New Zeland North Island...

Wellington. After leaving Lake Tekapo we headed up to Christchurch for the day. As I had not been there due to leaving drinks in Sydney going a bit too well, we had a look around the centre. A small place, with trams, a church and lovely little market, bought some gifts there very nice.

We then were off to the second part of the New Zealand Adventure on the north island. We jumped on a flight, shortest I think i have ever done, over to Wellington. Girls from work, I did try and meet up with hot Matt from St. Johns, but didn't manage it, I had messed up my dates and although he did invite me to the twenty20 game the next day I was leaving! boo! Anyway I loved Wellington, it was a lovely city, had a really laid back feel to it. We went out the first night, had very cheap drinks, and the photos of Laura and i falling off chairs is what transpired. After a brief lay in we went and had a look around town, Laura and Danny both go tattoos, I was thinking of getting another one, but couldn't work out where I would like to have it so didn't! Shame would have been great to show mum!

I have now been to my favourite Museum ever, it was brilliant, if possible I was even more child like than normal. It was called Ta Papa Tongarewa, it was excellent, had the biggest giant squid, a whales heart, not real you could get in, excellent art and interactive things, I loved it, well until I lost everyone that was.

Right, this is going to be completed today, now about 3weeks behind Oops, sorry mum and dad I know I should be better! So we headed off to Napier, this was a crazy little town famous, I would beg to differ, for its Art Deco buildings. It was a pretty small town, although it did have "Hellos" finest Lionel Richie playing there the next evening. Basically all we did was find this rather cool shop with retro clothes and try them all on to the annoyance, I am sure of the staff, and take photos.

Next day we headed onwards to Lake Tekapo. Here the plan was for everyone, except me (I was saving my money for other adventurous things in South Africa) to do sky dives and bungee jumps etc... However as soon as we arrived there the heavens opened and the whole plan looked like it was going to fall through. The only thing to be done was to get in the hot tub and wait for the worst to pass... Finally it did. We went on a little walk to check out the bungee over the river and Danny managed to get it together enough to do the bungee, well actually only when laura said she would do it with him. I have no idea why anyone would put themselves through that, I felt sick just watching.

They had also signed up for the sky dives along with 5 others we were travelling with that afternoon, we headed on over to get them kitted up for their dives, i was appointed camera person, took some great shots of them falling through the sky, well sort of I couldn't see them for ages while everyone else waiting was trying to point out the dots hurtling thought the sky. After an action packed day we hit the pub for some well deserved drinks, I especially deserved one. We had also decided to sign up for the Tongoruar Crossing. A 20km walk up the mountain where they filmed Lord of the Rings Mount Doom.

With an early start we were all rather tired but had our supplies and got on the bus and headed off to the base of the mountain. After being given the route and details about the hike, I didn't feel that reassured by the names of the sections including devils staircase (it certainly was) and the fact that if it was windy you were to crawl, yes crawl, or you may get blown into the crater where there was no way out of. Just marvellous. Anyway the bus driver had some great banter, telling the very keen tourists about the prisons surrounding the area and how they used to give the prisoners a pair of velcro gloves and were allowed into a fields of sheep before starting there time. I was beside myself, especially as an Irish fellow at the front of the bus had no idea that he was being told total rubbish!

We started the walk and after surviving the Devils Staircases, which does deserves its name, made it to the summit, over looking some amazing sulphur lakes and the surrounding countryside. I was totally worth it. We had a short lunch break, then made our way to the other side of the mountain and headed down. Thinking that it would not be far, it became rather hard work going down hill. Feet hurting, knees hurting and with Danny keeping on telling us that its just around the next corner, Laura and i were totally done when we reached the finish. Bus home it was an early night.

Next stop was a place called Roturua, famous for its Sulphur areas and hot mud spars. As spoon as we entered the area it stunk of rotten egg, it was awful, really awful. We had decided to go to a mud baths and thought this would be great for our skin, which it was, however we smelt along with our clothes of rotten egg for a long time after, and I mean days! Anyway, we also wanted to do some rafting. They have a river here with a 7m waterfall the highest you can commercially raft down. We headed off to have a go, met some nice boys who were determined to fall in, I however was of the opinion that this was not the point and had no intention of falling out of the boat.

We started off on calm waters, saying a Mowri prayer to wish for out safe travels down the river, and paddled down through some fun rapids... all rather sedate, in fact at one point we jumped in and went down a rapid without the boat, a lot of fun. Then came to waterfall, it was brilliant we all hit the decks before we went over, and although it was only seconds but our boat couldn't decide if it wanted to tip or not, but true to my word i did not fall out I ended up on the lap of the instructor and helped Laura and the others who had fallen out back in.

Still smelling like rotten eggs we headed off to Auckland... Where my main aim was to meet up with some uni friends Phil and Lucy who had moved there the previous May.