DAY 17 - CHRISTCHURCH It's NYE.... have a bit of a lay in this morning before starting the day with a healthy breakfast, a fry up at warners. we bump into nick who joins us. myself neil, steve and candice head off to the gondola up yet another mountain to llook at the views over the town and beach and lakes, guess what no waterfalls. canduice makes us promise not to rock the gondola. at the top we wait around the gift shop for a while, take a look around the top at the scenic views and sit and chill for a while. there is a museum type thing that has the history of the area and its volcanic activities. very interesting, yawn. we watch a small film in the passage through time exhibition just cause it has some seats, before we head back down the gondola. back to base and then i am joined by steve and neil to see what the go kart track is like. catch the free shuttle bus part of the way and walk for an age to get there. the track is poor, far too small, we watch some others race and play abit of air hockey before deciding not to bother, as we are aleaving we do witness a nice pileup, everyone stops after a minor incident then some dosey ploughs into them all. anyway, after a macdonalds dinner we head back to the base to get ready to meet everyone at warners for tonights nye celebrations. after a few drinks there we leave to go to shooters again, its pretty emopty at the moment but we are assured it will get alot bisier, which it does. naturally we get drunk, have ice wars and just have a general laugh. the whiskeys are flowing. there is a bird spewing in the shared sinks, which is nice. the night continues with more drinks more dancing and it all begins to get fuzzy. when 12.00 arrives im on the dance floor along with neil, we head back to the group to wish everyone happy new year. not sure about the rest of the night but by about 2ish i lose everyone, i was on the dancefloor and to be fair i didnt really look to hard for people. i stagger off and i must have come accross a kfc as i do recall eating chicken. after walking the wrong way for a while i am directed to the base backpakers where i get into my room and decide its easier to sleep on the floor than make it up to the top bunk i should be sleeping in. steve and the frenchies arrive shortly after thinking i have hurt myself falling off the bed, no such luck for them muhahahahahahaha. our random friend in the room is a little upset with us waking him up, but rather tahn say anything he just leaves, a couple of minutes later someone from reception turns up asking us to respect the other guests. y hell its new years eve all he had to do was ask us to be quiet, but he didnt say a word. oh well we were enjoying ourselfs. i practice my drunken french again, mainly to the amusement of everyone else. i realise my pronounciation of merci beaucoup means another phrase. instead of the thankyou very much i intended i keep saying thankyou nice arse to anne michelle. au revoir mon amie, i think