Franz Josef is home the the highest and steepest commercially climbed glacier in the world (everywhere has some claim to fame and we buy it everytime, suckers!) Nevertheless, when it's on your doorstep, you have to hike up it. So we got on our gear and made our way to the glacier with a group and a guide. It wasn't as cold as I expected and also strange as we were on glacier surrounded by a rainforest. Leah did throw a bit of a Smith strop as we were r...

Not a great deal to say as we only stayed here for a night, but the scenery is becoming more and more stunning. New Zealand is truly beautiful. We stopped over and went on a beer tour of Monteiffs brewery in the evening. I actually tried, and even enjoyed some of them. Travelling has certainly broadened my horizons, I even tried possum pie the other day. Maybe I'll get a tatoo next... Katherine xxx

Well no-one was ill on the crossing (definition of ill is being ill, not feeling ill). We got on our bus and hotfooted it over to our hostel which had a 12m swimming pool and hot tub. I will not be smug on this occasion as the weather was not good enough to use either! I feel I must just tell you quickly about the bus - it is called the Magic bus and they pick you up from your hostel, take you to the next one and book your accomodation and activities in betwee...

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand, quite small and not really that spectacular. So we used it is a time to catch up on things like washing (yes, we still have these menial tasks, especially when we have so few clothes and still don't wear the same top twice, girls will be girls!) We have acquired a couple of travelling buddies since Taupo, Emma and Bekkie from Peterborough. We bonded 12,00feet in the air and have been inseparable since so unt...

Taupo is famous for its skydiving. Could we really pass through it without flinging ourselves out of a plane for no apparent reason apart from the buzz and the spectacualer views? Nah! As soon as I signed my name on the form I was terrified and hardly uttered a word. We were about to get dropped off and our friendly bus driver started playing 'Dead on Arrival.' Nice touch. However, it got cancelled due to the bad weather conditions, what a sense of rel...