Our bus took us out of the Southern Alps to the numerous lakes that exist around Wanaka. Wanaka was a small town with very little to differentiate it from the others we have driven through. However it did have what is supposedly New Zealand’s best beer, Brewski, which Rob and I tried out that evening in a small local pub, the only place where it can be drunk on tap. The pilsner like beer was good though I wouldn’t say it was outstanding- I’ve had other beers which I defiantly prefer to it.
 |
| Lake Wanaka |
During the drive from Wanaka to Queenstown we stopped at Puzzleworld. It contained a very hard maze and interesting illusions. For $10 it provided a cheap thrill.
Queenstown, the furthest point we will be from home this trip, was our next destination. This is the adventure and activity capital of New Zealand, everybody we have met stayed in Queenstown for at least 3 nights, the majority for four or more. The town of 10000 souls is set next to a picturesque lake, with palatial glass faced houses extending up the hills that surround it. It is dominated by tourists, the majority backpackers; however the numerous spa hotels and luxury coaches confirm the existence of several types of tourists visiting there as well.
 |
| Queenstown |
We stayed at the major hostel, Nomads, which had a free sauna, breakfast and a room with a balcony- for a hostel this is high class (some may say a hostell). The first three of our five nights there involved catching up with various people from our old buses- some hadn’t been seen since the early part of the North Island, in those first days you couldn’t walk down a street without bumping into someone you’d met somewhere along the trip. The first nights were spent in the backpacker haunts- Base bar, World Bar and Buffalo Bar with nearly everybody we had met on the experience- drinks were ridiculously cheap- $3.25 a pint (£1.50) or $4 for a shot using the multitude of deals, vouchers and promotions that existed everywhere. It was like a strange cross between fresher’s week and an 18-30 party holiday(think Falaraki).
The days were a bit of a haze- walking the town, spending time in the sauna, washing, printing photographs- it was nice not to have to wake up to get on a bus. We also ate several times a local place called Ferg Burger. People on the bus were talking about it before we even arrived in Queenstown, rumors circulated about how amazing it was. Ever skeptical of it all just being hype- I knew I was going to eat my first burger with an extra sharp focus- it would have to impress. It ended up as our fast food sober up on the first night we were there- I feel criminal to have used it as that, as the place provided the best burger I have ever eaten without question. Eating them sober in the subsequent days and trying a rival called Devil Burger couldn’t alter the conclusion. In the restaurant itself there are pictures of Dan Carter and News Paper articles from the USA(yes the burgers motherland the United States) lauding it as the best in the world. Stopping and thinking about it though, why shouldn’t New Zealand provide the best ever burger? The country is the most ‘natural’ I have ever been in. The super green grass, Evian like tap water and fresh air give good reason as to why the food at Ferg and in New Zealand as a whole has been so good.
On the third day Rob went and did the 134m high Nevis Bungy and a Canyon Swing, among his best experiences of the trip. (The fact that you have to pay even if you don’t jump didn’t help incentivise me to make an attempt!).
As time went on people began to leave Queenstown and by the last two days we knew practically nobody there. It was a strange place like that. For a few days the town becomes yours- it’s your turn, your moment- everywhere you look there are familiar faces, all from buses just ahead and behind yours. You meet up with people you haven’t seen for a few days and haven't known for much longer like they were long lost mates. However as quickly as everyone is there everyone is gone- here you will always miss a bus. We moved hostel for the last two days to nearby Base as we had pre-paid cards with nights on them which we needed use up. We did very little, aside from a three hour walk up a hill behind town and viewing the Champions League on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The heavy drinking of the nights before meant the evenings were quiet for us. St Patrick’s night was spent in a local pub with a bloke called Chris from our room who happened to have studied geography at Bristol a few years back.
On the 18th it was our turn to depart- something I think we were both glad to be doing.
The bus headed for Kaikoura (via Christchurch airport where people got off- the centre is a no go zone), a town on the rugged east coast where people could go whale watching and dolphin swimming. Arriving in the evening we went from our hostel with a friend Bryan (from our original bus that left Auckland) to a local pub and then a bar. The night was very strange but good, the second bar contained a group of people who were dancing like they were on LSD. They dragged us onto their dance floor and made us reluctantly join in, though it changed it from a night down the pub, to one far more interesting.
The last nights were spent revisiting the old haunts of the Cross Island Ferry, Wellington and Taupo(where we skydived on our first visit) on a half full bus trudging its way back too Auckland. An unexpected rendezvous with two Welsh folks, Nick and Owen, we knew on the last bus was the final hurrah, before leaving Auckland and New Zealand, for good.
 |
| Approaching Wellington |
 |
| NZ Parliament Building-Wellington |
Characters of the Big Green Bus:
Major Characters:
Oli Harris- The person we defiantly spent most time with and got to know the most. A jolly and hairy Dorset farmer with 5 guns at home.
Bryan - A Cornish Pasty and ex-marine from Cornwall who we met on our first bus. Lost his voice under influence.
Hermann Morast aka Herman the German- The most typical German we have ever met- efficient in everything and with a questionable dress sense. However a very un-German and amazingly dry sense of humour.
Jake and Jemma- An unusually close brother and sister pair also from Cornwall. On our bus from the start and then again irregularly.
Nick and Owen- Two Welsh lads who were always up for a laugh and we spent a good deal of time with.
Natalie and Megan-Two teachers who we met mid way through our trip who were always up for a heavy night. The teaching profession was disgraced by their antics.
Minor Characters
Baris- A Turkish delight with a bold head.
Sol- Despised by Oli and branded as an odd ball from day one.
Hitesh- Accountant on our bus from Auckland to Taupo(3 nights)- pub quiz hero
Jo- Another teacher who had a passion for bus drivers
Chris- mentioned above- just went for a few drinks with on St Patrick’s day
Drivers
Kane- Auckland to Taupo- Been doing the rounds for over 8 years- a ruthless yet subtle salesman who will got more commision out of us than any of the others
Bubs
Guy- Nelson to Franz Josef- A young ex-copper who loved his ladies.
Jed- Franz Josef back to Auckland- though having been on his bus most of the time a blooper from myself in Queenstown meant we didn’t really get to know him
