Hey Everyone,

After a very short flight from Christchurch we arrived in a very wet Wellington and made our way to Base hostel where we unpacked our things and had a wonder around the city centre. When we arrived we also bumped into Grant and Rob who we met on the Kiwi bus from the south Island. In the evening we celebrated Haydn's birthday by cellotaped a bottle of gin to his hand and a baby bottle to other and him and Tom didn't make it past the first bar. The next day we went to the museum and had a look round the harbour and had another night out before catching the kiwi bus the next morning.

The next stop was Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. When we arrived the weather was much better and we played frisbee in the park and had ago at the hole in one challenge (which we didn't win). The next day we did the Tonariro crossing with 2 girls, Ali and Louise, that Haydn and Jav met in Australia. The 18km walk took us over a high plateau next to 'Mt Doom' (Lord of the Rings) and next to hot springs. After what was more than likely the most exercise the 6 of us had done in months we finished the day off with a relaxing hour in the natural hot pools.

The next day we headed with the same group to Rotaroua. Rotaroua is famous for its natural hot springs and geezers. That evening we had a great social with our group and made plans to go Luging the next day. Luging is pretty much go karting with gravity as the engine. There were 4 downhill tracks and we spent most of our time on the easiest track as it was the best for racing. The 10 of us had one of the best days out so far racing the go karts down the track with Jav and Tom having a spectacular crash on a corner. We then made our way back to the hostel, cleaned up and had another social with the guys.

After this we headed to Auckland where it was student night and had a final night with everyone before Rob and Grant headed to Fiji and girls made there own way to the Bay of Island in a camper. We joined then the next day via the Kiwi bus and spent the next 3 days relaxing in the sun with the girls and Tom and George (who we met in the hostel) and improving our Frisbee technique for Cocacabana beach in Rio.

We then made our way back to Auckland where we had a final night out before heading to Beunos Aires, Argentina. We all cant wait for South America for a new culture, cheap food and new people and with only 2 months left we plan to make the most of it.

We get back to you in a week and let you know how we get on with no knowledge of spanish at all!

Love George C, Haydn, Tom and Jav