Hello everyone! I thought I would inform you all of the current update on the trip! Last Saturday, I drove to Lincoln to meet my fellow travellers to discuss the impending trip.

One of the first things we discussed was Robs torch, which he attaches to his head. It was the first topic of conversation last time we met! I am sure the torch will make numerous appearances on photos! Once again, we had a demonstration of how the torch works. Rob informed us that he will use the torch to read on buses, trains and planes. I hope I do not get this wrong but I am sure it winds up and lasts for 30 minutes, so am sure the torch will be passed around to be wound up. Naomi also has a book light, which she is taking with her. Its so small but so bright, it illuminated the room, so have visions of Naomi lighting up the whole bus.

We then rang STA (the travel company) and purchased our Australian visas. We took the phone in turn and read out our passport information and our card details, the phone was passed round a million times between us all and am sure the man on the phone (can't remember his name, not that it matters) was relieved when the the conversation ended. We then purchased our bus ticket for New Zealand in advance, they had a sale on so saved quite a bit of money (which is always handy, as at the moment the saving is not going well). So we were on the phone for a fair while.

These are the places we are going to visit in New Zealand:

• Fly into Auckland at 6am!
• The next day we are heading to Paihia - the bay of islands for a few days to chill.
• We are going to make our way back to Auckland for a few days.
• Mercury Bay
• Rotorua
• Waitomo
• River Valley
• Wellington
• Nelson
• Westport
• Mahinapua
• Franz Josef
• Wanaka
• Queenstown
• Christchurch - then flying to Sydney.
• I also think we are going to Milford Sound.

At some point in our New Zealand adventure Naomi will be visiting her grandparents who she has only met once before, not exactly sure where they live.

I don't think I have anything else to report apart from James's comment about kiwis. James thought that kiwis are a fruit - they are a fruit - but he did not know they were also a bird. Anita told her mum this and she said too didn't know that either (Anita was hoping her mum was having a memory lapse). The rest of us were a tad worried about James and this comment. I am not sure that between us we are going to make it around the world.

Here is some info on kiwis if anyone did not know they were a bird.

A kiwi is any of the species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites (flightless birds). All kiwi species are endangered. The kiwi is also a national symbol of New Zealand. The kiwi lays the largest egg in relation to its body size.

I think that is all for now.