Not much

Nothing much really to report in the last few days. Sandy taught claire and I how to crotchet beanie hats, so we've been doing that when we're not paddling.Doesn't look much like a hat yet though. Thursday we paddled the earthquake run on the buller - big grade 3+ water fun!! Rosie and Jam, an irish couple claire had met in the north island came along too.On friday afternoon we paddled the lower matakitaki. This is a technical 3+ run - although we managed to have some carnage! Not realising that we were at the crux of the run, I decided to go for it alone, got flipped by a whole, whacked on the head and rolled up only to find myself being surfed in an even bigger hole. Just as I was considering my options of how to get out of it, claire managed to land on top of me! She managed to turn sideways rather than spear me, but i still went for a swim with the fishes. We also went for another bbq at ben and cheesy's!! Saturday was a glorious day and we sat in the sun making our hats before we went back to the lower mataki to conquer the demons of yesterday. It all went well, except a small roll at the end. Then the rain started. Flooding all the rivers. Today the kayak school did a drive by to ask us to the matiri. The other three got on this, but I decided that as a 1000% bomb proof roll was required I would sit out. Hopefully our tents wont be soaked! Over and out.

Wednesday 25th October

Claire and I met up with some new kayaking buddies. Sandy from Oz and Kirsten from Canada. They worked as raft guides on the Ottawa together. Sam, from the kayak school came along for the morning run of the Granity section of the Buller (3+) and in the afternoon we hit the O'Sullivans section of the Buller (3 with two harder drops), the river was REALLY boily in some sections with lots of funny water. It was an awesome day on the river and the four of us make a great girly team! I had a bit of a roll after a not-so-sweet line, the first attempt didnt work as I was right in the boils but luckily the second go did. The same boils managed to piroutte Claire in her Huka! In the evening we hit the town up with Leeann. Unfortunately we got chucked out when they closed at 1030!!! Small town life!

Tuesday 24th

Claire arrives earlier than planned, on tuesday. We decided to go for a fairly flat warm up paddle on the doctor's creek section of the buller. The take out was pretty interesting and involved getting out and ferrying accross higher up! We got an invite to a bbq at 2 of the kayak instructors house, so managed to meet just about everyone from the kayak school!

Monday 23rd October

I headed off to go boating with my new friends. Arab on the left, Leeann in the middle and Jillian on the right. We paddled the middle mataki which is a great 2+ playrun, and then Mangles which is a grade 2 tributary to the Buller, unfortunately this had dropped off after the weekend rain so not as good as normal apparently. It was all a good warmup and good to get used to my boat. Leeann works at the NZ kayak school, so a good person to know around here!

My new home!

On Sunday I planned to leave fairly early to drive to Murchison. Where the hub of kayaking travellers is meant to be. But then I arrived to pick up the kayaks I was hiring and had to spend about 2 hours padding them out and sorting everything out. I then drove off without two of the bolts for the H3 and had to drive back again. So by the time I left it was already 4pm. I got to Murchison in the pitch black and it was raining hard too. I pitched my tent and went to the kitchen to cook some dinner. The kitchen has a fridge and hobs to cook on so alot more than I was expecting! I met Arab, Jillian and Leeann in the kitchen and started talking paddling. I already had some people to go kayaking with for the next day! I then got back to my tent and realised that I had left my thermarest in Christchurch and only had the inflatable mattress that I bought for $20. I really didn't feel like blowing it up at 11pm, but anyway, 20mins later and it is SO comfy. This will be my home for the next few months so I put a picture in!!!! As you can see from the pic, the campsite is pretty empty at the moment as it is so early in the season (kiwis don't like paddling when its cold!). I am lucky to have found people to boat with anyway, and hopefully there'll be more arriving in the future.

Cars and Concerts

Thursday and Friday I went to two concerts (hence the stamps on my wrists). Dubwise, a NZ reggae band - one had dreads down to his ankle! Friday I went to Rhombus, another NZ band who do a mixture of hip-hop/ reggae/ drum and base.

Saturday I went surfing with ben and jonci which was awesome. Great surf and it wasn't even too cold. Well at least to begin with.

AND I BOUGHT A CAR!!!!!!!!! YAY. A toyota corolla diesel! I even put the stereo in myself!!!!!! Wiring and all.

The car is fully loaded and I'm going to head off to murchison today. Finally going to go kayaking! Claire will be along on wednesday...

Taylor's Mistake Wednesday 18th

I went for a walk around a bay near christchurch called Taylor's Mistake after a sailor who mistakenly arrived here in search of Lytellton.

Pizza at the Hippy House

Another invite as a result of saturday's party. 3 guys from there live in a kind of crazy hippy house, one of them is pregnant and still sleeping practically outside in the FREEZING cold. I got an invite last night to pizza night - made in a homemade pizza oven. The pizzas baked in there are delicious - amazing, like from a restaurant. The bedroom is homemade as well (the round one), and there's even a sauna (the square house). Desert was homemade quark (cheese) with banana's.

Port Hills: Tuesday 17th

I went for a walk up the Port Hills today with a girl called sarah i met at the beach party. The Port Hills are about an hour by bus from where I'm staying. We walked up the hills and down into a little harbour town called Lytellton. Had a hot chocolate and got the bus back to christchurch.

Beach Party!

Saturday, the day after I arrived - we're off to a birthday party at Gore Bay, about 1 1/2 hours drive north of christchurch. There are about 20 people for a beer drink/surf/bbq we all camp and stay until about midday on Sunday.

Finally I arrive

The view from the plane as we landed was amazing - we could see these amazing mountains, and I could even take a picture from the window!

Immigration went without problems, and the man doing it was even from London! Biosecurity made me unpack most of my bags and ended up disinfecting my walking boots and kayaking shoes. They even completely unpacked my tent

Annabel (my sister's mate from school) picked me up and we went back to her place. Her boyfriend, Sean, is letting me sleep in his room and sharing with her so I even have a bed. Sweet. I got my first taste of some weird juice (feijoa juice) that I have never seen or heard of before, and tastes unique but very nice. Sean cooked us a spinach lasagne and we drank NZ redbeer - great start to my trip!

Singapore Airport

I managed to check in about 10 kilos more than the weightlimit of my stuff which is all good. Then I even managed to run in to someone I know from uni in the departure lounge at heathrow airport.

12 hours of sitting next to a 40something new zealander called dug, and I'm in SINGAPORE. Well, ok just the transit mall of the airport. But if you're ever coming through here make sure you try the free leg and foot massage machines. It is really good after a long flight!

6 hours down and 1 to go of being in Singapore, then I'll be on my way again!

Well here I go!

Finally with a day left to go I've got round to actually sorting out what I need to take on my adventure... too much stuff, and I've probably forgotten something really vital that I won't remember until its only just too late.

Spent all day cleaning walking boots, tent etc so hopefully I won't get dicked on the "biosecurity" stuff in customs. I don't want my tent to be quarantined!

All pictures from here on in will hopefully be more exciting than my bedroom! Ooooh I'm scared now - hopefully I'll meet some nice people to go kayaking with and keep me company!