New Year...New Zealand

Well its all over, the festive season behind me and along with it the boozing...thank goodness! New years eve being the usual in drinking and eating traditions. So much so that simon and I have entered into a little wager. We are both to give up the booze for the whole of january. Now I know what your thinking...no way...she aint gonna manage that. Well for those of you that know me well....well enough to know I like my wine and my g&t's.... you should also know me well enough to remember my ability for disapline and gritty determination....plus if I lose I have to pay simon 300 dollars! In fact he threw down the gauntlet at 50, then I upted it to 100 then after another sip of wine..200 and after watching simon grow more and more uncertain (i could tell his confidence was waining) I set it at a round 300. Simon noticing my happy glee at his discomfort decided go one more outrageous step (see I knew my particular brand of madess was beginning to rub off on him) further and announce he would do a skydive if he loses. Well that's worth it and no mistake, seeing as he was more nervous than all four of us jumpers put together. Plus he'd have to pay for the privilage too, so I can't lose!

All this bravado took place on New Years Eve after the leap of death, when we were all high, even simon (probably relief that he wasn't dealing death certificates ). New years day was a bit colder and rainy and this was a welcoming change for me in mind, body, spirit and my intense turkey basted face which was growing less attractive by the day. Gonna stay away from the sun for a bit me thinks.

As it was pretty shitty for beach excursions we all piled into robs rental and headed for Port Authur. An old prison and barracks of great historic signifcance and popular with young and old alike. Well that's what I've been told, couldn't say really as we arrived...had a coffee...and took off again, (only after sneaking a few snaps through some bushes cause we're too stingy to pay the entry fee). Even contiplated sneaking in through the trees, something I would usually be well up for (like breaking rules me) but mass hangover and rob's hourendous farts diminishing our senses and will to live further, we decided against it. Infact that day we also stopped at a couple of other attractions like the chocolate factory, which we found to be more like a shrine to all things gruesome, having less to do with chocolate and more to do with a history of lumber jacking displaying artifacts like chain saws, big round spiky things, hammers, wooden stuff, metal boots and anvils. The owners were proud of their heritage and saw fitting to display it along side their delicious apple fondant! A quick retreat on my part...the chocolate was crap anyway and my nagging doubts about the homage to wolf creek in the next room, could not be melted. We also visited a Tasmanian devil santuary (lucy and simon love these creatures...me not so much) that was another short lived experience. Enough time to take a leak, wreck the teddy display and generally make a very disrepectful nuesense of ourselves, we checked the entry fee and walked. Also did the remarkable cave. It aint remarkable..just...well...cave like with a bit of sea. What was remarkable was the landscape surrounding it, very much like the gower purninsular skirting swansea, back home. Couldn't believe the simularity, quite striking and somewhat grounding. Thoughts of mumbles, limeslade, worms head and the pier had me, simon and lucy thinking of home.

So after a unsurprisingly fruitless day, lucy and rob departed and made their way home. Simon and I ...back on the road....new zealand, via a long queue we didn't need to be in... an on the spot decision, (while check in about to close), purchase of compulsury return ticket out of there...a couple of white lyes regarding the nature of our stay and use of my walking boots and we finally got in. Not a fan of airports, to much paper work, red tape and organising interfers with my spontaneous backpackers religious beliefs. Ha...maybe I should have said that to the stoney faced bint I managed to stare out at customs. Well never mind, all part of the fun aye!