Toooo tired after a beautiful day, first at the Imternational Antarctic Centre in Christchurch and then on an Ecoseaker Harbour Adventure Cruise in Akaroa. So for now just a few pics that pretty much sum up today.
I’m almost too tired te even make this post, but I wanna write everything down while s it’s still fresh.
I got picked up this morning by hassle-free tours for a whole day Lord of the Rings tour. We drove about 2 hour outside of Christchurch to see the Lord of the Rings filming locations of Rohan, Edoras and Helms Deep.
I got picked up by tour guide at 8:45 then we picked up 10 more people and were on our way. There were some lovely stops to take pics and a bathroom and lunch break at Mt Potts Lodge. Once at the filming location We were not allowed to drive closer to where used to be, so walking up it was.
I made it a bit over halfway up the hill before returning to the group that had only planned on going half way. I’m still proud of myself though!
I’m back at the hostel now and will do some packing and then go to sleep since I have to be at the Antarctic Centre at 9 then and will drive to Akaroa right after to be there around 1pm.
Of course I’m fully awake now since 3am, because I slept in the late afternoon/early evening. But I couldn’t have stayed awake I was too exhausted.
have to be up early to get picked up for my LotR Edoras full day tour, so I better get 2-3 more hours of sleep!
After a 12 hour stop over I Singapore, I arrived safely in Christchurch!
in Singapore I went on a sightseeing tour which was great as I’ve never been and wanted to use the time I have there. I did underestimate the level of my exhaustion combined with the weather in Singapore though, so afterwards instead of checking out all that Changing airport has to offer, after a quick stop at the butterfly garden, I passed out in a napping lounge area for 4 hours.
The second flight was a little shorter than the first, and my seat was great. I didn’t sleep a minute on the first flight from Munich to Singapore, but did get in a couple of hours on my way to Christchurch. I did it have a window seat as I’m preparing aisle seats on long flights, but still got in some first views of New Zealand:
After going through the airport procedures and taking a shuttle to get my Judy rental car, I did my first attempts in leftside driving. A little bit scary, the remembering to drive left you get pretty fast, for me it was more the remembering that there is more of the car to my left now and that I need to use my left hand for everything while driving. But little by little I felt more comfy. On my way to the hostel I stopped at a supermarket to get drinks, toast, cheese, shampoo and some more stuff and then i checked into my hostel the All Stars Inn in Beasley in a single room with shared bathroom facility.
The plan was to get a shower and rest for a little while and then drive to the gondola to do the ride, but I had to give in to my exhaustion and was in no condition to drive anymore. So after a quick shower I passed out. The gondola will will be there when I pass through on my way to Tekapo on the 31st.
Now it’s 22:38 and I’ll be heading to sleep soon as I will be picked up in the morning for a whole day Edoras Tour. Really looking forward to that!
G’Night!
Today I can check in for my flight! 48 hours from now I’ll be getting ready to drive to the airport!
finished packing my suitcase yesterday, I have an allowance of 30kgs but meant to stay under 25…that didn’t work out so well as I’m now closer to 28. I just can’t pack light, not even on 1-2 week long trips, how did I expect myself to pack light for A 7 week trip?!!
The good thing is that I will have a rental car the whole time, so it doesn’t really matter that much if the suitcase weighs 20 or 30 kgs.
im still panicking a bit about the long flights, especially the first one to Singapore. I have a pretty good seat on the second flight wth a bit more foot space in front of me, but there was no such seat in the first one.
Also scared about the shot that I have to give myself before flying (the one that’s supposed to help lower the risk of thrombosis and such) but I guess I’ll manage.
Two more days of freaking out, and th the adventure starts! 😀
Since I seem to like the “This time next week…” game, this time next week I will be in Singapore, either at the airport or on an airport organized sight seeing tour.
Of course preparations never go as planned, so now my arm, that I got a refresher tetanus shot (plus 2 more vaccinations all in one shot) in, now still hurts and has a big knob/swollen thingy that feels hot. So on top of the doctor’s appointment I already have to squeeze in, I have to call that doc too today.
How is it, that even if you start planning a trip almost two years in advance, that once the last weeks and days are drawing near, it’s pure stress, panic and realizing, that you’re not prepared and ready at all?!! Every damn time!!!
Mum just trying to get my packing done by Thursday, so if I realize I’ll never fit everything, or that I forgot important stuff, I have enough time to improvise.
Right now it’s really mostly the long travel to even get to Christchurch that kinda terrifies me. Not the driving in the left for the first time, finding my way around, to the hostel, making a New Zealand SIM card work in my phone, getting gas for the first time, and even though knowing which kind I have to take, deep down fearing I’ll destroy the car by filling it up with the wrong kind. Those are the things I would usually worry about, but strangely this time it’s only the long flights and getting there. Once there I just know everything will be fine.
For today, there’s two docs to call, getting some stuff in my flat done, sending an email to my health insurance so they deactivate my membership for the time in away and then finish writing down the details for the first days (car rental details, hostel address, supermarket close by, airport details and where to get a Sim) and print out the confirmation for my Lord of the Rings Edoras tour that I’ll do from Christchurch the day after arriving.
Once this is done, I know I’ll feel a bit more prepared.
This time next week I’ll already be in the air on my way to New Zealand.
Somewhere in the middle between Munich and Singapore with almost 30 more hours to go till arriving in Christchurch.
Starting in Christchuch on December 27, 2016 I will travel first the South island and then the North island till February 17, 2017.
I’m starting to get really excited, but also a bit nervous – mostly about the long trip to even get there – but of course the excitement wins out!
The next days will be packing, packing, packing and finishing up lots of things here, so everything is set for the next 7 weeks.
I will take lots of pictures and I guess also videos and post lots on Facebook and instagram, but I also wanted my very own place, that just belongs to this trip, so I created this blog.
Travelling through Middle-earth 