The One with Dejavu

Ok, so back on the road, and a bit of De Ja Vu sees us back in Queenstown, with a few random stops in tiny places like Alexandra, and Clyde on the way.

Once in Queenstown we meet back up with Fiona (Hoorah!) and have a catch up. That evening in Altitude, Fiona, H, Myself, and Bridget (who we met on the stray bus in North Island in Paihia) decide the 4 places on the Bar Bungy. The winner would win a free Nevis Bungy jump, and our logic is, that at least this way, someone we like will win it!

Once more the glorified knicker elastic will come into play, in a Gladiator's style challenge, which sees you run to the other end of the bar, grab a 1/2 yard of lager, ping back to where you started from, and down the beverage, with time penalties for spillage.

Bridget went first and put in a stonking time, H went next, and gracefully pinged back on her bottom, and sat to drink her beer on the floor. I went third, and was not as un co-ordinated as usual... Sadly my downing abilities have worsened considerably since giving up playing rugby (sorry rugby girls!) and it was this that meant I got second place and not first - still it was free beer I suppose!

The next day, while Helen and Ben checked out Queenstown, H had a sleep, and a party raged for Australia Day underneath our bedroom window, I went for a walk up to the Queenstown Hill to get another good look of the view. For company I had our 19 year old room mate Jimmy, who is English but has been living in the united Arab Emirates most of his life. The walk leads you up through a forest, which while it looks green from the outside, looks deadon the inside, as no light penetrates the top tree cover. This made the whole area rather spooky, especially when you spot pixie toadstools under the trees!

Once more the view made the walk completely worthwhile. I don't think I'd ever get bored of it and definately want to come back when the Remarkables are covered in snow.

Whilst walking, Jimmy and I were chatting and somehow (not exactly sure how) Jason Donovan came up in conversation. "Who's that?" he asked. I was gobsmacked. Surely EVERYONE knows who Jason Donovan is! "Jason Donovan"... I replied, "Too many broken hearts, was in Neighbours, duet with Kylie.... " All was met with a blank face.

I am officially old.

While we were off tramping, Helen and Ben had sneakily got engaged (CONGRATULATIONS guys!), so after they had a romantic dinner, a celebration was in order. While we waited, we went back to Altitude (and it turns out after a quick vox pop of randoms in the bar that if you are either not a Kiwi, Aussie or Brit, or if you are under 20 years of age, then you will not know who Jason Donovan is, thus confirming my ancient-ness). We then went to World Bar for celebratory tea pots and dejavu raged once more!

Following another chilled out day, Helen and I had to say goodbye to Helen and Ben, and to the lovely Queenstown, and head (again) to Christchurch. We boarded the stray bus for the very last time, and once more could not see Mount Cook at Lake Pukaki (grr), and arrived back at Christchurch, to settle back at Base. This time we met up with Sam (hoorah!), and went for a catch up in a local Irish Bar. He's off to Oz tomorrow, so no doubt we will see him again before too long!