Wow have been dieing to get to X church just to tell everyone about my amazing adventures in the South Island! Had a really big going off party in Wellington in Molly Malone's which does the best food and lots of people I have been living with came along it was lots of fun. My job also gave me a big send off with loads of cakes and afternoon tea which was sweet. So myself and Kieran that's Irish Kieran from County Cork packed up little Milly and set off on our travels. We got on the big ferry from Welly to Picton which took us through the gorgeous Marlborough Sounds and ended up chatting away and losing our car on the lower deck and holding up all the cars getting off the ferry DOPE! But we managed to get off and find The Villa hostel which was really great, had a hot tub in the garden with loads of hammocks, free brekky and apple crumble it was so cozy. We wandered around Picton which was a small country town and booked up for the Queen Charlotte track which runs for miles and miles around the Marlborough Sounds you can go off for days tramping with your back pack and sleep in little huts along the way but we just opted to jump on the boat and go for a 5/6 hour walk which worked out brill. We hooked up with another Irish girl and chatted away for the whole walk which flew by and was so gorgeous never seen scenery like down in the south island before in my life. After a long day walking got in the big hot tub and just chilled in the hostel. Next day we headed to Abel Tasman which should have been a simple drive but we got slightly lost and ended up going up and down this big mountain a few times we laughed about that the next day and Kieran kept us entertained we his riddles and Irish music which cracked me up. So we got to the backpackers we were meant to be staying at 8ish it was pitch black and it was all shut up and this man came from no where and told us the owners were on holidays. And we were like hmmmm this is the middle of no where and petrol was getting low what should we do? He suggested we follow him to the nearest b&b which worked out. We climbed up quite an eerie dirt track and knocked on the door and were greeted by a German couple who showed us the cabin we could stay in for the night. We were pretty unsure by this point but decided to go for it seen as our options weren't exactly flowing..... We headed to town picked up some food and I tried to convince Kieran that we should stay in the hostel in town but he said we had to go back because the German couple has made it nice for us and we would be cursed forever if we didn't IRISH!!!! So we went back and it turned out to be amazing as I got a big double bed for the night and it was really cozy when we woke up and were surrounded by the countryside a few cows and the German couple who bought us an amazing brekkie. They were completely self sufficient and did not have a TV or anything just plants, trees and the animals on the farm it was pretty awesome. So off we went again and headed to Abel Tasman and finally got there and hired out a kayak and go some training and jumped in and started rowing out to sea ha ha ha, we had more fun and found lots of completed hidden away beaches and got out for a break and found some beautiful waterfalls. It was the most amazing place, so still and peaceful it looked as thought the sky was touching the water like heaven on earth. This was a total highlight of the west coast. We didn't see any animals just some big birds. After showering we started our travels to Westport which was a short drive through more great scenery, more Irish music.... Westport was a real cowboy western town, we couldn't find the land lady to the hostel and it was suggested we go look for her in town, we ended up finding her outside Red Rock a real locals pub, she was having a smoke but was really helpful and hurried back to the hostel to let us in where a big open fire was going and lots of other backpackers were there from the Kiwi Experience which is a big bus that's takes bunches of people around NZ. We had a chilled night after our adventures on Abel. Next day it was off to the Buller River for horse trekking. The place was really cool with a big open fire and two gorgeous dogs. Kieran had never been riding before I think he was excited really but scared. It was a great trek though rivers and beaches. I got on really well with the girls and am hoping to go back and take out the treks as its free accommodation and not bad money which would be a great way to spend some time here in Kiwi Land. Kieran loved the riding but the boys did complain on the canter about there ba*** ha ha ha ha man are such wimps!!!! We then headed to Nelson queen of the wine country, more Irish music and this time the Irish wind ups on the tape player which was hilarious, this guy on the radio phones up random people and pretend they have down something they haven't and these Irish people get so wound up and then he goes your son set you up V funny.... So Nelson turned out to be really really sunny but not much to do except drink wine and shop so we went to the supermarket and bought lots of wine and beer and had our own wine tasting experience! We ended up in Greymouth for the night and were thinking we would go white water rafting but OH NO the temperature dropped to below freezing it was chilly. We called the owner of the Yellow Monkey in Greymouth and enquired about staying, he told us the hostel was really busy but to come anyway. We turned up and walked into the destitute pub with one punter at the bar, they starred at us like we were aliens and the place was freezing and we both wandered where the hostel was. He showed us around the place which got colder but the minute. And there didn't seem to be anyone there except us! We were tired from driving so decided we would stay and headed up stairs to the lounge which was being built and there was no one in the hostel at all. It was spooky! We went to the supermarket and the time was around 7 and the aisles were empty, we decided we would live Greymouth as soon we could. Back at the hostel and man turned up when we were set in the freezing lounge, we enquired what actually was there to do in Greymouth and he began telling us about Gold and hunting for gold and finding colour in the pan, this guy was older I was quite sure he was crazy but we thought it maybe fun to go the shanty town to find colour in the pan for the fun of it! Shanty Town ended up being enchanting and spooky, it was really old world stuff and we were shown how to find gold in the pan and cam away with some tiny speckles in the pan which I will keep forever. By this point we were wandering what we would came across next on our journey. Kieran took over the driving which was cool and we headed a long more stunning scenery to Franz Josef which was another amazing highlight of the trip. We stayed in a really lovely hostel called Chateau Franz, free soup, hot tub and lots of open fires, and the town only had 150 people. There was also a really good bar where we met loads of other people and it was really buzzing as most people had already climbed the Glacier. We signed up and I was really prepared for it, I thought it would just be another hike up a big mountain. Wrong, we were supplied with pick axes and big studs to fit onto our special shoes and all these clothes to keep us warm. We packed up loads of chocolate (good excuse to eat it when climbing a big snowy mountain!). We started out at 8am. I was so cared at the beginning that I wasn't sure I wanted to go on, it was slippery and so high up and sharp, if you fell you would be chocolate spread. Anyway I went up front with the Ozzy girl who was guiding us and braved ahead hanging on to the rope when ever I could. I got braver as we went higher the views and feeling of climbing up high was really cool. It was very tiring and the guide took us over bridges with massive crevasses below and we went through small tight crevasses and holes which made me laugh as some people got stuck and popped out the other end. After about 4 hours of this we stopped for lunch and I almost fell through ice but there was nothing underneath but it made me shaky. After re-fuelling we took we headed up further through more holes and tight spaces, our guide was building steps with this big pick axe as we walked along, she was so strong. The climb was the most amazing experience and achievement I have done so far....going down was cool but slippery and once at the bottom we all decided to meet at the pub where we had a few drinks to celebrate!. I also got the t-shirt as I was so excited ha ha ha After a nice sleep in Kieran drove us to Wanaka, as we were entering we saw big snowy mountains which was lovely. We didn't book ahead for the hostel so ended up in the Materhorn which was not great, the mattress in the dorm were foamy BUT we did meet the best crows of people. Anyway else going to Wanaka should check out the Purple Cow it's supposed to be much better. The Matterhorn ended up being fun we met pink hair man and crazy John who couldn't help giving everyone his personnel onion on everything from what you ate to what you should be doing, he was a crazy character and gave us hours of amusement. Wanaka has the best bug Hooters with the biggest open fire overlooking Wanaka Lake and the big White Mountains. We all hung out there for the next few days it was V relaxing. I also tried Snowboarding at Cardona for the first time with Kieran, Tony, Alice, Jay and John, we had such a laugh going up and down the chair lift and luckily I didn't hurt myself to much, I kept going for the lessons as it was more fun then trying to learn by yourself. I got the hang of it by the second day and was steaming down quite big mountains doing turns on my heels and toes. We got back to hostel and ended up moving room as John was being to annoying and kept waking me up at 6am to go snowboarding which was a bit to early and bossing us around, lovely guy but to much. So the owner sympathized and gave as a big room with an ensuite which has views of the lake and town, V nice. Kieran got fed up with Snowboarding and headed off early to Queenstown; I was getting on well with Tony the Ozzy guy from Melbourne to it all worked out well in the end. Jay one of the guys we were s boarding with ended up cracking his head on the slopes and been taken miles away to hospital but he was ok. After another day there I headed to Queenstown to meet up with Kristy and Kerry from Wellington. I stayed in Bumbles which overlooked the lake and was V nice. Queenstown was much more commercial. The drive from Wanaka to Queenstown was over a big mountain which was quite hairy but great scenery, and as soon as I came in to Q town there was Starbucks and Pizza hut not like cozy Wanaka. But saying that the nightlife in Queenstown was great, I went up to The Remarkable Snowboarding with the roomy I met Oliver but it was to icy and I fell over twisted my arm back to far, hit my head and fell on my ass so much it bruised ha ha ha I felt totally sore the next day but Kieran helped my arm by popping it back into place after a few beers in the Irish pub. The bum still hurts but the head it ok I think it may have knocked some sense into me ha ha ha Loads of bars and clubs in Queenstown it was lots of fun. Kristy, myself and Kerry decided to do a road trip all the way down to Milford Sound which was a massive but great drive down. We took a 2 hour boat cruise around Fordland which was the most stunning part of New Zealand so far, and took lots of scenic shots. The drive was tiring but well worth it! We stayed in Te Anau for the lodge and went for the worst ever Chinese ever don't go for Chinese there anywhere. The town itself is dead, all there is there is a lake! So I left in the morning and drove to Lake Tekapo which again was a massive drive through the middle of New Zealand but well worth it when I got to the YHA on the lake. Again big open fire and v relaxing. After a night of revival there I drove to my final destination here in rainy Christchurch which to me now just looks like another city. But after lots of fun and travels and too much spending it will be good to stop for a couple of weeks and earn some money and catch up with people. Am meeting Kristy here in a couple of days and we are hopefully going out to Methaven and Mount Hutt to hit the slopes again, its supposed to pretty gorgeous up there to. The South Island is the most amazing place on earth! I hope life's grand for you guys back home am missing everyone. Lots of love Jo X p.s Have added my pics to Ringo for now as its a lot quicker to upload i think i have sent most of you the link to log in. X