South Island...and EDDIE!

So here we are. Sorry nothing to read for the past few days but WAY TOO MUCH has happened. So I left work Friday to meet "Anna". I got to the Western Springs PArk by 4:30, barely, and I was so worried about being late and her leaving without me being able to get the package from Eddie, and I really really really needed to hear from him. So no one was there at 4:30, I waited until 4:45 ish and started to head back out to the main gate, when I heard a whistle. I turned around and almost passed out. I literally was frozen, there he was coming out from behind a tree. I just buried my face in my hands and cried. I couldn't even walk towards him I was so stunned. He just held me for a bit and I kept crying...and crying...and crying. I am going to wait until I get home to fill you in on what happened next, it just doesn't seem appropriate for a blog. I was literally in such a panic, a billion things rushing through my mind, like we had to get in town fast to book him on all the same stuff as us, as we were leaving for the SI the next day. But I couldn't think of anything for more than a second, I just couldn't believe that he was there, I have never been so shocked in my life and in love. I nkow I am all mushy now, but its this country! and Eddie of course... This is so surreal, still. I knew we had to go but I never wanted to leave that spot, ever. But we had to and eventually later that night we were able to book him on all of the same accomodations and buses as us. It worked out really smoothly. That night we all went to the Christchurch and Auckalnd Rugby game at Eden Park. And that night, Eddie got to experience first hand the amazing apartment that we ahd been living in the past 5 weeks. He didn't think it was that bad...but mostly b/c he thought it would hgave been awful from our descriptions.

So up early the next morning and to the airport. Called mom from the airport so I could get a much needed reality check...The flight was amazing. We flew over glaciers with pure aqua colored water and when we got closer to the bottom of the south isalnd we flew over and between mountains of huge grandeur. It was sometimes like we were so close that we could have easily flown into them. The peaks down here are fascinating, luch green terrain with snow covered peaks billions of miles into the sky. You just can't see the tops and the bottoms at one time. And Eddie was here...everything seems more amazing with him. So we got a shuttle to Queeenstown which we were REALLY impressed with. he town is right in a valley situated between gorgeous mountains ( alot of rock ones) and is definetly a ski town in the winter. We explored around the town as we only had half a day, and through a park in the evening and stayed the night at the Discovery Lodge, which we cancelled our bookings there for the end of the trip the next morning. It was awful. We were in a room with 8 people (Eddie was able to get in with us), but it was so messy that you couldn't even get to our beds without literally climbing over others peoples stuff. All the other people were drunk early in the evening and came home at like 3 am, and woke us up. So we were actually able to book our own room for the other 6 days that we will be spending in Queenstown later, at another Lodge. We are so happy in our own room. So Sunday mornign we got the bus to Dunedin. The bus ride was the highlight of this day for sure. Dozens of deep gorges, and Eddie was able to see a billion places that he would love to fish when we rent our car at the end of the week. It was very impressive. When we got to Dunedin, it was a lot bigger than we had expected. We got lost on our way to our lodge, and ended up taking a n our hiking with our packs on when it should have only taken 5 minutes. But when we found it we were very happy with it. We have our own room in a chalet in the back, surrounded by gardens and a jacuzzi outside (which of course is gross and we wouldn't use). Sunday we explored the town, went to Baldwin Street (a 1.5 hour walk to get there), just to look at a street, but it is the steepest street in the world! We climbed it. then we walked through the Dunedin botanical gardens, very awesome! And then down through the town.

Monday we woke up and missed the bus to the Otago Penninsula by about 2 minutes, It's hard when 3 people have to time getting ready in the morning. So we decided to do our tour of the Cadbury chocolate facrory this morning! It was phenominal...well at least I thought so. :o) Free chocoalte and surrounsung by chocolate waterfall silos. I was very very impressed. They only export 30 % of the chocolate. But yet no overweuight people here...interesting. Its all the hills and lack of public transportation. Then we caught the bus to the penninsula and hiked 1.5 hours UPHILL the whoel way to Larnach Castle. It wasn't as big as it looked in the guide, but the gardens were beautiful. Melissa didn't want to pay to get in, so me and Eddie went in. We walked around the gardens, it was so high up that we also had amazing viewsw of the Otago harbour and all of its islands (also mountains). NOthing is flat. It was nice to get some time with him. Then we heard Melissa in the flowers, she had snuck in without paying. We walked around the castle courtyard, and on the way out, the guards approached us and asked Melissa to leave as the had cameras and knoew taht she didn't pay. We made our way out to the exit, but she tried to get out the way that she came in, on another path. They stopped me and Eddie at the gate and asked us wheer she was, we didn't know. Tehn when we got out of the courtyard and were leaving, a worker followed us and asked us to pay for her or they would call the police on her. So of course we paid. That was not a fun time. Then we got the bus back and are now making plans for tomorrow. We are renting a car and driving back to the penninsula to do the walking trails to some waterfalls and wildlife (inc penguins). Eddie will finally get to do some fishing! Well thats all for now. there is SOOO much more to say but the internet is so much money at this lodge. We are having a great time and the weather has been superb since he has been here. It is colder in the SI but a real crisp fresh air, which is great for hiking and makes us less tired.


I am still so stunned when I think th at Eddie is here, never in a million years...only in a million dreams. This vacation can not get any more perfect.

Miss you all and CANT WAIT TO GET HOME TO FILL YOU IN! and to show you something...