Finally we have access to cheap and fast internet so time for a long overdue update........

We are now in New Zealand and have been here for 3 weeks.Stayed in Auckland city for 2 weeks while we looked for jobs, set up bank accounts and got our tax numbers so we can legally work. Auckland is a cool city, not too busy and the harbour is nice with loads of pubs and restaurants. We found a very nice Belgian Beer Cafe with really friendly staff and cheap Belgian Beer. Our favourite would be Kwak served in a funny glass and its very strong! After two weeks we had a loyalty card for the pub....not good!

After a week we decide we were not going to get jobs in Auckland as we are only in New Zealand for 3 months no one would hire us for that short length of time. So we have a Magic Bus Pass and it was time to move on. We booked our bus for Sat 8th Nov and went for a few fairwell beers the night before but that night Claire was very sick and we had to cancel the bus, hostel and try and extend our stay in our Auckland hostel. Two more days in Auckland and Claire was over her "Food(hungerover)Poisioning"

Monday 10th November we finally leave Auckland on the Magic Bus. Our driver was an older guy called Young Joe Young an Aussie. He took us up to Mount Eden for views for the city and then onto Waitamo Caves for a bit of Black Water Rafting. I wasnt so keen on doing this but thought i would give it a shot. After being kitted out in a big wet suit, jacket, booties, helmet and wellies we walked down to the caves. Collected our lovely black rubber rings and into the cave we went. It was cold and very dark. There were hundreds of glow worms in the caves and we had to get into the lovely cold muddy water and float along in a chain holding the feet of the person behind you. Next hurdle was jumping off a 2 metre waterfall backwards while on your rubber ring. Got a bit wet after that and swallowed too much water. More floating along the water and then a lovely big slide into another cave. Everyone was so tired after it but luckly they provided nice hot soup for us. So back onto the bus and headed to Rotorua.

Rotorua stinks of rotten eggs due to the Sulphur in the lake. Its a very quiet town and our hostel was lovely. We were sharing a room with girls from the bus. That evening we all went to The Tamaki Maori Village to experience some maori culture and food. Lots of singing and dancing then a massive buffet of Hangi food. Hangi is the traditional Maori way of cooking food in the ground. We had potatoes, lamb, beef, fish, veg and lots of gravy. Followed by steamed pudding, custard and pavlova.

We spent a few days in Rotorua and had a chance to try out the Polynesian Spa which had 7 different hot mineral pools to bath in. Lovely and relaxing sitting in them looking out onto the lake. We also took a trip up in the cable car to get some great views of the lake and also to try out the Luge. Little 3 wheel carts you ride down track in the side of the hill.

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HEY HEY HEY......what Adele has forgotten to mention is that we went for sushi before the drinks.....it really was the sushi that made me ill and i'm sticking to that. I hardly touched a drop -I don't understand why I was so ill??? I have to defend myself on this one!

Auckland was a good place to start....very nice beer,sushi and karaoke. Think when we go back I'll jump off the Auckland Tower -a harness jump...I'm not going to just fling myself off the tower! Went looking for jobs in Mission Bay and I randomly met Juliana from Bed Steps working in a restaurant! I did a trial days work there- was a really nice place to work. But then we decided to move on for jobs- have found some in a lodge in the national park.

The caving was great fun but freezing.....kept thinking of that film 'descent' though where all the cavers get eaten by these nasty creatures!!!! it was a tad scarry thinking what else was living down there in the dark and water!!!!!glad when we saw daylight again!!

Rotorua did indeed stink!!! the spa was lovely, hot and relaxing- would have been by ourselves then a coach load elderly german ladies came in...bummer!

Claire