Hello you lovely people...got loadsa stuff to bore you with

In New Zealand. Spent a week in Christchurch. with Zoes great Uncle. Did the geeky stuff like art galleries and arts and craft museum. Went on some fantastic walks, so many beautiful things to see. Went on a day trip to Akaroa where we went on a black boat cruise top do dolphine watching. Saw little penguins and seals, birds and dolphins (the smallest in the world) as soon as dolphins were in sight Zoe ran to the back of the boat to throw up!! was quite bumpy. still got to see them though!

Well we have been having a crazy time, doing so much in such a short space trying to recall it all may be a challenge...give it a go though. We signed ourselves up for the "Kiwi Experience" kinda like wat Rich did but in New Zealand. We left Christchurch last tue and hopped on a bus. We travelled for a while, doing some walks and that. Then stopped off at Buller Adventure Tours were Zoe went on a horse trek and Charlie went jet boating, it was real good fun...stayed in Westport for the night, where we had an earthquake!! No kidding... Zoe was in the room on my own kinda falling asleep and was like "OMG did i just dream that" got really spun out as everything started shaking and charlie was like "didnt feel anything" but found out it the morn that it did.

Travelled the next day headed along the West Coast Road to Lake Mahinapua. Stopped at Cape Foulwind seal colony and the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes (rocks look like stacks of pancakes). Absolutly poured down, oh well. We stayed in Mahinapua Hotel, a crazy place in the middle of nowhere run by an 83 year old man called Lez. We had a fancy dress evening, country colours or representations. Zoe went in colours charlie went as a tennis player for Wimbeldon (even had strawberries and cream) will upload pics later so you can have a look. The was a fear factor challenge, yoou know the thing dares challenges and blind fold eating etc to win something. It was me (zoe) aganist a Swediah guy and a Dabish guy...and I won! Had to do loadza things which I'm not going to repeat...ever!!!! It was bad...real bad!! The easiest thing i had to do was do a hand stand up against a wall for like 5mins and eat raw onion.....it gets worse and worse. Might tell you on my death bed. Anyway...no more said.

We have met some real cool people, such a laugh esp the swedish. We left the next day to Franz Josef Glacier in the Westland National Park. We stopped at a real horrid plac4e called Bushman's centre (all about deer hunting) and Charlie had to feed a wild bore. That eve we went kayaking on the Franz Josef lake, was amazing. Went through the forest, through like one person wide surrounded by trees etc...was absolutly beautiful. Again will put pics on! The next day we did a full day trek (8hrs) of the Glacier. Was brilliant. Climbed up the ice covered mountains, went into ice caves was really good. Again will put pics.

Early start yesterday to see mirror reflection of Mount Cook (pic on previous page i think) and the Southern Alps on Lake Matheson. Down the rest of the West Coast Road stopping to do numerous walks...Ships Creek, Thunder Creek Falls and Blue Pools. Stayed in Wanaka and went out for Indian with another couple who are real nice. (that bit was quite boring thing to tell you..oh well)

Left this morn heading to Queenstown. Stopped offg at Puzzling World (biggest outdoor maze in the world) had some well werid things there. This afternoon we went on the Mad Dog River Boarding (wat I won in the Fear Factor) we were basically going down rapids on body boards. ABSOLUTLY CRAZY!!!! Charlie did real well....me not so much! got thrown onto the rocks, thought i was going to die! Aside from that it was brilliant, really challenging. Chalrie has mastered wearing flippers...againg me not so much. Has to be the most unatural feeling in the world. Dream of being a mermaid is well out of the window. We got thrased about on the back of a jet boat (the twop of us has to lie on a sponge bed and just hold on. Its was wicked! Went down a massive slide on body boards into the river and jumped off swings. Really amazing. Right now we are at our hostel and we are going to hit the town later with all these crazy people on our bus...should be a good laugh.

Deal or no deal. I saw the clip, charlies work mate sent it to us, put it on blue tube...suze we are famous. Anyway hope that all is well, its lovely to hear from you when you email and that. We are proud of liam for growing up and sorry to hear about Rich's comfort blanket...charlie was very touched i think!! We love you all so very much and are having a wicked time. Lots of love...the travellers xxx