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 second bus and our first stop was Puzzling World- anyone who knows me will know that this was a highlight of my trip!! There was 3 rooms with different illusions and a huge maze to try and find your way around- we was rubbish! We had lunch there and then set off and stopped at a farm shop where there was lots of fresh fruit and veg- i got a box of cherries and nectarines and a bag of vegetables and lil alex got apples- to try and top up our vitamin intake. Next stop was the bungy place where some people signed up and some others jumped off the bridge where the first ever bungy took place, plus we watched a video all about it. Lil alex is tempted to do one! Then we got dropped off at hostel- where thank god our bags were waiting!!!! We checked in and were put in a room of 8 including us and lena. One of the girls done psychology at Reading but graduated the year before me! The toilet is blocked and doesnt work and the shower is tiny and crappy but oh well! We set off for a walk around Queenstown- like everywhere it is surrounded by mountains and has a big lake. It looks like an Austrian town. Then we went back to hostel where we run into a couple of people from our first bus and hostel! We had a feast for tea with all our veg! Then we chilled in the room- chatting with the people in there- they are quite a lively bunch but seem ok and quite friendly. We got ready and went out about 9.30 to the bar below the hostel- I had about 4 pints of magners and we were chatting to different people. We then moved on to another bar called the World bar with the people in our room- one of the girls has started a new nickname for me and lil alex- alex squared! We had another drink in there and the people from our room were wasted and drinking teapots full of cocktails and they kept giving us shots of it. We all had a dance- some crazy dance where you pretend you have a ball and do different stuff with it then throw it to someone else. We left about 1.

1/3/09: Everyone in our room laid in til at least 10- except lena who hadnt gone out last night and went to milford sound today. The weather was pretty miserable so me and lil alex went shopping- I got some black leggings and a red long top to wear with them for 35 dollars!!! Then we found a cheap supermarket and got some supplies! We had an early tea and chilled in the room with everyone else most of the evening- we all a bit of a laugh and I read some of my book.

2/3/09: We got up about 9.30 and had breakfast- the toilet was unblocked-yay! Plus it was a nice sunny day! So we set off in cable car up a mountain on the edge of Queenstown. There were beautiful views from the top over the lake and the Remarkables (a mountain range in Lord of the Rings) and all of Queenstown. We then got a chair lift up further and had a go at Luging (lugeing??). Which was just like go-karting around a track- I thought it was very scary but good fun! Lil alex had an extra go and went down the advanced track!! Then we got a sandwich and drink in the cafe being getting the cable car back down! We booked several more days accomodation here but have got to check out tomorrow and move rooms and do the same on Thursday- oh well! We then went for a walk around Queenstown Gardens- a wooded area and posh gardens by the side of the lake with more good views. We got another delicious ice cream from the good ice cream shop- i had after dinner mint and lil alex had apple crumble- yummy!! Then we took our books and laid by the lake reading for a while! We have two new room mates- two guys called Lawrence so there is now Alex squared and Lawrence squared but the toilet is blocked again- grrrr!! We chilled in the room for a bit then we went for a famous 'Ferg' burger with one of the guys in our room and ate it by the lake- lil alex went for the big one was seriously huge- two beef burgers, two eggs, loads of salad, beetroot, bacon! And i had a tofu burger which i struggled to eat and got all down me cos it had loads of salad and sauce in! All this fast food is probably one of the reasons I am piling on the pounds and can hardly fit in my clothes anymore!! We went to the room and got ready- i wore my new outfit then we went out to the bar for a couple of drinks during happy hour with lena. But I was knackered by 10 and lil alex had a stomach ache so we left before the karoake kicked in.

3/3/09: We had to get up early and check out by 10 and put our luggage in storage because we couldnt check into our new room til 1! We had breakfast and then went and sat by the lake cos it was a completely clear sunny day! We laid there til lunch time and then come back and checked into our new room- full of girls so lil alex loves it!! Lil alex went to the canyon swing office and got driven 15 minutes to the canyon with 6 others where they all jumped off and done a big swing- lil alex decided to do his sitting in a chair which is one of the scarier options. I showered and mooched to the supermarket then sat by lake reading my book because it was such a lovely afternoon. Met up with lil alex and watched his dvd!! We cooked a yummy and v healthy tea of stirfry and sat by lake to watch sunset over mountains before getting ready and heading to the bar for a couple- but they were out of cider!!! We have got quite friendly with two of the people from our first room here (the alex squared people)- English guys Grant and Jason.

4/3/09: Got up to another gloriously sunny, clear and v hot day!! We had a few things to sort out- like booking accomodation for Christchurch. Then lil alex decided to book a bungy jump off a 43m bridge- they said they could fit him in that afternoon! We went and laid by the lake for most of the morning and then he got picked up and taken to do the jump at 2.45. I chilled by the lake again and mooched to the supermarket- an easy, relaxed life for me! He done the bungy and even got the t-shirt! Haha! We had fish and chips for tea by the lake and then met up with Grant and Jason for a few drinks in the bar- they had a quiz (which I loved) and the 4 of us came 2nd out of about 20 teams!! We lost by 1 point! It was a good laugh. But I think I must of ate something dodgy cos after my 3rd pint of cider I puked my guts up!? So we went back to room for an early night. Yesterday evening Lena came and knocked to say farewell because she got the bus to Christchurch today! She has said she is going to come and visit us in England. Our Danish friend Jake has also said he is coming to see us so we could just open a hostel in England!?

5/3/09: An early start- we got picked up at 7.45 and started on a 4 hour drive to Milford Sounds. I've never seen so many fields of sheep, cows and deer! We stopped at Lake Te Anua for breakfast two hours into the journey and then again in a big field with good views as we came into a valley. Then again at mirror lakes- which had amazing reflections of all the mountains and stuff. We drove through a really scary- pitch black tunnel that goes down and through a mountain. The views of all the valleys and mountains with snow on was amazing- we learnt about all the avalanches they have there- which was a bit scary!! Then we got to the boat- which we shared with a bus load of Japanese tourists! We had a cooked buffet lunch which was nice- although for some stupid reason I ate a mussel- yuck!! Then we went on deck and looked at all the waterfalls and rocks with seals on and the steep mountain faces. We sailed right out to the sea then sailed back. Stopping at the underwater observatory- where we saw some interesting fish and plants. It was another hot, sunny day- which was good but they havent had rain for 9 days (what they call a drought as it is one of the wettest places on earth) so the waterfalls werent as impressive as sometimes. We got back on bus for 4 hour drive back- stopping only once for a loo and ice cream break. We watched film on way back and arrived back about 8. We were pretty knackered so I laid in bed and finished my book.

6/3/09: Had a nice lie-in then popped to supermarket to get bread for breakfast. We mooched to the lake but it was cloudier and a bit chillier today so we went souvenir shopping- I got me and lil alex a New Zealand t-shirt each- only 10 dollars each. And he brought a jacket thing to keep your beer bottle cool. Then we tried sitting by lake again but still chilly. We saw Grant and Jason- they started work here yesterday doing telesales and only lasted one day!! Me, lil alex and Grant went to the park where they have a frisbee golf course- I watched the boys play- they were hopeless but it was quite funny to watch- Lil alex won!! Then it started raining. We come back and I cooked an early tea of vege pasta. It continued raining! We popped out and got a final ice cream from the yummy ice cream shop- I had bubble gum flavour, chocolate orange chip flavour and peanut brownie flavour- they were very nice!! We chilled for a while and then met Jason and Grant in bar- I had 3 vodka alcopops, then Grant got us a Jaegerbomb to say sorry for hitting me in the head with a frisbee earlier. Then we went to another bar and I had 2 teapots of cocktails- one was a milky baileys one and the other was a fruity one!! Then we moved on to another bar and I had vodka, lime and lemonade. And I was surprisingly sober and not ill so it shows that it must have been dodgy cider the other night!! lil alex on the other hand had a burger in between his drinking and felt very ill by the end of the night so we left about 1.