unusual to see a place where man's influence can actually enhance nature - the town and consequent boats on the lake really add to the views.

But New Zealand definitely lived up to everything we've been told about activities. "Boats" were covered several times but the shotover jet boat was the best - would have been even better to drive it! "Trolleys" is a real understatement for the luge (but the BTW thing hasn't beaten us yet so we must keep trying!) which was not only great fun but what a view as you speed down the hill! "Wings" highlights were paragliding off Coronet peak and the helicopter flight over Franz Josef glacier. We had already become helicopter fans in Brazil but, as we should have expected, the New Zealand pilot made it much more of a 'ride', so it wasn't just flying so close to the glacier that was amazing!

Our time in New Zealand reads as a list of "dids". In Queenstown we visited a kiwi bird park and, of course, managed to fit in some wine tasting! We also hiked on the glacier at Franz Josef (very different to the Himalayan glaciers, very similar to the Patagonian ones) and did some ice climbing, did the Tongariro crossing and quad biking in Lake Taupo, horse trekking, a Hangi and visited the thermal areas in Rotorura, but my favourite New Zealand experience and definitely up there with my favourites of our trip, was swimming with the dolphins in Kaikoura. We just couldn't believe, considering these are totally wild dolphins, just how many there were and how close they came. It was an unbeliveable priviledge to experience. Apparently it is the underwater canyon that brings them to this area and from what I've heard of swimming with dolphins in other places around the world, it can't get better than this. I would go to New Zealand purely for this experience alone. There were hundreds of them and as soon as we got in the water they were on either side of us, under us, over us, everywhere!

My three favourite moments that will stay with me forever are swimming along side one that was looking me right in the eye all the time, one turning onto his back and then swimming along underneath me, (no doubt very amused at how incapabale I was at keeping up) and having a whole family, including a baby, swim by me. But we all had amazing moments. Ken had eye contact with one for ages as they swam in circles together. Steve, being the amazing swimmer he is, was diving a lot which always interests them and they would follow him down to play! That was incredible for me to watch from the surface, even with my terrible snorkelling skills! I think I appreciated this experience all the more as I couldn't even swim 7 years ago and am still not great in deep water, but all fears were forgotten before I even got off the boat, when I saw quite how many of these beautiful creatures were around us. Even just being on the boat and seeing them jump out of the water and somersaulting was awe inspiring.

And now we have arrived in South East Asia, strangely feeling as though we've just had a holiday from travelling, sad to say goodbye to Steve's folks but happy to be adventuring on. Once again I am surprised by the changes that can happen in just 9 years, but I'm leaving Bangkok to Steve's unbiaised eyes as that pool is still waiting for me.

Mandi

p.s. For anyone who speaks to Ken & Irene, don't listen to them about the van - it was perfect! And if Ken tries to tell you it was Irene that didn't take to the camping, don't listen to that either - the majority of whinging came from a different camp! ;o)