3...2...1...JUMP!!

Sorry to keep you all in suspense....I didn't skydive, but I did Bungy jump!
Internet is PAINFULLY SLOW!! Must keep this quick, will try again tomorrow for more details.
I did buy the video of my jump, so I can embarass myself by showing everyone the experience when I return. I also went Zorbing yesterday...so much fun! Got pictures of that too.
Went to a Maori cultural experience last evening. It was fantastic...got pictures of that too...I have just started my 16th roll of film today, so everyone should brace themselves for when I return. That doesn't even include bungy or zorb pics!
Anyway...I'm going to try to post this in the 4 minutes that I have remaining....Will try from somewhere else tomorrow that may have a bit more speed...
Worst case scenario, I'll post sometime after I return. Scheduled to land at 8pm on Saturday. Hope all is well!
Take care, Kia Ora!
C.R.

5 days remaining...

I woke up early today to go swimming with the dolphins....that's right, I'm on vacation and I willingly got out of bed at 5am!!

It was really cool having the dolphins come right up to you, and to be able to hear them chattering to each other under the water. I took a few pictures with the underwater camera, but the dolphins were so fast that I don't know if I actually got anything. I'll have to finish up the roll doing something before I come home so I can get it developed with the rest.

I'm in Wellington right now, and heading to Taupo tomorrow. Got here rather late this afternoon (5:30) so I didn't get much of a chance to check out the city. But, if nothing else, I now know that there can be traffic in New Zealand afterall!

I'm pondering going sky diving tomorrow in Taupo if there is time to do so...and if I have the guts to actually go through with it! If not, maybe I'll try bungy jumping... ;)

In 2 days I will be in Rotorua...and with any luck, I'll be able to complete the triple bypass in one day...at a minimum, I'm really hoping that I get to Zorb...that is afterall the only reason I'm here right now...hehe.

I'm having a blast regardless of what I do, this place is truely brilliant and I can't wait until I can return again to do and see more. I hope that everyone at home is doing well and managing to survive the -20 degree weather my mother informed me has arrived. I'll just have to make due with the +25-ish degree weather we've had recently...I think it was close to 30 in Christchurch the other day...not that I'm trying to rub it in or anything...although I do think that I have tanned more in the past week than I typically do all summer and that is with using SPF45 sunscreen. As they often say in NZ, it's all good bro!

Sweet as!

Update again sometime again before I depart this fine country

Take care everyone!

CR

Better late than never

It's been a while since I last posted as the internet in Queenstown was crap!

I'm back in Christchurch for those of you who are following me along...was here a week ago and have 1 week to go before I head back up North.

I hear Ontario is having crap weather lately....it's amazing here....30 degrees and sunny in Beautiful Christchurch.

Did a very little bit of shopping today as the bus arrived just after 4 and the markets closed at 4:30, but I got a few nice things.

The other day I went on a day trip to Milford Sound. It was brilliant!! There were some seal lions sunning themselves on some rocks and a pack of dolphins came up to the boat to say hello and introduce us all to their little babies. With any luck, my pictures will have turned out amazing!

Tomorrow I'm off bright and early to head to Kaikoura and hopefully get a chance to snorkel with the fur seals.

I met some cool people on my first bus, but then I switched and the new people weren't so friendly, but then I met up with the first bus again last night and went out for some drinks before getting up early to leave them all again...I have some pictures from last evening and some of my NZ peeps. Unfortunately, I had to leave them all again this morning. Hopefully the bus tomorrow will have some good people on it. I think it will be a whole new crowd, so people should be up for chatting versus sticking with their established groups.

Gotta get some new sunscreen tomorrow when the chemist is open...the stuff I have is giving me a rash...at least I hope that's what's giving me the rash. 4 minutes and counting...gotta publish before I lose everything!

Later my peeps!
C.R.

Walk = Frikkin Crazy Hike

So, for everyone's future reference, if a Kiwi tells you that you're going for a nice 15 minute walk, be fully prepared for a 15 minute hike straight up a mountain!

I have been able to see some pretty beautiful things such as punch bowl falls, some really nice scenery around the west coast of the south island, the pancake rocks, and I have seen a bit of the Franz Josef glacier. Maria and I were planning on doing the helihike today which is a helicopter that takes you up to the glacier and drops you off for a 2 hour hike before picking you up and returning you to town. Unfortunately, the weather has been raining and cold and cloudy today, so the helicopter won't fly. I guess I'll just have to return another time to get the chance to see it! :)

I've decided to do a day trip to the Milford Sounds when I'm in Queenstown...was supposed to be going with Maria, but she wasn't able to get on the bus tomorrow, so she'll be a day behind me from now on. (Maria is on my bus - from England, nice girl) I hope that I'll still be able to do the riverboarding, but I'm not going to be terribly upset if I can't. I should still be able to Zorb, and that's the most important thing isn't it? ;)

Maybe I will try bungy jumping in Taupo if there is time...I've heard it's nice there.

Will post again when I get a chance to use the internet. Pictures will be available upon my return home. Already 100 pictures, so set aside some time to view them if you're up for it!

Just before I leave, an observation that I am a minority here...I'm one of few if any people who is only traveling for 2 weeks. Most people I've met are traveling for at least 6 months if not a year. And although I've been told that there are a number of us Canadians around, I've only run into 2 others.

Take care, hope you're all enjoying the weather! (I think I have a bit of a tan already! ;) )

Later,
C.R.

I'm Here!!

Good Afternoon everyone...and Happy Saturday!

I have landed in New Zealand without much problem...the only real problem was the lack of sleep that I had on the flight last night...it's really not easy to sleep sitting up with people watching their little screens right next to you...hard to get comfortable and when you're like me, your stomach churning doesn't help the situation.

The food on the flight was tasty. If I ever have enough money, I'm going to fly business class on Air New Zealand...their chairs turn into beds and they have many more perks too...but it was better in economy than the Air Canada flight - mostly because AC was a smaller plane.

The weather today is great! it was 16 degrees when we landed at 6am and I don't know what it's like now, but it is quite pleasant. The sun is shining...can be a bit chilly in the shade if the breeze picks up though. I have wandered around Christchurch's city centre and explored the Botanical Gardens. There are also a few markets going on nearby today. I think I'm going to head back to one I visited earlier. I don't think I will get up to too much tonight as I am BEAT!

I wish you all well, and please pass along my update and best wishes to anyone who doesn't read this fabulous blog!

OH! And guess what building is basically in spitting distance from my hostel? That's right! I-B-M! I just can't get away from them!

Take care - will update again when I get a chance.

Love,
C.R.

CTS - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Last week I went to a neurologist to do some tests and it was determined that I do in fact have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Click on the title to view some good information from the Mayo Clinic regarding this problem.

After 5 nights of wearing my wrist splints, sleeping has become easier...I often find myself sleeping in some strange position with my arms crossed over my chest, but I can manage sleeping. On the weekend, I did have some problems with my hands when I slept, waking up with my fingers numb and in pain. I now know what caused this discomfort. It all started back with my excessive Christmas baking :( Although I wasn't baking this weekend, I did feel the aching and weakness in my wrists as I was chopping veggies and chicken for the lovely casserole I created on Saturday. Now that I can tell what is causing the pain, I really need to work on preventing it. I was debating not taking my splints with me on vacation, but I have now decided that would be a stupid idea and I will be bringing them with me. Who knew that something so nice and sweet such as cookies could bring such pain and discomfort. Please read the info and work hard to prevent this problem. Good luck ladies...we're 3 times more likely to develop CTS than our male counter parts!

For those of you who are still counting with me...only 3 days and 20 minutes to go!

C.R.

Brokeback to the Future

Click on the Title link to watch something amusing...