Having a whale of a time in Queenstown

Kia Ora from exciting Queenstown, NZ.

So where were we? Ah yes, Wellington. Well a lot has happened since then.

We caught ferry across to the south island and then picked up the train to Kaikoura for another trip highlight.

Our B and B was high on the peninsula which meant stunning views of the sea and mountains, but hard walks back from dining in the town.

We had come to Kaikoura for whale watching. Obviously, this meant another boat and a lot of trepidation for me as I envisaged another bout of sea sickness. But the weather was excellent and the sea much calmer. I wasn't sick.

Better still, we got to see a sperm whale. A huge male about 15 miles off shore. He was a long time coming. The captain knew he was down there but he stayed down for 55 minutes. Average dives for sperm whales are 40 minutes. He may have teased us but he was worth waiting for. And yes, I am right in calling the whale 'he', only males frequent these waters at this time of year.

Eventually he returned to the deep for and obliged me with the perfect picture of his fluke waving goodbye.

From Kiakoura we took the TranzAlpine across to the west of the island. Simply the most scenic train journey I have ever been on and enlivened by amusing commentary from our train manager, Charlie.

Picking up the hire car in Greymouth we headed south. The car is a Nissan Bluebird. Surely the ugliest car ever made. And so old it has a tape deck. If I'd known I'd have brought my T'pau and Duran Duran tapes.

Next stop, Franz Joseph for stunning scenary that included snow topped mountains.

The highlight here was a short trip down the road to take an all day guided tour of the Fox Glacier.

Getting to it was the toughest part. We had to climb 800 steps and climb through the rain forest (yes, this is one of the few places in the world where rainforests and glaciers co-exist). It was hot, sweaty work. Luckily, when we reached Fox the air con was working and the temperature dropped as we put on crampons and trekked over the ice.

I know awesome is an overused word and constitutes poor writing, but it is the best word I can think of to convey the wonder of over 3 hours climbing over the ice. Our guides carried axes and steps were cut for us. The ice, sometimes very blue in colour was split by cravasses and moulins - a kind of tunnel carved by water that means a watery death if you fall down one.

At one point we walked in a cravasse and the ice towered a good 30 feet above us.

By the way, did you know there are 3,153 glaciers in NZ? Most of them on South Island. Fox is the 4th largest.

I would like to have lingered longer in Franz Joseph to walk more and see the scenary but our schedule took us south on the longest drive of the tour, to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world.

Our accomodation here is ok, but there is a lot of noise outside late at night as young backpackers, gappers and thrillseekers party the night away.

This morning we arose and joined the river surfing tour. This involved travelling through white water in wet suits and fins on boogie boards - small surf boards. and I'm proud to say that I did surf the river, but not how I imagined it.

I thought river surfing would be like sea surfing - riding a wave along the river. But no. The white water creates backwash - constant waves that want to pull you into them. In order to surf them the trick is to be facing up river and back into them. Once you catch the wave you can stay there for as long as you are able, held in a constant surf position by the mighty wave.

It sounds easy, but it isn't. I only managed it owing to the tremendous strength of fitness of Thomas, our guide who hauled me into the wave alongside him. Eventually he let me go and I thought I'd shoot away in the current. But I stayed right there and surfed the wave. It was err, awesome!

But also very tiring. Of all the activities I have undertaken since I left work this was by far the most demanding.

The other great side to this trip was the part of Lord Of The Rings was filmed on the river. If you've seen the film it's the part in film 1 where 2 giant statues guard the river as the ring bearing party travel down the river.

So, all has gone well so far, but there is a problem. My hit list of 20 things to do during my gap year includes 'swimming with dolphins' and this I have not really achieved. Ok, I swam near a dolphin in Adelaide, but I think that's cheating. If I'd dived over the side of the boat in Kaikoura then I could equally say I'd swum with a whale.

I've checked our itinerary and I can't see any more opportunities to get the tick and in any case I'm not keen on testing my luck on another boat.

I've decided that what I need is another challenge. Preferably one that is even harder to achieve than swimming with dolphins to make it worthy.

It just so happens that Queenstown is famous for a particular adrenalin filled activity, but it is one I have always said I will never do. Bungee jumping.

So that's my dilemma. I have very good reasons for not wanting to do a bungee jump, including a slightly dodgy back and no insurance. And can I actually bring myself to do it? Will push come to shove?

But another small voice says that if I leave Queenstown without jumping I will always regret it. Just do it! says the voice.

So will I or won't I?

Find out next time.

Live long and prosper.