New Zealand: Falling off a plane

Since today morning Im in Queenstown. Meanwhile I know, even when the city is printed in huge
capital letters on the map and its is considered as a famous city, it absolutely doesn’t mean ANYTHING :)! But at least, I knew before I came here, that Queensland is some kind of “famous” and a nice place to spend time and so on. And I also knew that I want to go skydiving here. And so I did this afternoon!

The trip lasted all in all about 3 hours. In my group we were 5 people. We had to drive 20 minutes to the special little airport, somewhere out in the prairie, got then some instructions and appropriate skydive clothes, hat and goggles. Then we had to climb into the little airplane, a cessna, wherein no chairs were mounted and where we had to sit on the floor, each attached to an instructor. Plane started, raised, went up pretty fast! It was loud and it was shaking and we just saw the cows and sheeps on the bottom getting small and smaller. Soon we reached the 12000 feet and they opened the
door :D! After the two in front of me disappeared, it was my turn! Damn, that FEELING – slowly moving towards to the open door of a flying plane and sit on the edge, letting your legs dangle outside. And then 5 seconds later: here we go! :D Its incredible, that Feeling of falling, and when you know theres no need to worry, but the instincts say “THIS IS WRONG”…hehe!
The scenery was just stunning with all the mountains and lakes so small below. Actually the free fall lasted for about 45 seconds, but if felt much shorter! Also awesome was to enjoy the scenery in slow
motion, after the parachute got opened and the last 100 meters when the ground comes close again so fast, before it slows down for the landing. Yes....

New Zealand: Chasing McDonalds

Moved on to Wellington, the capital city. Roamed around, explored, made some pictures. Its nice
here! Nice city! Compact, has a nice harbor, two mcdonalds and a huge amount of small restaurants and coffee shops. But here, it isn’t really a city where I would spend more than one/two days. So the next day it was time to change from the North to the South Island of New Zealand. Most common way is by the car Ferry.

After driving all these hundreds of kilometers along the westcoast, passing Westport and Punakaiki, my once not so optimistic view from New Zealand is now completely changed. The more I drive, the more I see the beautiful places, which make new Zealand so famous for! On the way here to greymouth, is especially the coastline an absolute stunner! But also the mountains. Most of mountains here are more like huge rounded hills, covered with grass and where the sheeps do their best to maintain it regularly. Nice nice!

The haunt for the next McDonalds continued and I found it a few hundred kilometeres south along the westcoast. Thankfully they had Internet and power sockets to charge the computer, but after using it for 10 minutes, I got kicked out of McDonalds for the first time in my life :D. As I didn’t order anything and just used the internet, I got approached and forced by the staff to buy something or leave their property immediately. Actually I was shocked, being approached and confronted by a mcdonalds dummy staff and didn’t say much more then a simple “yes”! So I went out to the car and came back with some coins to buy a small bag of fries for 1$..hahaha!!

New Zealand: Roadtrip North to South

Have now the first 300kms behind me and arrived this late afternoon in Taupo. Wanted to be here
much earlier. Actually it was planned that I got picked up at 10am from the hostel by the shuttle of the car-rental Company. But somehow they managed to forget me. The car Ive received is great. It’s a Subaru Legacy. Didn’t expect such a big one but its alright, so I have more space to sleep and stretch my legs.

This place here, Taupo, is famous for its hot springs and its lake that has the same size as Singapore. While Singapore and New Zealand have about the same amount of citizen, its an interesting perspecitve to imagine when all New Zealanders have to live in the place with the size of this Lake Taupo.

So after arriving here in Taupo and having dinner, I went to the swimming area, where they have steambath and in- and outdoor swimming pools, heated up to 40 degrees. Pure relaxation after driving the half day. The best thing while going to swimming pool facilities is, that they always have hot showers and as my car doesn't have any shower or bathroom installed and i dont want to spend much money on expensive NZ-accomodation.... yes... no comment - but I am now completely relaxed, fresh showered and ready to sleep in the car :D

The New Zealand i have seen so far is somehow really… dry! In reality, as well in metaphorical sense. Somehow I expected wonderful green mountains and a beautiful stunning scenery - like the movie "Lord of the Rings" with its Hobbits shows us. Until now, I didn’t see much of it .. However, I just have seen a little part yet and im already really excited, what the next days bring in!

New Zealand: Ice cold Auckland

Since about 1pm I’m in the hostel here in Auckland City. It’s quite new - just open since September
last year and therefore still everything clean and tidy! The 10 hour flight from Singapore was easier than I expected. I knew that the flight doesn’t provide any complimentary food or drink for Otto's like me. Arrangements initiated - I prepared myself with chicken adobo, biscuits and drinks from Singapore..hehe!! Watched one movie and soon, the sleeping/waking up routine started. But as I had two seats, I was able to try many different positions and combinations, and finally I remember, I found some really good sleep – even it was just a few hours. Arrived in Auckland at 4.30am Singapore-Time, whereas here in New Zealand it already was 9:30am.

AND IT IS COLD HERE!!! Just about 15 degrees and strong cold wind this morning!

This afternoon, after having some minutes of sleep, I already started to roam around the City. Based on what I saw, im little bit disappointed…:D! No, seriously, I knew that Auckland, the biggest city of New Zealand, has just a small business district compared to Sydney or Singapore. But I didn’t expect it so small and, for the first impression, sorry, boring…!! However, maybe I wasn’t just really in the mood this afternoon. Will make my final judgment on Saturday, when I leave Auckland and drive to the south.

Will have the car for 11 days and the plan is to move from Auckland to Wellington and then to the South Island. Following the road to the west coast with the famous glaciers. Further down to Queenstown and Milford Sounds, with its famous Fiordlands. On the bottom of the South Island, heading from westcoast to eastcoast and finally up to Christchurh - where I finally will leave for Fiji.