Trip to the South Island...

Due to the fact that I was having an operation it was decided that it was best for me to leave work in order for me to travel and enjoy my last few weeks of my time away. So on the 31rst of May I had my pre-perative appointment which went well then on the 1rst of June I flew down to Queenstown.I decided to spend the fortnight between my op and leaving work travelling. I was met off the plane by distant relatives from Otautau for a day touring around Queenstown. First we drove to Arrowtown which was very interesting. It was a mining town during the gold rush so the buildings are old fashioned and there is reference to gold everywhere. We had mussels for lunch in Queenstown and then wandered the city best known for its winters sports. I was very daring and went on the shot over jet down the river. It was sooo scary but yet very exhilarating! We went up in the gondola and enjoyed the view of the city. That evening we drove to Otautau. Peter and Audreys house was beautiful, it was like staying in a hotel. The next day I went we drove to Te Anau and went on a ferry to the glo worm caves. It was soo amazing, we walked through the caves in near darkness and saw a big waterfall. We got into a little rowing boat deep in the cave and it was complete darkness.... then there was little lights everywhere as it was lit up by glo worms. It was beautiful.
The rest of the weekend was quite laidback, went to church on Sunday in Invercargill then went for lunch in Bluff, the most southernly point of NZ. Then I took a bus to Christchurch which took all day, although it was very beautiful seeing all the countryside.

Spending time in Christchurch was lovely. Stayed with friends, Rose and Glenn. Got showed around the red zone which was very surreal, its so weird, like a ghost town. Its really sad to watch all the buildings being torn down. We wandered round the shipping container mall, that was pretty cool. As we wandered  back to the car we met a friend of the family I was staying with who was working in the red zone who showed us all the buildings that were still standing that were going to be demolished, she said it was so sad seeing the contents of an old office being thrown out.

I also got to hang out with my friend Caleb, it was really good catching up and chatting. He's  such a decent guy and he invited me to come to CU the next evening.  The next day it starting snowing, the whole city was a white wonderland made me feel as though  I was catching up on the winter I missed back home. In the afternoon I met up with my friends the Santich family and went round to their house. We chilled out in their lovely warm house and watched a movie. That evening was CU, it was nice seeing people I hadnt seen since November and getting a chance to say goodbye.

The next day I was dropped off at the airport and my flight was delayed by like 5 hours so I finished my book and listened to music and then flew to the next part of my travels.... Sydney :D