trapped

i'm in queenstown.

i've finally figured out why bungy is so expensive - nobody is actually jumping. if you see enough ads for AH Jackett you could believe that there are long and crazy lines before each jump. well, being a wimp [and spending my money on a backpacking budget [way better value for money after the milford experience]] i caught a ride with two german girls to the Kawaruira bridge [or something] to see people jump. we were there for half an hour, saw three people jump and left as soon as we realized no one else is going to be jumping soon. so, they have about 20-30 people jump everyday, five people working every shift - no wonder it's so freaking expensive. i also happened to visit one of queenstown biggest rip offs - skyline gondola and luge. the view is amazing, but $20 is too much for a gondola ride. the luge was lame. i did way better luge ride is east germany last summer.

there are only three good value things here:
1. $10 fergburgers + $4 for 1/2 kg of some pretty awesome fries
2. Kathmandu Easter sale
3. $3 / hour internet

and there's only one more queenstown pro - the outdoor shops. i didn't expect to see so many, considering queenstown is a party town.
i did get a rain jacket. it has two major cons - (1) it's north face - which means i stick out as a israeli and (2) it's bright red - last jacket size Small. it has some pros as well - (1) it looks better than the Marmot jacket, (2) it has pit zips [i always wanted pit zips] (3) if i ever die or get lost they won't have hard time finding me.

i wanted some duct tape but it was $30 dollars and very heavy. i had to do with medical tape at $10 to fix up my legs. i'm going to lose the nail on my little toe and i'm too grossed out to actually cut it out myself.

yesterday i drove out with Richard, an american who writes for a travel guide, to Arrotown - more Disneyland than Disneyland itself. in Disneyland you know everything is fake, but in Arrotown they're trying to create the impression that everything is genuine. looks like the Disney World's Frontierland. although frontierland does not have ruins of the chinese settlement [they must have been really small people].
there was one awesome thing about Arrotown - a movie theatre straight out of gilmore girls. upholstered ceiling, sofas, posh armchairs and a bar. to bad there was nothing on at the time.

tomorrow i'm going on the routeburn. the guy in the camping shop said i should go in my trainers to avoid getting blisters. i don't want to go in my trainers - i want to roam in waterproof boots. but i do want to be blister free. i will switch to trainers on the queen charlotte / abel tasman tramps.
he did say that ankle support comes from the sole of the shoe. i'm not gonna get lotsa support from my brooks. we'll see how things turn out and if the tape is going to be any help.

new zealand is awesome. but my time here is running out.