Well i suppose i will start my journal from today!! We got here yesturday after 2 days of travelling which was a nightmare...although i have to say i no longer have a fear of flying!!!! We didn't do much yesturday as we where so tired! We spent the afternoon just chilling by the pool of the hotel and trying to decide on an itinery for the next 2 weeks. Then we met up with Lisa, who is a friend of claires from school who emigrated here with her family 5 years ago. Lisa then took us to her house...which is so amazing, the views where fantastic, then we went into christchurch for some tea..by this time we where shattered so just came back and had an early night. Today we went back into christchurch and booked our journey for the next two weeks. We have decided to just do the south island as there is so much to do so we have booked our bus starting tomorrow. the bus/train has cost us $570 for the journey without our accomadation, but at least we have a plan now!!! We are starting tomorrow and heading for Greymouth, which is on the west coast, we are getting the train tomorrow at 7.45 am which will be fun!!!! and we have a backpacker(hostel) booked for tomorrow night! not really sure what we are going to do there or how long we are staying so i'll keep updating as i go along!!! The only plans we have is we are going on a cruise to milford sound, i am going speedboating and white water rafting and claire is planning to go sky diving(crazy fool!) but most of this will be done in the very south of the island which we won't get to until the weekend probably! We had so much fun today, we went on a Gondala which took us 945 meters up for an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of christchurch, we also went on a tram ride around christchurch and stopped at botanical gardens to go boating on the lake, which was highly amusing as i was rowing and i have no co ordination!!! i also crashed numerous times and wacked a poor young girl who was expertly rowing passed us!!!(accidentally of course...i just couldn't work the paddles!!!) Anyway best be off now! sadly i cann't download the pictures until i get back as i forgot the lead to do it!!! xxxxxxxxxx