South Island in a Nutshell

It has been a crazy past few days--so much so that I’m not sure how to make this post easy and convenient. It was that sort of week where you’re getting ready for bed thinking about what you did that day and then you have that realization that thing you’d thought you did a couple days before only happened that morning. The days were just so full!

I kept a bulleted list of things I did each day and believe it or not I even had trouble trying torecount everything before I went to bed at night. I decided that the best way to tell you about my trip is through pictures...with explanations every now and then. So here you go!

While on the South Island I...

January 30

Flew in a plane with front and back exits

Arrived in Queenstown, a small lakeside town, and went shopping. We later checked into thehostel we'd be staying at called X Base. It was quite the interesting place...haha.

Took a ride in the Shotover Jet!

Visited a small, cozy town called Arrowtown where part of Lord of the Rings was filmed

Can you guess what scene was filmed here?

Yup! It's Arwen's famous scene when she washes the Nazgul down the river. You know? "If you want him, come and claim him!" It looked just like it...just with a little more sunshine.

And yes, I stood in that river!
Proof!

Ate dinner out at an upstairs Chinese restaurant

January 31

Woke up and took a drive through Glenorchy, where a large portion of the scenes from Lord ofthe Rings was filmed

I don't have a picture of every place we visited unfortunately. The places we did visit were so cool to see! There were some shops in Queenstown where you could rent costumes and officially put yourselves in the LOTR scenes as characters. How cool would that have been?

Took a little stroll on the beach with Mandy, Brooke, Sarah and Amanda

Went to a bar and bought a $5 pizza

The bartenders were a little surprised when twenty girls came to a bar and only wanted juice or soda...haha. I don't know how many times I was asked by people around town whether or not I was planning on going out drinking that night. That's just what people do around here I guess. They're missing out though because the pineapple juice was so delicious.

Watched The Fellowship of the Ring and a very hot and smelly movie room

February 1

Woke up at 6am and drove 3 hours to Milford Sound (I also finished The Mockingjay on this carride!)

Went on an incredible cruise to see waterfalls, glaciers and the sea

“Man is nothing, which thing I had never supposed...”

I couldn't help but feel so tiny in that boat, standing next to the cliffs that scrape the bottom of the sky. I just seems different in the states because it's bigger over there. I expect everything to be far apart, vast, tall and large. When I look at New Zealand on the map it seems so small in comparison. After driving all through the South Island I can't believe that anymore. They have enormous mountains, forever long valleys and impossibly large lakes. Fields full of sheep, thick, green forests and cliffs a mile high. It's not small--even relatively. I'm the one who is small. That's all I could think as we sailed through Milford Sound and gaped at the cliffs hovering above us.

February 2

Had my first Patagonia ice cream with Brooke, Brooke and Mandy

Rode down to Wanaka Lake and stoped at a popular fruit stand along the way. I asked if theyhad any fijoas and it turns out that they are not in season anywhere.

Stopped at a place called “Have-a-Shot” where they let you shoot arrows, guns…whatever you want (I look a lot like Katniss, don't I?)

Let's all take note of the fact that I hit the bullseye twice! I am just like Katniss! Pshhh

Rode a water bike through the lake

Ate my first Fergburger

Watched a sidewalk artist named Pascal Froment paint a picture entirely with spray paint!

February 3

Woke up and didn’t eat a single thing because I was freaking out inside knowing that in just a few short hours I would be throwing myself off a cliff

Brooke told me to smile for the camera and this is what happened. I think that it's the face of someone with hysteria. I look crazy.

This picture captures us both perfectly. I look like I'm about to cry and Brooke looks like she is praying.

Here is the promised video! I have to say that it has a much better effect if you watch it while listening to "The Eye of the Tiger". I might look a little more brave.

We survived! And we're all so happy! (Mostly me though.)

And what better prize than a really awesome black and yellow hat?

Went souvenir shopping again

Went out to dinner with all the girls to celebrate Natalie’s mission call

Spent a couple minutes watching a street magician throw playing cards onto a roof

February 4

Checked out of the hostel at 10am

Had Fergburger for lunch

Hit the road and drove to Christchurch. We stopped for ice cream three different times along the way.

Arrived at the new hotel and I ended up rooming with Mikaela, Kirsten and Mallory

Went grocery shopping at a grocery store in a mall

February 5

Went to church in Christchurch (haha)

Ate a spaghetti dinner with the rest of the girls

Went to the park to watch a classical concert and fireworks for Waitangi Day!

February 6

Went to the Canterbury Museum

This is for Kaitlin. Hopefully those ants aren't fire ants.

Walked around downtown Christchurch with a couple of the other girls and got to see firsthand the aftermath of the earthquake

Went to a beach and walked way out onto a fishing pier. We didn’t stay too long because it was very cold and windy. We left completely sand covered and lounged around the hotel pool.

Had a movie night and watched Sweet Home Alabama (I wonder how weird a southern US accent sounds to New Zealanders?)

February 7

Drove out to see Castle Rock that was used in both Narnia and Lord of the Rings.

It was here that the filmed the epic final battle in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

And those rocks also just happen to be where Legolas and Aragorn ran into the riders of Rohan. Pretty cool, right?

Walked up a river through a cave. No big deal.

Actually it was a VERY big deal. The cave was very tall, but also very narrow. We walked single file through the whole thing and stopped occasionally to look up at the rock that sparkled on the ceiling. There were a couple times when we all turned out our flashlights so that the darkness could have a complete effect upon us. It was creepy. I could feel my eyes dilating, searching for even the tiniest bit of light. It's scary being in darkness that thick. But the cave was beautiful! It's a different sort of beauty being underground and shut away from the rest of the world. There was no wind, it was quiet except for us sloshing through the water.

And despite what I said in Young Women I don't think I could ever be a cave woman for real. Because regardless of how pretty and exciting and exotic it was inside of the cave, it doesn't even compare to a beautiful day in the sun. I just love the sunshine too much.

Andddd...there is so much more I wanted to say! I'm just really tired! I'll have to finish this all tomorrow when I've got more time. I'll add more pictures! And a video or two. And some more explanations for the pictures! In the meantime, I hope you liked what was up. There will be more to come, I promise!