"Contiki!"

Cat, Me, Stefanie
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Next on our agenda- A ‘Contiki Tour’ of the North and South islands of New Zealand

We did not know what to expect

I had visions of hurling myself off the bus while it careened down NZ’s wild mountain roads

It turned out to be a lot more fun than I had anticipated

Jack, Seoul, and Darryl(our bus driver)
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But, all the rumors are true...Anything goes

Best not to get to involved and just watch as things go down on the bus

Much more fun that way!!!

Leaving Janet, we boarded the Contiki Bus and began day one of what I was sure was going to be a trip to remember. Feeling somewhat worse for wear, we tried to feign enthusiasm, as the remnants of last night still lingered. We arrived in our first destination, ‘Paihia’ six hours later, feeling refreshed and ready for what laid ahead...

Kayaking
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Night Number One!

The night we as a ‘Continki Group’ mingle with each other and try to get to know one another!

So fun!
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-is it wrong that me and Cat found numerous people on the tour completely dull if not slightly crazy?(I’m talking certifiable crazy-Ex: The Canadian who is on leave from Afganistan!Guns freak me out, stop talking about them!)

-do you think it was rude that we ditched the group and went to a bar where it was ladies night for the free drinks and pool?

-how about spending more time with all the locals we met, instead of with the ‘incestuous Contiki relationships’ that was slowly staring to develop on our bus?

Paihia
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-feeling bad, we did mingle. We did the whole, "Where you from?, How long have you been traveling? Where have you traveled?" bit...But, after the necessary and required small talk we proceeded to spend the night to our own demises...

-numerous free drinks later, countless pool games, Cat’s demonstrations on how to work the "Pole"(Stripper pole-she had learned at a Hen’s Night or Staggette) and we settled into the game of traveling quite well.

-we made numerous new friends, only to slowly start to prepare ourselves for leaving again in 2 days time

Day Number Two!

Why would I think that it would be a great idea to drink so much the night before and then get into another kayak? You would have thought I would have learned my lesson after Trina’s and my fiasco? Nope!! I thought I would have one more go, in the kayak, with Cat, with a hangover!

-started out ok! We were paddling, taking in the sights, checking out the birds...It’s a great morning!

-the water is smooth as glass if not a little questionably murky! No falling in for us!

-the sun is shining, we are paddling to the base of a waterfall and then underneath the base!!!The force of the water pushes our kayak back out of harms way... We do this a couple time...It’s great! Fish are jumping out of the water in front of us!

-we joke that we are the best kayakers in the group. We believe we have the potential to make the international kayaking team if we become dedicated and work hard.

-things suddenly become wrong and nasty as the clouds come in and we are caught in a flash storm...We are soaked within seconds...We are trying to bring our kayaks closer to shore to get out of the rain and water!

-we can’t see! The water is leaking in our eyes....

-Stacey has flipped his kayak! We stifle our laughter, as we realize better him than us!

-we reach the shore only to have to drag our kayaks, through ‘tar like mud’ that reaches our calves

-we are shivering from the wet and cold, and huddling together to stay warm

We arrived back into town 2 hours later, completely soaked and smelling of swamp water...

Definitely another moment I will remember for a long time...

But, also I am beginning to suspect that it is time I stopped putting myself in these situations...

More to Come...