One of the last “adventure” type things that I wanted to do in New Zealand was to go canyoning. So, after foraging for food on K Road, it was time to head off in the mystery machine (in all seriousness, that’s what it felt like). We arrived in what looked like someone’s driveway (which in fact it was) and got kitted up with “rash guards”, wet suits, wet suit boots and ever stylish crocs.
“Ryan! You look like a strong guy!” And with that I was voluntold to carry a bag of harnesses and ropes. Now. This would have not been a problem except for the fact, oh, I don’t know, that we had to do a massive uphill hike for about twenty minutes.
However after all that I did make it to the end and was happy to put on the wetsuit for the adventure to come.
I felt lucky as this half day trip was the less strenuous of the two options that the company provides; as a result there was a LOT more jumping. Basically canyoning is like parkour; you just keep going. Whether this requires jumping or sliding or abseiling isn’t really up to you but rather the lay of the land!
So the best part probably was jumping…
Plus we got to slide – backwards down a small rock face!
And finally there was the abseiling… we got to do this a couple of times – it was a bit challenging I found (especially on the behind!) but still good fun.
We also got our pictures taken under a waterfall – in my case they let the water go all at the same time!
The lady in the picture with me is Gerri from Holland. As two of the more, ahem, “senior” members of the group that day – most of the canyoners being from Loyola Marymount University – we chummed together for most of the day. Gerri’s flight left later that day so after we both cleaned up we went out to a takeaway/sitdown little restaurant near her hostel where I experienced roast duck for the first time! I have to say that I enjoyed it although it was a bit difficult to navigate due to fact that there were lots of little bones in the duck AND I was using chopsticks. I wish I had taken a picture or a video – it was quite hilarious as I was extremely tired. Gerri and I then parted ways and exchanged emails. I got back to the hostel and I was DONE.
So much so that I next awoke on Day 190 and took it easy to start. I went for a walk in search of a supermarket – Auckland, you’ve got a nice place, but it wouldn’t kill you to put a small countdown or new world within a 30 minute walk of the CBD…
After coming up empty handed I made do with what I had kicking around and then went and found the shark bus.
The shark bus was to take me to Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World. This was an aquarium to be like no other – so told the promotional dvd on the bus on the way over to the other side of the harbour. After the brainwashing was done we happily got off the great white and filed on in.
I had chatted with a couple from the San Francisco area – Peter and Catherine – who then adopted me into their group, which was quite nice.
You get to go through a couple of secondary exhibits to start with (including the “stick your hand in the bucket of water that is the temperature that the penguins experience … experience”) 
before getting the crux of it all. We started by watching a stingray feeding before going in a sea cat. This is a transport where we could get up and close to the penguins.
It takes about 8 minutes and frankly the safety explanation was bafflingly difficult for what was basically just a nice jaunt through the Antarctic. It was then on to see the aquarium and its domed tunnel.
before getting the crux of it all. We started by watching a stingray feeding before going in a sea cat. This is a transport where we could get up and close to the penguins.It takes about 8 minutes and frankly the safety explanation was bafflingly difficult for what was basically just a nice jaunt through the Antarctic. It was then on to see the aquarium and its domed tunnel.
This is what I had came for… and I wasn’t disappointed. They actually did a really good job of it.
It was amazing what we found…
VIDEO... to come...
Now, if only I had had a cuddly toy, Bruce Forsyth would have came out and slapped me. (Look it up!)
Following the once again coincidental ending up in the souvenir shop at the end we decided to take Jaws back to the city and go find some food. Gerri had told me about an international food court and once I sat down with my pad thai I was not disappointed. It was great chatting with Peter and Catherine and swapping travel stories. It turns out that they both work at Stanford which I thought was pretty neat.
As they had just flown in that day, they were looking forward to getting to their hotel when they were able to, so we said our goodbyes just after two pm. I decided to take the time to wander the downtown core and pick up some groceries (where I could find them) and some souvenirs as well. Would have loved to have gotten something from the Rugby 2011 World Cup store but man, even with the exchange, the prices were really high!
After getting back to my room I took it easy for the rest of the night and just vegged with the telly. Sadly it was mostly non-kiwi stuff apart from their version of The Singing Bee but there you are.
Day 191 and after a short visit to the post office to mail off about 2 kilos worth of books and souvenirs, I went to Newmarket.
Huh?
What?
Well it turns out that there is a Newmarket in New Zealand. It’s one of the suburbs of Auckland, so I decided to have some fun and spend the morning there. Basically as I found out it’s mostly the shopping mecca – not really Rodeo Drive by any means – but still upscale stuff. The one shop I actually went into and found interesting was the Croc shop!
Seriously. If it was my last day I would have bought some but those things take up major real estate in the luggage. So it was a no then.
The one thing I wanted to do in Newmarket quite badly was to get a picture of me next to a “Welcome to Newmarket” sign at the edge of the burb. However that was not possible as they don’t seem to consider themselves a separate entity, but I did find the train station:
Where I did actually find that magical phrase!
It took some adjusting with the glare but I think I did well all in all.
Popped back then to the hotel for a bit of a nap and paid my room cost and booked my airport shuttle for the next day. Turns out the woman working the desk is from the Sturgeon Falls area!
Go figure.
I thought it would be nice to go have another little walk so I went down to the Sky Tower.
This is one of the tallest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere, and you certainly can’t do THIS at the CN Tower back home:
(video to come)
I got chatting to a trio of Brits while we were watching this happen; we discussed how much it would take each of us to go on this thrill ride. Apparently I was the low bidder – I was happily willing to do it if someone paid for me right then and there (no takers, sadly). High bid? $100,000!
That evening I once again took it easy, packed everything in anticipation of an early departure, and make a box breakfast.
I awoke early – 5.30 am – on the 192nd day of my quest.
There was only one problem with that.
I was supposed to get my shuttle at 5 am.
(expletive deleted)
I had overslept.
Ran downstairs. Called shuttle. Was told to be ready in five minutes. Got really upset. Shuttle arrives. “What do you mean you’re not taking me?”. Panic. Night watchman/manager comes out – and James saved my sanity by calling me a taxi followed by Air New Zealand to check that I would still be fine flight wise. Taxi arrives. Peter the driver is good conversation. Pay a $51.40 stupidity fee. Check in at airport 55 minutes before flight is due to depart. Have to pay $70 overweight fee. Check my dive gear in at the “fragile” area. Clear security. Get to gate. Board plane 30 minutes later, relieved.
A few interesting things about the flight: the guy next to me wasn’t allowed on the same flight two days before as his passport was only slightly wet and he had to get a new one, and the pilot to Modern Family was wonderful.
At the baggage claim I met Amelia and Craig who were on their way to their wedding. It turns out Craig and his parents are from the Peterborough area and we got chatting… turns out that I’ll be in the same part of the world near their special day so I now owe them drinks shortly after the wedding. And frankly if you can pronounce Mooloolaba the correct way I’ll buy you one as well.
The great thing about starting in Melbourne is that I was going to meet up with my friend Chris. We have been emailing each other for about 10 years, and have talked on Skype previously but this would be the first time we’d be meeting in the flesh. Chris was nice enough to have taken a couple days off of work so that he could be my personal tour guide. Chris like me is a well-versed traveler and a game show aficionado so I was quite confident that we’d get along just peachy.
Chris was kind in meeting me at the airport and had already worked out the easiest way to my accommodations which was great as when we got off the tram it just started pouring buckets, so much that I had to change clothes when I got in! We then headed out to the Puffin’ Billy steam train in his neck of the woods.
This was really cool – it was very much an ‘old time’ railroad where you could stick your head out the window and just watch the world go by. The company is driven by volunteers – about 500 of them contribute their time, and I could tell by talking to some of them that they are very passionate about it. The ride takes about an hour each way and at the end you can get out and walk around a nice little lake path – but no swimming or diving off of the bridge, that’s a steep $220 fine – for each offence.
Just before we headed back we got some neat pictures in the engine room!
And to boot – the lady running the snack stand was nice enough to give us a couple of pies as she was going to throw them out anyway!
Remember kids, always blow on the pie. Safer communities together.
After a short dinner of pizza and a certain French beverage, followed by some ice cream at Maccars, I stayed at the restaurant and enjoyed the free wi-fi connection while Chris hopped the train home. I didn’t stay too long as there was much work to be done during the next day!
Chris met me at my hostel at around 9 am on day 193. We had a nice walk around the St Kilda area, finding the entrance to Luna Park
And some nice cake shops, which I vow to try before leaving. We grabbed a light lunch en route afterwards, and then were at the Channel Nine studios in Richmond around 12 noon to see Who Wants to be a Millionaire Hot Seat!
Now for the actual taping I was my usual energetic self. Michael, the warm up guy who might I say was EXCELLENT found out quickly that I was a Canadian and became a frequent bantering target. During the first episode we were in the first row, and during the second we were actually behind Eddie McGuire, the host, so we actually had to stare in front of us the whole time! But that was not a problem.
Following the second episode I along with Laura from Holland was invited to be a captain for a musical quiz. We were playing for our section of the audience. It was Australian Name That Tune so obviously we could ask for help from our supporters. I got really into it (surprised?) and was quite aggressively buzzing in (by slapping Michael’s hand). I actually got more than Laura but through a convoluted system of scoring (he made it up) we lost but that was okay, because it was good fun anyway.
After show three it was food break! Sausage rolls and water – having been given a copious amount of candies already. I was actually too wired to eat!
It was also time to make my move for something that I hoped would happen. I approached Michael and he said yes, and with the help of Kerri, one of the audience wranglers, it got done.
Following show four, I got this:
Yep, that’s me with Eddie the host! I was also happy to give Eddie some Tim Horton’s coffee and real maple syrup. He had recently been in Vancouver covering the games for Channel Nine and had been to Timmie’s and said his sons would enjoy the maple syrup. So it was sweet for both of us. HA!
We wrapped show five around 5.30 pm and then they had the raffle draws. Guess who won the first one? Chris did! He was instantly 50$ richer, and I was very pleased!
On the way out I was able to grab a picture with Michael (with the ominous hot seat logo in the back).
He and everyone on staff were just wonderful, very relaxed, very fun. A great day at the studio!
Chris and I wandered over to Southbank to grab some dinner before heading up the 88 Skydeck. This apparently is the tallest residential building in the Southern Hemisphere and it was great! The elevator just flies up to the top! Had to clear my ears!
We had a nice walk around the top and then went outside on the terrace. Boy, was it windy! We decided to pass on “The Edge” – where you get to actually go in a box that is perplex and there’s really nothing beneath your feet!
To conclude the night we sat down at Federation Square and had a nice chat – plus free internet! I tell you, I’m liking Melbourne. It has been a great couple of days hanging out with my good friend Chris and now I will be exploring the city on my own for a couple of days. Bring it on!
Cheers,
Vick
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