Hello all!!! We had a good journey- the flight was long but we watched several films and had several meals. Landed in LA and waited in lounge in airport for 1.5hours before continuing for 12hours. Our baggage arrived safely- thank god- although it was two of the last things to come round so we started to panic! Daniel and CLaire picked us up and dropped us at their house- which is very nice- we have our own double room and bathroom!! Then they went to work and we chilled and tried not to fall asleep!! The sun was out so we sat in the garden on a balcony for about an hour and i managed to get a tad pink even tho i put sun cream on! We also mooched to the supermarket. By 6pm we was knackered so went to bed and slept through til morning!!

We got up bout 8.30 on Friday and had breakfast before getting the train to the town centre. We walked around the harbour and saw the skytower and walked along the main road of shops! Then got the train back and chilled so my blistered feet could recover!! Daniel has given us lots of advice for our trip! We had a bbq for tea with claires homemade falafel burgers!! Then we all watched The Pianist.

Claire opened her presents and then we all went to Mischin Bay, which was a beautiful little beach with clear waters and nice views of extinct volacanoes out at sea. Some of Claires friends met us and we had fish n chips for lunch then sat and chilled. I paddled but the sea was as cold as Felixstowe!! Managed not to get burnt!! We come back and had a nap then went for a Thai dinner which was very nice.

On Sunday we got up and Daniel took us to Slyvia Park which is a very impressive shopping centre- a bit like lakeside!! I had to get what daniel calls the essentials- Jandals (flip-flops), sunnies and a hat! I managed to get the first two!! Then we went to Mount Eden this afternoon which was amazing. Its an extinct volcano with a big crater in the middle and stunning views of all of Auckland and all the other extinct volcanoes such one tree hill.

Monday 2nd February: a lovely sunny day. me and lil alex got the train into the centre of Auckland again and then got a ferry over to Davenport. We walked all along the coast and then climbed an extinct volcano called North head- which was a mission in the heat but worth it for the views back onto Auckland and out to sea at the other volcanoes and clear waters. North head used to be used for defence against invasion so it still had all the bunkers and some interesting information about that up there. Then we mooched back- stopping to rest my even more blistered feet and get some shade! We got the ferry back to Auckland centre and had lunch before going up the Skytower. We had a buy one get one free ticket so it was only 28 dollars between us! We went up to the observation deck in a glass bottomed and sided lift. Again there was great views!! We walked over the glass floor and saw people bungee jump off it and dangle in front of the window- who would do that!? Then we went up a few more levels. We got the train back and chilled all evening.

Absolutely glorious day on Tuesday! Me and lil alex got the bus from up the road to a Auckland suburb called Newmarket where we walked through a nice park and went to the museum. It had three levels- one about the new zealand lifestyle and culture including Maori stuff, then one about the volcanoes, earthquakes, animals, etc in New Zealand and the top level was a war museum- which lil alex loved. We got the bus back to the supermarket and got in stuff to make tea. I could hardly walk by the time we got in cos my feet were bleeding and swollen! We cooked tea for Dan and Claire- one of the pizzas was a bit chargrilled but the salad was nice!

We are having troubles uploading pics- it takes ages- lil alex has got about half of them on his blog; www.statravelblogs.com/alexthom

Went to the beach on the 4th- called st heliers. Me and lil alex got the bus there and back. It was a very pretty lil beach where we chilled for a few hours but still to cold to swim! Come back and spent evening packing and chilling at daniels where they made lasagne.

Due to get kiwi experience bus at 7.15 from centre of auckland so got up at 5.30 to get 6.20 train to the centre. Claire had said she'd give us a lift to the station but it got to nearly 6.10 and she was still fast asleep so we had to run to the station with our backpacks and up hills, etc!!! We got that at just after 6.15 but train didnt turn up so had to wait til 6.50 train which was late and so got to the centre at bout 7.05 and so had to run to where we were getting the bus- luckily it was a bit late!!! We boarded the bus with loads of others and set off- the driver was the tour guide giving a commentary plus booking our hostels and breakfast at a cafe on the way and any boat trips we waited to do in the bay of island- all while he was driving!! Drove through all mountains and stopped for breakfast at cafe- only a couple of hour drive and we arrived in Pahia (Bay of islands). It is beautiful- checked in hostel- sharing a 8 person dormitory! I'm on a top bunk. Then went on boat trip around islands and saw the hole in the rock and some dolphins- didnt swim with them cos they are just big fish :) Breathtaking views! Come back and had BBQ at the hostel and a few drinks then made friends with a couple of people in our dorm who were a bit more experienced at hostel staying and travelling- warned us of bed bugs- yuck!!!

6/2/09: Today is a bank holiday called 'Waitangi day' cos maori people signed an agreement with the english in 1840 on this date. Waitangi is the next bay so there are 20000 people here instead of the usual 2000. We walked round to the Waitangi bay! They had two fields of stalls of crafts and foods, etc. Then about 8 long boats with maori people turned up! They were dressed up in dresses with face paints, etc!! They all lined up on beach- about 150 big maori blokes with sticks and chanted while performing different dances and pulling scary faces! It was truly amazing!! Walked back along beach and then had to sort out the kiwi experience! Everyone is having problems cos they cant fit everyone on bus to go back!! But we now have all the coaches booked up til wellington after some phoning around and talking to different people! Cooked our own tea! Had a couple of drinks in hostel bar- they had Bulmers cider!!!!! Then went to room and chatted to other people in there for a while before bed.

7/2/09: Lil alex and three others in our dormitory got up early to try and get us beds in same hostel tonight! But it was full so they went around the hostels which were all full. They went to tourist info who phoned round for us and found one a little way away. The 5 of us- me, lil alex, a girl called Kate (25), girl called Kerry (21) and american lad called John (23), chilled at the beach all day- clear blue skies!! Before getting taxi together to lodge. It was beside river and overlooked beautiful waterfall called Haruru Falls! We chilled and chatted on deck and had tea and done psychology quizzes in Kates magazine then went to bed.

8/2/09: Another glorious day! We all swam in the river which was warm and had a rope swing which we all had a lot of fun swinging into the water on!! It was all surrounded by forest so was even more lovely!! Then we laid on rocks by the waterfall and dipped into pools of water by the waterfall. Then we all got taxi into town and the other 3 caught buses while me and lil alex went on trek up a small mountain through all exotic forest to a lookout point up the top with lovely views- it was soo hot and knackering but worth it! Went to supermarket then got taxi back to the lodge. Had tea and sat on deck chilling for a while- we were 2 of only 3 people in hostel all night!! Watched a film called 'old school' then went to bed! This hostel didnt have very good facilities and was a bit grotty- they didnt even have sheets on bed and there was loads of spiders!!

9/2/09: We were up and ready early but couldnt check out and pay cos noone was around and it was all locked up plus we needed them to call us a cab!! It got to 10 and still noone was there so we managed to get out and was gonna go when they opened up. We paid and got a cab to the centre. It was drizzling all day. We sat by beach then went back to original hostel and sat undercover- reading, etc. Kiwi bus picked us up at 3 and we got back to Auckland bout 6.45 and got train to Daniels. They had done tea which was nice!