8:18 p.m. - 2003-05-05
Wanaka and the Jamaican Shower
2003-05-05
It's Monday morning and I'm in Queenstown, for now....
First, Wanaka, a really charming small town, situated by a lake. As soon as Rob, Claire and I arrived at the hostel, we were greeted by the drunken receptionist and invited to a house party. We were given a lift by some Kiwis who, as it turned out, lived at the YHA (one of them was the manager). We'd barely had time to unpack the car and pitch up the tent before we set out again. I have no idea whose place it was but it was very nice, with a Jacuzzi and mezzanine. I think the hosts were a bit miffed to have all these travellers turn up at their dinner party. It was a bit embarrassing. By 11'oclock all the blokes had their tops off and were dancing around the lounge and someone was trying to get the fire going. Unfortunately the landlord showed up and was not happy about this scene he�d interrupted and chucked us out. So we went back to the YHA's manager's house to continue the revelry. Once again the tops were off (must be a Kiwi thing) and a blonde called Matt got on the decks. Over twenty half-naked people were crammed into a tiny living room. I didn't take my top off but I did end up sleeping with the manager. I didn't fancy him, so now't happened (he had big gums and a short tongue) but I hadn't slept in a nice warm bed for ages, it seemed silly to refuse! So subsequently Rob and Claire crashed on the sofas the next night and we didn't get charged for our stay. The Kiwi's are really good hosts in general, I have to say.
On Wednesday we went to a great little bar called Apartment One for Paddy's 27th birthday. Matt was DJ-ing, and I had a brilliant time. I danced for four hours solid. He played house music, which I don't normally like. It was mainly French house though. It was a really good atmosphere, with a log fire and lots of comfy sofas. It felt like being in someone's lounge in a big country house. Rob was in a weird mood again. He only likes Reggae, or so he tries to convince himself.
Friday afternoon the three of us took a scenic flight over Mount Cook, the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers. It was a beautiful sunny day, so exceptionally clear. Everything was stunning and I took loads of photos. I had no idea what I was looking at though because I couldn't hear a word of what the pilot was saying over the engine. It was only a four-seater plane, so it was bloody scary when we went through turbulence, we would drop like a stone and all that was below us was mountains. That scene from 'Alive' kept popping into my head, and I looked down and knew that if we crashed into the side of a mountain we'd have no chance of remaining intact. It wasn't cheap either - �100, but well worth it; if the photos come out...
That night we went to Queenstown with Matt who was DJ-ing in a club there. The drive took us over the Crown Range, which is the highest road in New Zealand. We went after dark, so I could only imagine the scenery, as we drove down the windy road and took countless hairpin bends. We went to this tiny hippie shop just out of Queenstown to buy some herbal speed. It was shut, but Matt had the proprietor�s phone number and she made a special trip out to sell us some. I didn't expect anything to happen, but it did work. I felt like shit the next day. I danced most of the night in support of Matt who is a real sweetie. I had given him a Mohican the night before. It looked good for my first haircut. Claire and Rob didn't dance and had bumped into a couple of girls from Rarotonga who I didn't like much. I got chatting to a Londoner called Ro who started the conversation off by limping over to me and telling me how he'd hurt his knee on the Luge. Some dangerous Kiwi pass-time, which involves sitting in a go-cart travelling at 50mph down the side of a mountain with no brakes. Strange chat up line. He was good looking and closer to my age, but I didn't fancy him. We didn't get back to Wanaka until 6am and I cheekily slept in Paddy's bed again. I felt awful. I really didn't want to get up the next day.
We drove back to Queenstown that afternoon, giving some English bloke called Jack, a lift. He has an awful tattoo of the world atlas on his back and has scammed his insurance company out of �800. We saw the Crown Range in daylight, listening to The Rolling Stones 'Flowers'. It was a spectacular 100km drive.
Claire and I went to bed early that night and Rob and Jack went out and took more speed. They were out all night, we were glad to get away from Rob. He is highly annoying. He thinks he is Bob Marley but can't handle his weed. He talks a lot of bullshit; poor lad is young and confused. Claire is toying with the idea of leaving him when they get to Australia. Unfortunately, the next day they were in the first place we walked into (an English style pub). They were absolutely wasted and drinking already. We sat on separate tables and then lost them later on.
Back at the hostel that night and still no sign of the boys. Bloody Notting Hill on the telly and the place is freezing, so we decided to go out and find some fun. I wasn't very hopeful, but thank God we did, otherwise I would never have met Ingmar...
Claire had met Ingmar at a Drum n� Bass club, Subculture on Friday. We bumped into him on the way into town. He's a cute Dutch boy and only a young thing at 20 years old. He was on his skateboard looking so cute. He asked us if we smoked, we said �yes� and then he said to meet him at The World Bar later and skated off. So Claire and I went to Frasers feeling slightly miffed and bumped into Anna and Angela from Rarotonga again. I didn't like them at all. I found them intimidating and boring. Angela had packed stilettos for her world trip; an essential piece of kit for any female traveller. I bet she had a travel hairdryer too. Claire seemed to get on with them though. I was really fed up; the place was full of backpackers singing along to the Grease Medley. I was experiencing excruciating backpacker-bar-hell.
I was keen to go to The World and meet Ingmar, but Claire wanted another drink. Then Ingmar, Ro (who I had met on Friday) and a Tom turned up. I downed a Vodka on the rocks and perked up. I invited the boy�s back to our dorm for a small party, luckily we had the room to ourselves. It was a brilliant party considering it was just the five of us with my travel radio providing the music. We had the shower next door to our room and so the boy�s introduced us to the delights of a Jamaican Shower.
This is a new one to me, you get everyone into the bathroom and stuff towels under the door, then turn the shower on full blast. This steams the whole bathroom up. Everyone should have a spliff each, and the smoke combined with the steam gets you extra lean. It's really naughty, you can get into so much trouble just smoking cigarettes in hostels, this makes it even more fun.
I felt like I really clicked with Ingmar instantly. He's an amazing talent in all areas. Crazy, funny, sweet, and a good listener. He's an excellent skateboarder and breakdancer and is riding his mountain bike all over New Zealand. He also makes films, plays guitar, can draw... But most of all, I LOVE his accent. It�s so funny and endearing.
We all stayed up until 5am and decided Wanaka was the shit and that we should all go there the next day. We're going to hitch and get some more weed and party. I'm so relieved to be getting away from Rob. He's doing my head in, talking bullshit all day. He's so slow. I think it will be a real laugh, I get on with Ro and Ingmar really well. It's been a while since I met some genuinely fun people. Not since Fynn and Martin really.
Monday, I wake up and tell Claire that I'm going back to Wanaka. She had fallen asleep last night, so didn't hear about our plans. I told her to come and escape from Rob. She really wanted to but felt responsible for him, also she had the car. I told her to fuck him off. He was just a friend, not her boyfriend. I finally talked her into it and we packed up. We figured Rob would be asleep until late. He sleeps all the time usually, but he caught us in the kitchen with our packed bags. He asked what the plan was and we told him we were going back to Wanaka. He didn't query this at all and went downstairs to check out. We'd lost our chance. I was so irritated; there was no way I could handle him coming. He'd ruin everything. It was so obvious we didn't want him to come, but he just wouldn't get it. Claire then bottled out and said she was going to Milford Sounds instead. So Rob decided he wanted to go too, so I was rid of, but Claire was lumbered with the sadsack. I went to meet the others and only Ro turned up. We weren't sure if we'd missed Ingmar and Johnny (an Irish fella who was supposed to be coming), so we hitched a ride to Wanaka. We had to wait an hour for a lift because it was so late in the day. I was glad to be going back anyway because I'd left my Nan's scarf at the YHA.
