Hey all!

I know that it has been a while i have been really busy on my kiwi trip! Well i wont say i have been busy, mainly being with mates and having fun and not really had the time to stop and update my blog site. My kiwi trip has now finished and i am now spending 2 weeks in Christchurch untill i go to Sydney!!

But i have kept my journel upto date so i can still give you guys updates on all the places i have stayed on my way from Auckland (north) to Christchurch (south)

15.01.09 - Auckland to Mercury Bay (Whitianga)

Wasnt feeling too good on the bus as i went out the night before and umm drank a little bit too much... but i was leaving Auckland so though i had to do it right,hehe. We went to the beach where they filmed Prince Caspien. Its the place where they fist go back to Narnia through that cave and come accross a beach. Was so nice there and the sea was clear blue! Didnt help though that there were jelly fish and some people actually got stung! haha not me though :P

Met some really cool people there too on the bus and we haev all decided to travel down together. There's about 9 of us which is really good. Spent out forst night in a Dorm and was funny. Never realised how long some guys actually take to do their hair! We all played a lot of drinking games and Tui is the best beer to drink over here. I didnt do very well and was drunk too quickly.lol.

16.01.09 - Mercury Bay to Rotorua

Stayed a hostel where there was a pool which was nice but the weather was really hot and if your in the sun for more than 10mins you start to burn. Got a good tan from there and me and the girls sat on the grass in a park and sunbathed.

Went to a Hungi which is a Mari Trible dinner and a show on how the Muri tribe came across to New Zealand and omg their faces were really funny! Met some more people that night who have now joined our little group which we are now calling a family.

Went to a bar afterwards at the hostel as they give us 2 for 1 drink vouchers so we have to use them! I was dared by Kirsty to go upto some policeman who turned up to ask if they were real or strippers! haha i couldnt do it but she did! was so funny and a good thing that they took it in a good way as they just laughed.

17.01.09 Rotorua to Waitomo

This was a chill out day as there was nothing around but the place was really cute. The guys went to a BBQ that the pub down the road and us girls made our own dinner. Met them later and had a bottle of wine. We had decided that on the bus we were going to chill out and have a game of poker! i learnt how to play poker! Not fab but im ok and getting the hang of it. We got more wine in though and i went to bed early but from the stories Kirsty and Matt ended up in the girls toilet and Valerie came in to see Matt slapping Kirsty with a flip flop. Later foudn out that it was because she had taken his flip flops and wouldnt give them back.lol.

18.01.09 Waitomo to Taupo

stayed a few nights in Taupo and was so nice not to have to wake up early to get on a bus! We all got very drunk that night and had our first family photo which was really nice.

20.01.09 Taupo to River Valley

Was such a cute place in river valley and we all wanted to stay an extra night. it was a traditional country lodge and it was inbetween the mountains to sucluded. The room was runny though as it was 16 peopel in each room and only 2 bunks that fitted 8 people each. Was funny but no one really slept very well and not everyone had a sleeping bag. Glad i did!

Went horse riding the morning we left as we didnt leave untill 1pm. Omg the riding was amazing. All the way up the mountains and through fields where i got to canter most of the time and getting alot better at riding that i want to do loads more. Is very true as well that New Zealand if full of sheep!

21.01.09 River Valley to Wellington

We all went out as we were staying 2 nights again in Wellington so loved the idea of not getting up early again. Went to the bar and Kirsty and Kate lost their wallet! luckly they found it though which was good. Matt, Jade, Kevin, BJ, Ryan and myself went to the Museum and as we were all hungover we only stayed less than an hour. But i have to say though it wasnt very good compaired to the British museum. We all watched a film on the second night and Matt had seen a slogan on a ferry saying " Strait Sailing" so had to say "No gays on that boat" haha. Had taken Jade 15mins to actually get it after we all laughed at her.

23.01.09 Wellington to Nelson (Ferry trip from North to South Island)

We had to be up at 6.30am and it wasnt good! everyone just slept. Went to the south island and went to Nelson, as there was so many of us the family had to stay in the overflow accomidation which was actally nicer as was only a 20min walk to the beach so Kirsty, Valerie, Ryan, Jack and myself went there for the afternoon. Had the best fish and chips though and we had to wait an hour to get them! only cost though $6 which is only 2pounds!

24.01.09 Nelson to Westport

Stopped off at Lake Rotouiti where we all jumped off a pier into fresh water lake which was amazing! not the best pic of me doing it though but still i got one of me and Jade,lol. Rorey was being chased by a bee and as he ran to get away form it he slipped off the pier and landed on his elbow. Should have taken the bee like a man instead of a girl. His arm started to really hurt though so was advised to go to a hospital.

Omg i have never seen a town so dead before. It was a Saturday at 5pm and all of their shops, bars, resturants, cafe's were all closed except one! Jade, Kate Valerie and myself had dinner there as kirsty was at the hospital with Rorey. Turned out he has fractured his radius head and in a cast for a few weeks. And he has only been away for a week!

25.01.09 Westport to Lake Mahinapua (Pooh Pub)

Me and kirsty went horse riding in the morning which was good as we were riding ex race horses but no way near as good as the one in River Valley.

We stopped off at a supermarket where that night we were having the traditional Pooh Pub party and a bus photo. Was really good night and the fancy dress theme was "anything but cloths" so people were wearing pillow cases, showercurtains bin bags etc. It was really funny though and a girl who wont the competition wore 4 decks of playing cards! Looked really good too and she got vouchers to do free bung jumps. I ended up wearing a pillow case as a dress with tape at the top. My first idea was to design a dress out of tape but after doing the top half i found it very hard to breath so changed my idea.lol.

26.01.09 - Lake Maninapua to Franz Josef

We stayed in Franz Josef for a few nights as nearly everyone was doing a Glacier Walk and it was amazing! it felt so weird to be walking to the ice when it was about 24 degrees and at one point we were all wearing shorts and t-shirts. We named our group Team Ice Ice Baby and discovered a cave too that we got to go in and be the first people. Apparently they only last for about a week as it melts away quickly. But asked our guide Rob if it was disapearing and he said that each day it moves a metre back and forth so its managed to keep most of the ice. Was so pretty to be sat up there and look at it as it was surreal.

Matt ended up going to the doctors too as he had cut his feet in Taupo as he fell out of a tree and now his leg was lookign infected. Turns out he had to have 3 sessions of drugs pumped into him and the nurse said that if there was a hospital there he would be in it for at least 3 days as it was spreading. She said it was an infection under the skin and came be dangerous. But he is all ok though just to let you know and it has cleared itself up.

28.01.09 Franz Josef to Wanaka

We stayed there for only a night and it was good as everyone was still so tired from the 8hour walk on the ice that no one wanted to drink whcih was good for me as couldnt keep up with everyone. Alot of us has an early night.

29.01.09 Wanaka to Queenstown

We stayed in Queenstown for 3 nights and the girls ended up staying in bed untill 4.30pm as really tired. But i got up and had a look aroudn the town which was really nice. We went to the bar in the evening and we were all getting in it big style. Kevin and Kirsty joined in with a drinking game the bar was doing and Kev had to run as fast as he could to the other side as being attached to a bungy cord and get the drink in the mixer. Kirsty had to then drink it! They were the fastest team untill the Germans won by 5 seconds :(

Kate had a go with Joe and she was the slowist to drink her drink out of all of the people who competed. Was really funny though.

Omg Queenstown is also know for its Ferg Burgers and when i say they are huge i mean huge! it took me an hour just to eat the burger! was trying to give it to other people but they all said no as it was a challange i needed to finish. Done it though! whoop!

Second day we were there the whole of the original family went out for a curry dinner as it was buy one get one free and was really nice. Same as at home really but noce for us all to get together.

01.02.09 Queenstown to Christchurch

We all went out the night before as it was our last night with Rorey and Jack (also known as the Kooks) and kate and Kiirsty got completely wasted. We had to get the bus at 7.30am and Kirsty stayed with this guy called Tom and missed the bus. So Kate had to stay behind. she wasnt happy at all as we all ended up going without them. Was a lon trip on the bus and most poeple just slept. i read my book and now its nearly finished i need another one to read. We went out for dinner again with the family and had a steak, it was on the river and it was a place where you can cook your own on a stone plate. Was Jade's first proper steak as she was a vegie untill she was 18.

Jade had a call from Kate who said that she got on another bus without kirsty as she had decided to stay with that Tom guy for a few days. We all met up with her in the hostel and she was upset. Next thing Kirsty came out of the corner and jumped us! Was funny as they were ok and made it to see everyone.

02.02.08 Christchurch - Everyone said goodbye

Was a hard day as we all said goodbye to everyone. Lots of tears but were all talkign about a reunion in November but im not here as still away :(
But im sure i will see them again though as most live in Oxford and Portsmouth

Now for the next 2 weeks im in Christchurch untill i go to Sydney. Going to actually look at the culture of New Zealand and what its all about. Going swimming with Dolphins on Friday and i cant wait! will be a full day out too and you get to go to a beer tasting session! yumm yumm

Will update you all again soon but also to let you know if you dont already that i have a new mobile number so just eamil me and i will send it to you! Also if you wanted to look at more of my pictures there now on PhotoBucket as this site takes too long to upload them. If you email i will send you the details to log on.

Keep smiling and much love!!
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