#TheChildrenOfQueenstown

Today felt like my first day of uni all over again but just not in a good way. I realised I’m practically prehistoric compared to these youthful hipsters. I’m surrounded by bouncy, leggy 18 year olds with long blonde hair and golden tans. I did wonder while I was queuing to get in to my hostel and staring at a boy with bum fluff on his chin, if I had accidentally joined the queue for a bouncy castle or if they were handing out free balloons. The only person older than me that I’ve found so far is a middle aged Asian woman.
I attempted to blend in by eating cereal for dinner but they probably just thought not only is she ancient, she’s old and can’t cook! Sigh!
It’s not all bad though, Queenstown is lovely with lots of shops and restaurants lining the streets.

After my dad and Berry dropped me off at the hostel, we said an emotional goodbye as a wave of sadness hit us that our incredible holiday together was over.
In an effort to overcome this new depressive state, it was vital that I visited the cookie shop!
I waited at the counter reading the extensive menu.
Cookie dough in a cone
Cookies and ice cream
A cookie shake!
Suddenly it was my turn. Sweat dripped down my face as an outburst of panic spluttered out my mouth.
“I can’t choose! What should I have?!”
If the man serving noticed my panic, he didn’t show it. Trained like a psychiatrist to not show any emotions when presented with a person in distress.
“The cookie sandwich is good.” He suggested.
Two different flavoured cookies with a scoop of cookies and cream ice cream in the middle was presented to me in a small tub! NOM! I thought probably out loud instead of just to myself.

Across the street was a small green with a tiny stream and a picturesque little bridge so I parked myself down there to enjoy my sugar fest. Queenstown was starting to improve I thought as I read my book in the sun.

Later in the afternoon was check in with the bum fluff children. I listened to them exchanging stories of terrible hang overs. One girl was telling her friends how she had barely slept, did the 5 hour bus trip to Milford Sound and then slept for and hour and a half on the boat completely missing everything! Maybe not being 18 again isn’t such a bad thing!

The girl in my room is nice too, she’s called Celine from Switzerland, I definitely didn’t ask how she pronounces it in Swedish (face palm!)
After reminding me she’s from Switzerland and I pretended that it was the country I had forgotten rather than just forgetting what language she speaks, we moved on to safer ground discussing plans for our

holidays.

I spent most of the evening down by the lake enjoying the sunshine and cooling off in the freezing lake! Eventually my stomach started talking to me about dinner and I don’t think it was best pleased when I presented it with a bowl of almond crunch but I was too lazy to cook and happy that it required minimal washing up!

In the evening I finished my book and then just chilled out while my phone charged (exciting I know!)
Once I got back to my room I was surprised to see the other girls getting showered and ready for bed!
At about quarter to eleven one of them said, “Do you want to come out with us?”
Out?!

Ordinarily I would have put my granny knickers away and pulled my party pants out but I have an early flight in the morning, and it’s eleven pm! This is the time on a night out that I usually start clock watching wondering if it’s socially acceptable to start name dropping mc flurry’s and taxis! Okay, maybe I’m not THAT bad, but still, people would be pointing in horror...
“Who’s the granny that’s always yawning and trying to twerk to that new Jason Derulo song on the dance floor? Should we see if her carer’s about?”
I must YouTube things that 18 year olds say in order to fit in. Apparently complaining about the volume of the club’s DJ isn’t on the list!