So despite over 2 hours soaking in a hot tub my thighs are still protesting about the glacier climb! (I really am so unfit!) this morning i woke overly early (again - you'd think being on holiday I'd booked some lie ins but no that would be way too clever!!!!!) and after a coffee caught the bus to Greymouth arriving just in time to catch the TranzAlpine train to Christchurch. Seriously a spectacular train ride through first the rainforest and then the mountains b...

Spent this morning being reminded that skinny and fit are mutually exclusive and whilst i may be the first i am certainly not the latter! Today was my glacier trip up Franz Josef Glacier (Crampons and all!) quite a walk to the glacier its self and then a climb up the glacier - which was incredible, lunch on some blue ice then a shimmy through a crevice before climbing back down and walking back. Was suitably knackered afterwards! so decided the best recovery was...

Yesterday's train journey was spectacular, despite the 3 boys in my carriage who were bored to tears and just wanted to play PSP but ended up fighting and being separately in different seats - seemed all to familiar! I took lots of photos for mum to paint from too. Then a coach journey to Queenstown and a reminder of why I hate coach travel, with a coach that sounded like the gearbox was missing and a driver that insisted on talking constantly for the entire 5 a...

So last morning in Dunedin.. Went to down to the Harbour (middle of industrial estate but the having lived in port cities most of my life I felt the need to see it) - just some old guys fishing! Then wandered off to get a coffee followed by some picnic bits for my journeys ahead, also managed to book my transalpine and transcoastal tickets today (special summer deals meaning I saved $250!) and visited the Otago settlers museum - where the conservator in me spott...

So the conference is finally over, the joys of being the last speaker on the last day! (suitably bored the pants of everyone talking about EH and silk deterioration but pleased that the Jonathan AS style of presentations - lots of pretty pictures they don't care what you say - worked a charm like usual) am now about to wander off and be a tourist, including taking my own photo of the railway station! shall also pop inside and see if i can get the rest of my trav...