Hello! It's been a while since I wrote one of these so thought I would write a quick update just to let you know I'm alive and well. I'll keep it brief, don't worry!

I am now in Sydney just for 2 days doing a bit of sightseeing before heading off to Japan for a week. It was going to be 2 but predictably, I've run out of money so I'm coming home next week now! Yay! I will be sad to end my travels but there's lots of things at home I miss too and will be glad to have back.

Anyway, Sydney's cool and I have taken many photos of the harbour and the opera house, and just done general sightseeing, but this is definitely a place that you would enjoy more if you had lots of money! I am also depressed as there's lots of very cool well dressed people here and I look like a backpacking tramp. It will probably be even worse in Tokyo (adding to that 40 degree heat), but never mind!

The rest of New Zealand was absolutely amazing and I had a fantastic time on the South Island. The West Coast in particualar is stunning and beautiful to drive down, and there's lots of cool places to stop on the way. The highlights for me were hiking on the Franz Josef glacier for a day, which was really fun and not even as challenging as I thought it would be! It wasn't too cold either but it did rain non stop so we were soaked by the end of the day. We also went to place called Lake Mahinapua where we (as in the Kiwi Bus I was travelling on) had a big fancy dress party, which was great fun and reminded me of uni, with everyone looking silly! It's held at a place run by this 84 year old man called Les - he's a bit of a legend and puts on a massive party every day of the year, I have no idea how he does it!

My favourite place in New Zealand was Queenstown. It's the adventure and party capital of New Zealand so you have a great time there even if you don't do anything, but I also learnt to ski there which was pretty cool! So I have a new talent - travelling has been useful after all! I learnt with 2 girls I have been travelling with which made it more fun, as we spent most of the time laughing due to one of us falling on our asses. I did quite well though, for me anyway!

I also did the Nevis Highwire Bungy, which was probably the best thing I've done. It was absolutely terrifying and I've never been so scared in my life, but the rush you get is absolutely amazing! It was 134m, I think the world's 3rd highest or something. I didn't have even the slightest intention of doing it but I was easily persuaded within a few days of being in Queenstown - it makes you want to do crazy stuff!

Anyway, I promised to keep it brief so I'll shut up now. This will be my last blog, so those of you who have read them, thanks for listening! I will put more pictures up when I get home as it so annoying and slow doing it here, so you can see more NZ ones, plus of course an entire album of Sydney Opera house and hopefully some pretty cool ones of Japan! I am very much looking forward to going but slightly apprehensive about the massive culture shock!

But, hopefully I'll live to tell the tale and see you all very soon for a good catch up! I've missed you all lots! Take care everyone and speak soon! xxxx