June 6, 2007. I'm staying in a little seaside resort called Kaikoura on the east coast of the south island. It's the place to come to spot dusky dolphins and sperm whales. Today I went for a cycle round the coast. On my way round, I found a great shell fish BBQ stall and had the most gorgeous fish chowder. I cycled someway and find a path up over the hills and walked for about an hour before I arrived in a field of cows I mean full of young cows Well you know me and cows My mates will be laughing now I'm a bit of a mad one myself, so decided that I was not going to let them get in my way. Well calves are quite stupid and I soon discover that if u charged at them they soon moved. I'm unsure what the on lookers may have thought of my rather unusual techniques, which I was quite enjoying. I have noticed here that the animals are rather quite, including the sheep. I have not yet heard them make a noise? Very UN ewe usual Ha ha After quite a trek I arrived at the edge of the cliff, the landscape lime hills resembling our fine county of Eastbourne with rolling pastures! The only give away the noisy fur seals below and dominating mountains in the backdrop. I continued down the cliff and arrived on the beach. There I found a whole fur seal carcass which was quite incredible I will spare you the photo! I climbed onto the roads to get a better look of the seals, who were basking in the sunshine. The sun always shines here Walking back round the cliff the tide had come in and a bit of mountaineering followed! Not good! All I kept thinking about is if my holiday insurance. Did it cover me. Was this classed as a dangerous activity or not! Well as usual I had a mobile phone signal, so no worries mum! Not that you would do much to assist lol. The journey back was painful as my lack of regularly cycling was now telling on my undercarriage. That evening I sat in the hostel, next to the fire the owner Moira had kindly lite and watched the sun set over the mountains and sea. After I prepared my meal Moira sparked up the hot tub outside on the terrace and I jumped right in. Chocolate and TV (which I add, I have had neither of for 2 months) made the perfect evening. Funny how it's the simplest things in life are the best. The perfect end to the night would have been falling into my comfy bed at home, but sadly this was not the case. As I fell into my 6 share dorm, full of noisy American high school girls, with rustling bags, with smelly feet. June 7th 2007 Today I got up to see the sun rise over the sea for the first time in months! It was a beautiful moment the golden and red colors so intense. This morning I was up early for a reason. To 'swim with dolphins'. This activity I had attempted in the North Island and decide that the trip should be named 'drowning without dolphins' There had been a storm warning forecast and it didn't look like the trip would proceed. At 8.30 the group was asked to gear up! Yes I really wanted to get the picture for my niece Hollie. So I squeezed Onto the rather small wetsuit and put on my walking boots. Not a look that will catch on and jumped about the bus. 20 min later we arrived at the boat and were told that we needed to get out quick, as a storm was coming in, but a large pod of dusky dolphins had been spotted. Ok the water is 10 degrees! Probably warmer than the UK? Well that's what I convinced myself and it helped. The horn of the boat sounded and we were lunched into the water. I was hoping that he had turned off the propeller at the point! Safely into the water I proceed to swim away from the others. Someone had told me that they had been more successful away from the swimmer making silly noises to attract the dolphins. I started to clap my hand with the cold and clear my mask and suddenly they appeared swimming around and around me! Rubbing an bumping into me! Wow it was incredible. Well they sat dolphins have healing powers and I was sure hoping that they would sort out my shoulder. Damaged from lugging far too much luggage around with me! My Own fault. I continued to make clicking noises and attempt to communicate with these amazing creates. I couple of times I dived down and they seem to enjoy this and look at me as if I could follow. I know my limits and declined. Well despite not being able to feel my finger to take photo, it was the most incredible experience I have ever done. When back on the boat the captain delighted in giving the crew hot showers! And then we enjoyed a hot chocolate, followed by acrobatics' from the pod! The seal loins appeared and the albatross flew over our head, as to demonstrate to us who was the boss! And I wouldn't argue that! All in all, an amazing day. As the storm grew, the water swell and we headed back as the waves got rougher and people around me got sick. You know me I loved it! And dipped another ginger biscuit in my hot chocolate! What a great day. Hollie I have a picture for you XX love untie Donna 26th may Christchurch the most graceful city I have ever seen in my lifetime. Or better known as the garden city, being that 1/8 of city area consists of gardens and parks. The museums, art galleries and colonial houses all donations based and beautiful parks make for a truly interesting day. Today I travelled around by tram, which was very relaxing indeed. This made me want to jump in a time capsule and return to times in which transportation was about the getting there and not the 'I'm here'! If you know what I mean. I bit like my journey I suppose. Well the hostel I'm staying in is truly the best ever, with its Victorian architecture and the beautiful cobbled streets outside full of street sellers and artists. Last night I went to a café called 'the thinking house', where you sit on toilet seats, yes! The concept is around modern life and the lack of time we are able to find for ourselves, how true! Even the toilet doesn't seem like a sanctuary when your staying in the backpackers So going out for coffee to find one seemed quite acceptable. I have decided to spend more time in Christchurch and work on a local fruit farm. I hope this will provide me with the time and space to think about the rest of my journey, which will soon be ending. New Zealand is an amazing place and despite being a modern country has not lost its cultural charm and charisma. Well as I'm not writing a travel book I won't say any more about that, other than see for yourself one day Lol 22nd may Hello all. Today i have left queens town great fun place met loads of good friends. In dunedim far south. very scotish influence here! spend the day at Otaga on a wildlife trip. I saw seals and sea lions, and yellow eyed pengins. I will put the pics on the sight. Got so close up to seals they are massive. Dunedum a funny place well large percent of Scotland resided here probably because the rainy weather! There is a great deal of resemble to Scotland. Today I sat in the university watching the salmon jump up stream it was amazing! A very young vibe here and the best yha I have stayed in very homely with a cosy fire And good kitchen. The elm wildlife tour took me to the penguins Otago where I was taken to albatross viewing station to see the big fluffy babies and the wait for a parent to fly into to feed. This was very unlikely sighing give the parent live at seas due to there largeness makes land and walking around on land difficult and they only come to feed every 3 days. Well to me amazing as all hope had gone the parent came into sight like a massive prehistoric creature, the wing span 3 metres plus! I couldn't believe it! Thought the tour guide, could have let if out for the tourists lol Them as dusk fell we began to walk the bleak cost in search of the penguins and sea lions scattered around the coast. The seas lions blended into the sand banks and long grass standing within feet of them was awesome and scary. There huge bodies and jaws so powerful. The penguins were so funny, I loved then observing them coming out of the sea I felt like David Attenborough lol they appeared if by magic and were very cautious as to not get eaten by the seal loins waiting on the beach. So in a mad panic attend on appearing out of the sea like a tourist crossing a main road they legged it! And once they reached the hill, they then stared the mountain clime home to the nests. This was incredible to witness! They momentarily stopping to stick a pose as if in a vogue club, there bodies hot and trying to cool down. Wow it was amazing Kia ora 14th may Nz was the last colonized country in the world today and Queenstown now population of 15,000 people was the last town to be formed. Today a busy ski resort with very trendy cafes and bars! Including the -5 bar, which is very icy indeed. Well today went to the Milford sounds glacier or fiord mountains carved by glacier over 1250 millions of years. When the tectonic plates collided and the magma rose up from the ground and fusing these granite giants together. The journey via the Milford road was amazing scenery constantly changing. To access the sounds a tunnel build early 1900's through the mountain, and took 25 years to complete. The tunnel provided access to the sounds via boat, where jade (green stone) mined in the local mountains was then shipped. This area is a world heritage site, only native plants and species grow here, untouched for millions of years! This area unlike many areas in nz escaped the reforestations. The early settlers (white man from England, brought by captain cook) in the north stripping the forest of there trees and clearing land to make way for the farming cattle. Of course all this changed the landscape irreparably. At this time the southern Maori King was very concerned about the damage the settler had created in the north. He decided to travel to England and to arrange a meeting with the king. During this meeting he offered the Milford sound to the king as a gift. With the one condition, that the land remains untouched. Until today this has been respected, resulting in a truly magnificent Jurassic park, of natural wonderment. A cruise takes you to the mouth of the sounds where the amazing waterfalls cascade down the mountain faces carved there way! Dolphins and whale can often be seen. Insight into backpacking. Now guys let me tell you it's not all great! Yes it's not your 9-5 that's for sure, but it has its own stresses and daily challenges. Imagine sharing your space with at least 5 other strangers for a start. Strangers that chat incessantly, snore, smell, fart, steal off you And wake you up pissed or rustling plastic bags at ungodly times! Yes there have been times that murder has crossed my mind in a moment of extreme fatigue. I had to laugh the other day when I woke up and every one was creeping around rather worried looking. I spoke to the girl above me and she said that some crazy b****! Shouted at them in the night for constantly banging the door. The door next to my head! Guess that was me then ha ha ha! Must have been asleep! Can guess that what I said was fruitful lol Oh and there cooking an impossible taks. Not only are the shops miles away and I have no transport! The kitcen never have the one unitles that you need in order to contine what your doing or 1 of the 20 people that are alos trying to doing the cooking dance has it Lol please let me have my own uitlies and kitchen back! One withspices and sause Yes the simplest things like seeing ton get dressed in the morning when 10 others are asleep and cleaning your teeth present a massive amount of organizational skills. Every day a challenge, I need a holiday from this lifestyle soon I hope. lol Then there's the story pf my bag! Well me and that bag were destined to fall out along the way and yes we have had many rows! Resulting in its injury. This is my 3rd bag since traveling! I started off with a nice 15kg bag (with wheels) don't do back packs. And when in oz the bag broke, so I invested in another bag, this time a little bigger! Yes all my shopper alcoholic friend, you know where I'm coming from Lol this time the bag was 70 liters and suddenly weighted twice as much Help By the time I arrived in nz the bag had taken a turn for the worst! After some negotiation I managed to get the shop to spend another bag over as a replacement. 2 weeks later a call for the shop asking me to travel some way back to the city of Auckland. Fine, but ok you can guess how I felt when they told me that the bag had been sold accidentally. So they offered me another bag, problem was it was yet bigger, help! Please. This bag actually on opening can double as a single bed, yes it's that big, nice color though very important. Since me and the bag have began our journey, we have been ridiculed with comments like! That's a big bag! Constantly. I have started to think that I'm carrying around my troubles in this bag, but then I realize. It would never be that big lol, it must be that backpacker that woke me up rustling the other day! Just give them another kick lol Here's the address for that sweet shop guys www.remarkablesweetshop.co.nz go nuts Miss you all and wish you could all be here to experience this journey with me! But as your not I hope that you enjoy reading and viewing my adventures. Love to you all XXX Kia Ora (moaroi) for hello Well i have visited most of the north island. Nz is a funny place very english, has a population of 4 million and have 50 million sheep and 70 millon cows. so the city and towns are small and quite friendly. the north island is mostly volcanic. hot geothermal pools and springs. and amaxing volcanic craters and monutains. walked to tonagrrio, where the 3 lord of the rings was filmed. it took 9hrs and some serious leg work! lol i got so pissed off i run donw the last 2 hours! everyone though i was mad! i was feedup with walking and my knees hurt. next day a hot dip in the springs and a massage was just the ticket in wellington city today going to the museum for some culture. Tomoorrrow i catch the ferry over the cook straigh to the south island. Visited so many places my heads spinning. Not with my mate Tara anymore as we both wanted to do other things. Hope everyone is well at home, and my two mates that are pregnant are getting fat! i have put on weight to in sypathy lol x miss you all love Donna no comments added 2007-05-14 Category: nz may nz south islandshare it edit delete 14th of may Well feeling a bit sorry for myself today woke to the sound of drilling at 7am! went to queens town casino lats nite and won had a few to drink with my aussie friend becks! so i'm in credit! your all be getting post cards soon! wnet to this chocolate shop! will put link on here for all my pregnant friends order the chococlate mouse fugde wow its to die for hey miss you all girls x cant wait to see your new additions XX toady i.m going on a walk up a mountain in queeens town forget the name! will tell you if i survive. its gonna be hard asI have eaten too many pancakes, god help me. talking about god. i went to sit in yet another hot pool the other day in wanaka and a young man started to talk to me about god! yes you all know my thoughts on that! well I had to laugh when he said he worked at the snow boarders church in wanaka yes really thats the name. well i asked does this mean you have less falls. no he replied, when we do god heels us! not to mention the 7 paramedic and doctors involved in the process lol i've heard it all now. check out my pic xx miss you all Happy birthday to my Dad whos the big ^) and jemma my sister whos old lol Kia ora 10th of may in a palce called wanaka, POPULATION 5,000. Sitauted on massive lake with surrounding hills (see pics) glasiers in the distance. 1st of may was offically winter time. Trees are golden and the air chilly. Wananka is fanstanic beautiful walks, cafes and shopping. The cinema was a real experience, you can buy wines or beer, sit on a sofa or in an old car. like a beetle and at half time they bring you freash baked cookies yum i had home made ise cream instead its official social work is the most miserable proffession in the world. here in nz they have the higest turn over of workers, monies not great either. I went to the local socila work office and met the manager yuk well a town with 5,000 sounds like a small case load sure my colleagues back home would agree ha ha. off to queeenstown the home of the bungy, and no i have no need to throw myself off anythink to feel alive when onto Dunedum and christchurch and back to Oz. First melbourne were i hope to go sailing and then perth. hope you all well and happy miss you all xxx ________Hello or Kia Ora (greetings)from new Zealand. An amazing country as you can tell from the pics. Traveled from Wellington north island to south on the ferry we went through a pod of dolphins maybe there was 50 or 100 it was amazing. Arrived in Nelson, a charming town surrounded by hills on the edge of a massive lake. Lots of cafes and places to chill out, including the hostel which had a sauna and pool and a hot tub. Great after a long days tramping (walking) as we know it! Spend day at abel tasman the most amazing beautiful place on earth. Dropped off by boat at turbulent bay and then had to walk back! Through tepid rain forest and amazing beaches. People has left messages in the rocks for loves ones, unfortunately I had no time to create my messages and wanted to avoid being eaten by sand flies (again). Back to nelson for a few days the local area is very prety lots of influence from Britain the local very laid back! The hair do are total mullets I have never seen so many!1 I went to a salon for a cut and laughed when I was sat next to a log fire and give a poofee to put my feet on! The hair dresser looked at me as if I was mad and said all salon have log fires! I pressed the point no mullets or 80's hair! And thankfully escaped with a good hair cut! Unlike a few others in my hostel! Poor sods the hair dresser said she does about 50 mullets a week! For those who don't know a mullet if short hair at sides and long at front and back often with a rats tail! Yuk Traveled down to greymouth! Just as its name, stayed overnight and then onto franz joseft in the mountains! Great place. Opportunity ti do a glazier walk! I booked in for a helicopter to drop me off at the top really But the weather was not good and they can't fly in. I managed to walk with a bd knee! And get to see both franz and foxes glazier from the base orsome! And cold just sitting in a red bus know as the internet bus! Typing this out with a hot cuppa Life's great Onto Wanaka tomorrow Through the haast pass, the scenery will be even better, I can't believe my eyes. Miss you all too much XXXX Tags: sssssssssssssss 3 comments 2007-04-30 Category: nz Cairnsshare it edit delete Well its been some time since my last meassge. this travelling business is such hard work really Well carins was amazing, as you can see i visited the rian forest, which was quite scary. big spiders and weird noises during the night, stayed in a little lodge it was on the beach. went on a nite walk and watched the sun rise. swam in beautiful creeks and then saw a sign warning agaist this as there are crocs opps wen to the casion in cairns and won 80 dollars on poka missing all my freinds and family XX Cairns was so relaxed, and found out i have a relartive there! weird no comments added 2007-03-29 Category: nz East coast oz march 2007share it edit delete Hi All Hope your all well and happy. Well its been a busy few weeks . Have to say didn't enjoy frazer island. This was due the group of prada loving girls that I had to spend the past 3 nights of hell with camping. I was a nightmare mainly because they wanted to get pissed and stoned and not participate in the camping experience. During our self drive brief we were told about the aggressive dingoes! That eat children, well not being much bigger than I child myself I was concerned somewhat. We were told to go to the loo i.e. dig the hole in pairs. During the evening nature called on several occasions, wanting to ignore this call, inevitably nature won eventually. I asked the girls a couple of times, could they escort me to the loo. But they were to busy being off there heads. Well the next 10 minutes were quite an experience, I would not want to repeat. Surrounding by wild dogs is not the best resolve for constipation! Although you may think it could help. Frazer island itself is a magical place, the longest sand island in the world, with diverse nature, unable to swim in the sea due to the stingers. The lakes are a welcomed sight for the weary, sweaty, camper. Lake Mackenzie was a romantic yet eary place, the deep pool of clear water a vast plain of blue stretching as far as the eye could see. And sand so fine and white, beached by the sun. Monitor lizards are massive and snakes lurk in the bush. The spiders handing in the hammock like webs, between the trees waiting for the unsuspecting tourist going on the loo run. The 4*4 experience was fun and scary as the statistics of vehicles rolled are high. 70 mile beach is amazing and seems to be never ending. The driving was great on the beach, hitting regular wash outs for the land, adding to the excitement and bumpiness. The smell that hung in the air of eucalyptus tees and the sounds of the parrots and bats deafening at times, only heightens the feeling of the vastness and diversity of this land. From Frazer onto to onto Hervey bay voted the friendless town in Oz and lives up this name. The sea front or esplanade was beautiful although the fruit bats a little noisy. ] The fresh squid and sea food a delight. In the morning watching the sun rise the rain began and a rainbow appeared in the distance. The people aligned the beach for the 6am yoga session. Of course I joined in! Followed by a 15 session at the oxygen bar! What a buzz I have never felt so relaxed, I don't recognize myself. Next day early onto the cattle station at kromitt, the outback the big red. The constrast between new south wales rolling dry hills, to Queensland sun shine state tropical climate and exotic surrounding. To the outback, red dust and amazing sunsets. Oz has been in drought for the past 5 years now and there are major concerns in places. The riding and rounding of cattle was fun. I have the biggest horse grace who was bloody stubborn. Later we had to catch a goat and brand it. I got the biggest goat with massive horns and mange to catch it by telling him I was a vegetarian. It was very scary I was crapping it, but figured one of us was going to win! And it was gonna hurt him more. That night I learned to crack a whip and down beer with the local oldies, who seemed to enjoy taking the piss out of me ascent! After two days at the cattle station and feeling unable to walk or sit down! My reapect for farmers and cowboys had grown. But time to move on again, next to arlie beach for sailing. After a grueling 6 hours on the coach and one sore arse. I arrived in the land of the beautiful; wow every think was perfect and well planned. The following day after shopping for supplies and swimming in the towns lagoon, I made my way to the marina, full of excitement. This was the one thing I had dreamed of forever! Sailing The pacific star was build in 83 a catamaran. With 4 crew and small shared living conditions. The meaning s*** and shower took on a very different concept. The next 5 days where challenging with rough sea and many feeling the conditions. The 74 islands surrounding the Whitsunday's amazing and no one similar to its neighbors. Day 2 onto the reef, the vogue was rough 3 hours to the reef without the shelter of the island to protect us. Then there on the horizon, the white pecks disappearing and the reef in sight. The surface of the water outlined 22 stepping stones of coral, very shallow on top and them dropping off into the deep. The day before the instructor has refused to let me dive, as I was unable to clear my mask and kept panicking and coming up to the surface. Which at depts. Of 12 meters could kill me. I was determined to do this, I practiced the snorkeling for 2 hours and felt tried but ready. The gear was so heavy I couldn't stand with out help. I have asked to jump off the boat and felt the panic set in. The instructed gave me a helping hand, by pushing me. Thanks. I went under and the first 8 meters could'nt equalize my ears, the pain was terrible. He signaled to go back, I declined and continued to fall. The fish were amazing massive and colorful, just like nemo. The clown fish lives in the reef aneame and hide when he saw me. He was protecting his eggs! The shark eyes flashing past and the barracuda. We feed a fish, his name was Wally and he was bigger than me, but loved being stroked and rubbing against you, which was a bit scary. After a while I got the hang of swimming without weigh and was soon doing back flips. My dive buddie then kicked off my mask; I was in trouble the salt water in my mask first reaction to go up! Stopping myself and clearing the masks gave me confidence that I could remain calm in crisis. When I came up to the surface, the others on the boat said I could me heard for miles, which probably true! 1 comment 2007-03-18 Category: nz oz eat coastshare it edit delete Hi there Been in Noosa the gold coast for the past 4 days, stayed at the Noosa backpackers, which was freindly and had all the facilaities you need. shame about the bed bugs yes they are real and they suck your blood Noosa is a cool and sophiscated town. Ie priceybut has an extensive river network, which makes it great for fishing and canoeing. Went for a canoe and decide i was hot and needing a swim. nfortunalty i got caught in a ripe tide and noone had told me what to do! so after 15mins of swiming into itand notgetting very far, infact being washed out further i started to panic. luckliy there where some people fishing on a boat who decided that it was time to rescue me Thanks to them i wasne washed out to sea. Swimming on the beaches here are quite challening at times Later they invited meto the home for a BBQ and a dip in the pool. they fogt to mention that the 4 dogs they had would also be joining me. Havwing a dog jump on your head is quite an experience, when swimming. i have arrived in hervey bay today after a long journey. the weather is humid and a storm is in the air. the hostel i'm staying at has a pool and i have my own room. its great, hervey was voted the most friendly and welcoming town in oz, and its certainly has learned up to that nam.e People say hello and ask how you are i think that they are getting mixed up with someone else lol. the beach here is sheltered by frazer island, which is the largets sand islad in the world. so the surf is pants, but you can swim without being washed up on the beach constanly. which dosnet look cool. i feel very tried and think it could be the heat, the further up i trvel the hoter its getting Tommorrow i have yet another early start andwill sped 2 nights camping on frazer island! i hope that i survive the sand flies. I have already been bitten by a spider and an ant. and have needed to take anti-histmins as i look like michelem man wish me luck HOPE YOU ALL WELL. MUST GO AND EAT xx Tags: ozmid 2 comments 2007-03-13 Category: nz East cost Ozshare it edit delete Hi all, Have moved on from Syndey now but before I left did the following... Spent the day in the Blue Mountains, which was really amazing senery. Saw some fantastic views and the rain forest was incredible. The next day i was feeling the affects of 2 days with no sleep and decided to explore the delights of the city. i went to the chinese gardens, which were well unreal. I met a girl from germany and we decided to go and see a free show at the exibition centre about the Didgeridoo1 it was most relaxing and spirital. later we had dinner outside the opera house, it was very romantic and during the meal, a storm blow in and the sky was incredible. Went to Coogee beach and had a great evening with a friend called Claire, in Coogee Beach Hotel (which Lonely Planet voted the 2nd coolest bar in the world) Next day visited the botanical gardens. Where bats roost in the tree during the day The parks were beautiful and the I was so amazed by the giant spiders weds, luckly I never saw the spider that made it. Later I caugh the ferry to manly beach, a hit cool town with amazing surf (i sound like a surfer dude!). On the way back saw the harbour at sunset. Later that evening Claire and i decided to go posh and spent the night in darling habour. Were we went to a casino. After getting no sleep got on the Oz Experience bus at 6am feeling very tired and bit not tipsy. Was a 9hr drive heading north to a surf camp and had a surfing lessons with some really surf dudes! I have surf rash to prove it! but manged to stand up on the board (in a fashion). Now i'm in Byron Bay, an expensive cool hippie town! with beaches to die for Next installment coming shortly....