Wellington22nd OctoberWe'd spent so much time in the South Island that time was running out for the North, so we took a 20 minute flight over the Cook Straight instead of the 3 hour ferry crossing, giving us the afternoon in Wellington.  It was a good move not only for the time saving but also the ferry crossing is renowned for being a rough ride. When we arrived in Wellington it was raining but luckily it's main attraction is the Te Papa n...

Rangitata Rafting 19th - 20th October On our way back to Christchurch we stopped off at a really cool Rafting Centre in a gorgeous remote location.  The package included a nights accommodation in their alpine style chalet with all meals included - we think they wanted us to sink!  The rafting itself took place the following day down full flowing grade 5 rapids!  It was a beautifully sunny day, so we weren't too fussed about getting wet!  A...

Queenstown16th - 18th OctoberWhen we got back to Queenstown we finally stayed put for a few days of rest.  We did the cheapest adventure available - the Gondola and Luge - basically a glorified Soap Box race.  There was also a stunning view of the town, lake and mountains.  The rest of the time we spent chilling out around the lake and gardens, even skimming some rocks.  Its also the end of the ski season, so we managed to get a barg...

Deep South 12th - 15th October It was back to the good old little buses, like the Oz Experience, for our Deep South adventure!  First up was the Scottish settlement of Dunedin - its claim to fame being the proud owners of THE steepest street in the world, which we climbed!  We did lots of tours in Dunedin, including The Cadbury Factory, Speight's Brewery and a Ghost Tour!  We didn't see any ghosts, but we had our fair share of cho...

West Coast 6th - 11th October We took the Kiwi Experience all the way down the West coast and had a brilliant time, as we had an entertaining (but not annoying) crowd and a top driver, Jarrad.  Our first stop was lake Rotoiti, in the Nelson Lakes National Park, which was stunning in the much improved weather.  Two crazy people even jumped in for a swim - but didn't last long!  Our first overnight stop was Westport, not a very pretty sight! ...