Arrived in New Zealand and after extensive time going through customs (nearly worse than the US) and declaring my shell bracelet that I made which I was miraculously allowed to keep I made it out the airport!

Decided now is the time to start being a proper backpacker so got the shuttle bus as opposed to a taxi. Just as well as it took forever to get into Auckland, every set of traffic lights seemed to be out.

Hostel is very different to what I've been in before as it's a small family run one rather than a big chain but it'a actually a lot nicer. One of the girls in Fiji recommended the ones in the BBH group as they're more suited to "old people" like us as opposed to 18 year olds and it's a lot friendlier.

After finally getting checked in I decided to head out onto Parnell Road which is the area we're staying, renowned for arts, crafts and coffee shops but still only 15 mins walk to town. After reading my welcome to Auckland brochure that I picked up at the airport I decided to head into town. It was 5pm by then and I didn't have any sunscreen on and it was roasting so I ended up looking like a nutter diving across the road in between pacthes of shade. Note to self wear sun screen at all times!

Just been invited out so I will come back to this later, Amy x

So after wandering through town I was going to be a proper traveller and cook but... I ended up eating out again. Had mussles and chips in the local pub and was expecting the rubbish little mussels you get back home but these were about half the size of a chicken breast each! Managed nearly all of them but only about a quarter of my chips before I rolled back to the hostel. Ended up going down to the pier with a group of people from the hostel and didn't get back in til 1am when we decided it would be a good idea to all have some cheese on toast which ended up giving me nightmares! Two of the girls are sleeping in a tent in the garden as there are not enough beds left and their bus tour got mesed up.

Was going to meet Kerry that night so I checked out and luckily the manager offered to store my big bag for me so I only took my small rucksack with me. Went to a lovely wee cafe called the strawberry alarm clock and had a bagel with cream cheese and jam - a surprisingly nice combination - and a bowl of coffee. Yes a bowl - bigger than my soup bowls as well! Well and truly full of caffeine I went on the city bus tour for a couple of hours and saw all the main sights and I was then going to go to this underwater world and antarctica experience which sounds like a cross between deep sea world and dynamic earth but when I got there there had been a power cut and the place was closed! So instead I went up to skycity and a thought was planted in my head...

Had a nightmare getting out to the hotel Kerry had booked us in to. Got on the bus she'd said and the driver told me it was the wrong one. Every other driver however told me that was the right one when I checked! Next one that came a long the driver insisted again he didn't know there so I jumped off but the one behind said he did so I ended up running along the street like a mad woman chasing him. He admitted he'd only started that route the previous day but had no idea where he was stopping so I ended up having to stand up and shout down the bus to see if anyone could help. Luckily a woman behind said she'd let me know at my stop.

Anyway we met up and it was lovely to finally meet her, went out for some dinner and ended up blethering into the wee smal hours...

This morning I got the bus back (wasn't chancing the local bus again so I got a shuttle to the airport and the the airlink bus back from there) and then after my visit to skycity yesterday was thining what's the daftest thing someone afraid of heights can do in Auckland? Take a lift up to the top of the sky tower and it's viewing platform? No too sedate. So I decided to do the skywalk. 192 metres up walking along the outside of the building on a 1 metre wide walkway, no handrails, a drop to the city on either side and only attached by a harness to a rail above my head. I was shaking so much I'm surprised I didn't wobble over the edge. The floor was a metal grill as well so you could see right down. I lasted the whole hour and am feeling very smug that I managed it without resorting to crawling along on my hands and knees. Was too scared to lean backwards out across it but did walk backwards and with my eyes closed even if my steps were so small it would have taken me all day to get round. It's a beautiful clear day, about 20 degrees and we got amazing views across Auckland. There's a sailing cup on so the harbour is full of racing yachts.

Now back at the hostel after a dinner of seafood chowder and going out with a couple of the girls tonight although don't think I'll manage a late one! It's a public holiday tomorrow so I don't know how many places will actually be open as I was going to go shopping so I'll have to wait and see. Until later, Amy x

HAd a fiarly chilled out day today. A bit of a lie in and then I got to go the the underwater / antarctica place while was good fun, did a snow cat ride past all the penguins etc and learned all about the original expeditions to the south pole then visited the sting ray tank - they're huge! - and they ahd an underwater moving walkway like a t deep sea world with a shark area and a fish area and then there were lots of tanks with eels, fish, sea horses and some of the biggest lobsters I've ever seen.

After that discovered the waitango day festival was on about 5 mins up the road so I wandered up there and it was fab. There was a big stage with a live band and lots of stalls selling clothing, jewellery and local arts and crafts. Watched a hip hop dance off which was quite hysterical and then wandered round the food stalls where you could get anything from indian to bbq to burgers and hot dogs. I opted for freshly squeezed orange and mussel fritters which were amazing. Chilled for the rest of the afternoon and been organising myself online as tomorrow I set off on my bus trip at 7.30. Not looking forward to hauling my rucksack up to the pick up point as it's a really steep hill at the best of times never mind with an extra 18 kilos on my back! (Managed to gain nearly 3 kilos since I left - oops!) Looking forward to a hectic three weeks! Amy x

PS the mosquitoes here love Scottish blood! Having only been bitten once in my life before - down the amazon - never even a single midge bite at home - I went through the whole of Fiji with no insect repellant, no problem. Arrive in New Zealand, first night, 21 bites - TWENTY ONE! - they're evil out here. So I have now resorted to insect repellant and antihistamine cream from the chemist. I've heard the sand flies are even more evil...