Spent most of the day in Nelson at the pub watching cricket with Dr Dave, Aussie Carley and other characters from my travels in the North Island. I still don't understand cricket but I did enjoy the free beer tasting, a hike up to the center of New Zealand and a good visit with some familiar faces.
Left Nelson for Westport, a very small snoozy town. Not much to report there except for spending an evening watching The Life Aquatic on VHS with German and Irish folks who didn't get it. hm.
Earlier in the day the bus decided the upcoming Poo Party should be Christmas themed, and we all stopped in Greymouth to purchase costumes. Greymouth is the town where the mining accident just happened, and it was more than a little weird to be putting together funny Santa and Elf costumes while seeing "We Remember" and "You Are Missed" signs everywhere for the miners. On the other hand though, I suppose it was a good thing to pump some cash into that town.
The night at the Poo Pub, now that was some shit. The Poo Pub is a lovely establishment in the middle of fucking nowheresville, kind of like a sleepaway camp with a Big Bad Johns. The pub is owned by Les, and 85 year old dude who cooked us all steaks and got hella drunk with us at the bar. Slutty and scary Santas, elves, presents, angels, turtledoves, baby Jesus - you name it, it was there and it was very very festive. Many of us got too drunk to stand and ended up crawling down to the lake via a trail illuminated by glow worms. I lost my beloved Giselle sandals. :-(
The following morning all 40 of us disgustingly hungover beasts went to a local museum dedicated to the New Zealand innovation of deer hunting and farming. Videos of dudes jumping off helicopters onto the backs of deer, hog tying them and flying them to farms. So. Fucking. Weird. There was also a lovely walkthrough area at the museum showcasing various taxidermy masterpieces and live possum and eels. We enjoyed breakfast there where they served possum meat pies and a smattering of other roadkill delicacies. A quiet night followed upon our arrival at Franz Joseph.
Bright and early the next day I'm off to climb a glacier!! A very National Geographic feeling to don crampons and trek around a glacier like a mountain goat, drink from glacier streams. My experience, however, was kind of half-assed as I only booked a half day hike so I could spend the majority of my afternoon at the hot pools floating around like a manatee.
So here I am in Lake Wanaka which is eerily similar to Kelowna. Honestly, I look outside and feel like I'm looking in the Okanagan and should be at Jennifer's house making tempeh cakes. Looooooong ass day on the bus so I've just returned from a dip in the lake... and will now have a nap. :-D
Hahaha. That pub in the middle of nowhere... It's like Kiwi Experience was said, "Man, it's a long way between places of interest here... What can we do so people don't notice? There's a pub you say? People can't complain about what they don't remember! Let's just make sure that we hype that night up to the point where there is no possible way that you won't end up completely schwasted."
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-Patrick
aaahahahaha very astute observation!!! It's so true.... still love Les though, what a legend. <3
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