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Left the North Island via Wellington and some random welly wanging (gumboot throwing in Kiwi speak), which despite using Kerries tactics, lost! Embarked on an obligatory Lord of the Rings tour...alongside some crazy fanatics, they were more enteratining than the tour itself which was a bit random to say the least! Did get to see the most amazing gollum statue....good times! Aswell as a visit to the Collosal Squid, baked in formaldahyde, in the te papa museam, one of the ugliest things ever, but much loved by Ashleigh!
After a very late night headed to the south island. Headed to Abel Tasman National Park (lesson one of New Zealand, everwhere seems to be a national park, the country is practically one big park!). This park, is beautiful, white sandy beaches, and when the sun comes out, paradise, but interspersed rain...so not so much! Lots of hiking opportunities and no longer able to use altitude as an excuse for my general unfitness.
Continued travelling down, via a random fancydress night...the theme, 'I wish I was....', my choice, obviously, Willy Wonka...endless chocolate, no contest! This costume took quite a bit of construction and alot of sweets and lollypops. Returned to sanity the next day and headed to Franz Josef, to encouner...the glacier. Did the full day hike whilst staying here, and it was stunning, so beautiful, and so much fun to climb. A lot of snowballs thrown and the addition of crampons to my wardrobe, maybe useful in rush-hour perhaps.
Reached Queenstown and tried very very hard to resist the many activities taunting me to do them....tried, and failed! After a 3day tour of the southern south of the south island (thats a lot of south) which was beautiful and luckily sunny (just missing their epic storm) involving a day of sleeping in...a shed...with a fire, wood and fire....hum not quite english safety regulations, and definatly not warm, but fun. Aswell as seeing Milford Sound, lesson 2 of New Zealand, everywhere is stunning, really, there isn't an ugly piece of landscape around. Returned to Queenstown to do a tandem handglide...in the snow! It was amazing, and less scary than flying in a plane, if only i could use this to get around the world!
Also the most important part of Queenstown...a fergburger. If you have been, I need say no more, if not, burgers...the size of my head, amazing, not so good for the waistline. A definate must in Queenstown.
Finally headed back up towards the north, via Christchurch, still functioning quite well despite the earthquake. Carried onward to Kaikoura, a small coastal town. Took the opportunity to swim with wild dusky dolphins in the pacific ocean. Involving a long boatride, and searching for a group of dolphins who want to 'play'. Then swimming, in the open ocean with wild dolphins, right next to, beneath and around you. Amazing, so so amazing. Even didn't mind losing all perfusion to my feet from the cold! Was worth it.
Left the dolphins and headed up to spend a few days in Picton (north of the south island) and say a sad farewell to some great new friends who I have travelled the whole of New Zealand with. Back in Wellington, heading to Auckland then onto Figi to finally reach the summer I've been chasing round the world. New Zealand, beautiful, action packed, rainy, sunny, snowy all in a day, awesome!
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