Eventually i have found a min or two to catch up with our journal....things have been pretty hectic since we arrived in Oz...but with all the New Year celebrations done now, the pace of life in the city is starting to slow slightly and giving us time to breath!
Casting my mind back to New Zealand and to Fox Glacier, where we last wrote the diary, already seems a long time to go....ahhhh...how to make time slow down?
Anyway, ill try to catch up...
So, Ice Climbing at Fox Glacier was awesome! In fact everything about the glacier was great, it was such a surreal landscape, just stuck there, literally i suppose, in an otherwise green valley. I just couldn't believe it was real... it looked more like an extravagant film set! Some of the ice, in the deep crevaces, was bright blue and absolutely stunning! The climbing was really exhilarating, especially as our small group of 4 were 'quick learners,' our instructor said, and we quickly moved onto some pretty difficult climbs with over- hangs and everything!! We learnt a few specific ice climbing techniques, such as the monkey climb where you hung off the ice picks. One time tho my feet slipped and i completely lost grip with both crampons. I nearly pulled my shoulders out of their sockets as my picks were still firmly stuck in and my wrists attached to them! ahhhh... Anyway i survived :-) Richard majorly impressed the guy by doing an awesome climb through a cave chimney at the end of the day when everyone elses arms had given out long ago -i think he was fancying taking ice climbing up as a hobby after that but, hummm, only problem is .... ice in short supply in the uk!
The next day we moved on - we wanted to get as far on our journey to Christchurch as possible - aiming for Hokatikia. Well, when we got there we decided it really wasnt worth spending the night. It was such a weird, place, more like a saloon town in the wild west and not at all like anything i expected to see in New Zealand!! So, we did our washing in the cheap laundry (see the photo - the building just stood there on its own at the end of this flat long road amused me!) and then headed off...We ended up staying in a very random 'hotel' but at least the location was nice even if the accomodation left a lot to be desired and the other people staying there were an 'interesting' colllection - the cast of a Faulty Towers sketch show and the people who had come to see the Fautly Towers sketch show...hummmmm....no comment!
On the Saturday before Christmas we arrived in Christchurch - what a beautiful city - (my favourite in NZ by far!) So pretty with interesting buildings and streets (some were even made of brick and stone!!) and a river lined with willlow trees that reminded me of Cambridge, especially as there were punters on the river! After a quick look around the city we drove to Akaroa on the Banks peninsular an hour east of Christchurch. The Banks penninsular is just beautiful, reminding me of the hills around home, but with pretty bays (with dolphins and seals) and beaches outlining it! In Akaoroa, and over Christmas we stayed in a gorgeous motel (thanks Mum and Dad!! - my Christmas money saved us from the tent - which was very much appreciated as was still really too cold to sleep under canvas!). For Christmas eve we had been invited by Nicky and her family (friends we made on the Milford Track) for lunch a their beautiful house at little Akola, also on the Banks penmninsular. I think this was the first time i felt truly Christmassy as they had their decorated tree in the lounge surrounded by pressies :-) Nicky and Zoe took us for a walk down to their bay and then we had scrummy lunch sat in their garden with lots of nice wine :-) (Thank you all if you are reading this!)

Christmas day was beautiful and relaxing (not that it actually felt like Christmas day!) we had a big fry up (our first since leaving home!) and opened a few little pressies (Alice, Bronia - You should have seen Richard's face when he got a South American stocking - absolute classic!!he he) then we went for a traditional walk to burn it all off - only thing different was that we were on the beach and it was blazing hot!! In the afternoon we played boules (did i say that Akaroa was a French town so playing boules is not as random as it first sounds!) and then drove back to Christchurch to see Janine (a friend we met in South America) for more festive cheer....and food!! We spent Boxing day with Janine too who spoilt us absolutely rotten with delicius food and entertainment as well as being a fab tour guide and taking us for a great walk up the hills surrounding Christchurch where we were awarded, not just with views of the city but a full 360' show! (Thhhhaaannkkk yoooou Janine)

The next day we were off again, flying to Sydney. Whilst the prospect of New Year in the capital was exciting i was really sad to leave NZ and vowed i shall some day return...! lots of love Sarah and Richard xx