7/3/09: We got picked up about 8- I must admit I didnt feel too sharp!! And we literally spent all day on the coach to Christchurch- where we arrived about 5. We stopped briefly to get food and go the loo. Then again at a point overlooking Mount Cook which was next to a big lake which is a beautiful turquoise colour because of little bits of rock off the mountains and glaciers. We watched Borat on the coach but I slept quite a bit! Everyone has been shocked when ...

28/02/09: We were up and ready for the bus at 8.45 but after we had put our bags on and found a seat the driver realised he had miscounted and had too many many people so 3 of the new people on his bus would have to get off- as 2 of only 4 new people we volunteered to get off along with limpet lena! Luckily there was a second bus leaving 30minutes later but the driver wouldnt get our bags off and said he'd drop them at our hostel!?! We managed to get on the secon...

26/02/09: Left the hostel at 7.30! Stopped at Lake Matheson for a walk around- its really beautiful because the mountains reflect off the water!! Drove on to a waterfall for a picture opportunity, then more driving to a cafe to stop for lunch. The scenery on all the drives was beautiful as we was driving in valleys by the southern alps and so there was lots of mountains with snow on top and big lakes and waterfalls running down the sides of the mountains- plus lo...

24/02/09: We left lake Mahinipua about 9.30- after the buses engine was flat so we had to get it jump started!! Then stopped an hour late at a bush centre where we watched a film on deer farming- not a highlight of my trip- and saw possums and deer and a wild pig. We also had breakfast there! Then we continued on a short drive to Franz Josef which is beside the southern Alps- we paid for the glacier hike we are doing tomorrow then checked into hostel- most of the...

23/02/09: We left Westport about 9 and headed along the coast road to a place called Cape Foulwind (haha). We all done a 1 hour coastal walk where we walked along the cliff and could look down onto seal colonies!! We drove further along the coast to Punakaiki, also known as the pancake rocks because the rocks are layered like pancakes, plus are blow holes there that spurt water! We had dinner in the cafe there before continuing on to Greymouth where we stopped br...