Saturday, June 30, 2012

Guess the Bon Jovi Song!

Today is my New Zealand 5 month-aversary, and give or take a few days, is the halfway point of my time here. Hard to believe that from this day forward, I will be on the back half of my New Zealand adventure. It seems like just yesterday and all that associated reminiscing stuff. To mark this momentous occasion, I figured I'd put together something of a "Clip Show" - looking at my favourite things thus far, what I've liked and disliked about NZ and what I'll be up to over the next 5 months or so. All of those goodies after the jump.


Sitting here trying to think about the "favourite" things that I've done here on NZ is a little trickier than I originally anticipated. I've done loads of cool stuff and narrowing it down to a set number doesn't really seem fair or a good way to encapsulate the variety of stuff I've been up to. If you're still reading however, I bet you don't really give a damn. "You promised us some lists Dave. Don't go back on your word" you say, and I understand that. I won't let you down. Just know that writing this is EXCRUCIATINGLY difficult (not really, just upping the word count).

In the spirit of the "Arbitrary Beer Rating System" (patent pending), I'll recap my top 7 NZ experiences, in roughly descending order.


7. The Hyde Street Keg Party
This one made the cut mostly because I forgot to include it in my March recap. Let me break down this incredible fiasco down for you: Hyde St. is one residential block, with about 20 student flats. For the party, each flat had a different theme, and party-goers dressed up in the costume of whatever flat they felt had the best theme. And there were 4000 people there. At least. It was, as the kids say, "bananas". Drinking in public is allowed here (but glass was banned from the party), so I donned my hackest cowboy costume and filled a milk jug with a beer/rum/lemonade mixture and had an absolute blast at what was essentially an outdoor club. Scarfies really do know how to jam.

Jamz


6. Stewart Island & the Rakiura Track
My first look at real New Zealand "wilderness", it really helped to rekindle a long-lost love of the outdoors. Also my first "Great Walk", it spurred me on to really want to see as much of this country as I possible can - by the time I leave I'll have been on at least three more (possible four) of the ten "Great Walks", as well as countless other weekend walks and side trips through the incredible countryside here.

5. "The Zoo", Forsyth Barr Stadium
Simply put, the student section at Highlanders SuperXV Rugby matches is incredible. I've been to five of the Highlanders' seven home games, and in three of those games sat in "The Zoo". The atmosphere is like nothing I've ever experienced at a professional sports game, and the stadium is significantly different when the students aren't there. The noise, chanting and general party atmosphere is something that truly needs to be experienced.

The Zoo (photo courtesy of here)

4. Tunnel Beach
I've already written at length about this spot outside of Dunedin, so I won't say much else. Just an absolutely amazing spot, certainly one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.

3. The Nevis Highwire
Again, I've already written about my bungy jumping experience, so I won't delve into a lot more detail. I definitely want to do more jumping, but just not sure that anything else I do will be able to live up to my first leap - 134m drop, 8 seconds of freefall and getting up to speeds of 120km/h. Words can't describe it.

I can't rotate this picture. BLOGGERRRRRRRR


2. Mt. Armstrong
My first climb of a proper mountain and first exposure to NZ winter, it was another fantastic experience. Not sure if I'll have the chance to do too much more mountaineering, but if I don't, the views I had from the top of Mt. Armstrong would certainly be enough to keep me sated. Plus, I got to carry around an ice-axe all weekend.

1. Mt. Sunday & Mt. Cook
Getting out to Mt. Sunday, site of "Edoras" in the LOTR films, really showed me how remote parts of this country are. When I was out there, I really felt like I was the only person around for days. That, added to the stunning beauty of the location, makes it my favourite NZ experience so far. The trip to see Mt. Cook after was a wonderful bonus as well, the drive between the two spots took me through some ruggedly beautiful countryside, and contributed to what was just an awesome day all around.

Now, on to the section where I tell you all about the things I like/what makes me frown
Things I Like About NZ
- The Chocolate Milk
- No open container laws
- Mountains (real, legit snow-capped mountains)
- Being close to the ocean all the time
- Driving on the opposite side of the road (and just the road in general - fantastically curvy)
- Maori songs
- The scenery in general (so diverse!)
- Outdoor activities (tramping, climbing, etc.)
- That I'm considered a good hockey player here
- Pies (seriously, Canada needs to get on the pie bandwagon)
- Queenstown
- Rugby
- The slang terms and Kiwi accent ("reckon", "wee" and "get amongst it" particularly)
- Pumpkins
- The delicious beers
- Seals and penguins just bootin around
- A whole pile of other stuff I'm forgetting and will remember as soon as this is posted

Things I Don't Like About NZ
- The houses aren't insulated (just boggles my mind)
- Pre-paying for power (see above)
- The price of everything (but especially alcohol. but especially food. but especially everything)
- The general shoddiness of the internet
- That's pretty much it

With that out of the way, I'll finish things off with a quick look at some of the exciting things I'll be up to in the coming months. There's a whole pile of stuff, and with all of this coming up, my final five months here are going to fly by quicker than the first five did (no small feat, that).

AB's ticket. It'll be alright I guess.
- Queenstown snowboarding trip (July - literally leaving in about an hour for that)
- Some mystery destination in the second half of break (July)
- 2nd practicum - yes, I am here for Teacher's College, remember? (Aug-Sept)
- All Blacks v South Africa rugby test (Sept)
- The arrival of the Queenstown Crew (Sept?)
- Otago Central Rail Trail (Oct)
- Growing a bitchin' moustache (Nov)
- Tongariro Northern Circuit (Nov)
- Milford and Kepler Tracks (Dec)
- Coming home (??? - that date's a secret kids)



That'll be all for now. Posts might be a little patchy for a bit, I'll be zipping all across the country for the next two weeks :)

Dave



The Bon Jovi song was "Livin' on a Prayer". But you all knew that.

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