It has been ages since I have been anywhere to get time on the computer, the two last attempts I had I got pictures on and nothing written. Well after Tasmania I flew to Melburne for 1 night then went to Proserpine this is close to the Whitsundays. It was lovely going back to the warmth. But guess what it started to rain. It was lovely to meet up with Marie again. Saw Ron of Argyll she looked very stylish but small. There were 11 people and 2 crew. Marie and I had the two bunks at the front good job we were small as no space. Ben and oops can't remember his name were great the food was fab. I helped put up the sails every day. Once she was sailing she was tipped over first day I was quite frightened moving about but I got used to it and loved it. The boat was made in Sandbank at Robertsons yard and the deigner was a peter McCallum from Glasgow. Felt a little connection. It was built in the 1930s. The snorkelling was amazing wished I was a more confident swimmer as some people further out saw turtles.. My favourite island was Black Island it looked across to Haymen Island where the rich and famous go. But I liked the little island. I will need to read my diary I went to a very big sandy beach where it rained most of the time. The sand was amazing so soft the sea was so clear sometimes you can see rays and sharks. But as with most tropical beaches I have been to it just rains so I have to imagine these places in sunshine. I slept on deck one night on the boat and the next with the cabin lid open. The stars were beautifull, the second night I thought we were sinking as the boat rolled so much, it was the tide going out. Iwas sorry to leave the boat. Met some nice people and some that I could have thrown overboard. On my last night at Airlie Beach Marie, Tom and I sat by the beach with a seafood platter and some wine. We saw the eclipse of the moon. Next day I said by to marie she was such good company I wished we could have travelled for some more time. But thatis travelling you meet people and move on hopefully meet her in Glasgow.

Back to melbourne with a 2 hour wait in Brisbane. The check in staff made me dump my deodrant as it did not have a lid I was told it could explode. Back to Melbourne it was lovely to be met by Gabbie. She did the trip from Perth to Broome with me. We went to St Kilda a nice area for a gourmet pizza and beer. It was very kind of Gabbie to let me stay. Next day I nade ny way on the train to Flinder Street Station, you have put your card in a machine on every journey I forgot and got told off nicely by the gaurd. Melbourne has some old buildings like Sydney. I then caught the tram, Melbourne has a good tram Network, and went the wrong way, but saw a lot of the city. I eventually got to the YHA which was lovely. Passed the childrens hospital on the way. I loved the little houses. I then went back into town and then went to meet Jan at the airport it was lovely but strange meeting someone from home. It made me also think about having to go home and to be honest I don,t want to come back Iwould just love to keep seeing new places. Next day we went to St Kilda in the rain there is a lovely beach there. Thento the airport I felt sad leaving Australia I really enjoyed it.

I was on a jetstar plane so we had to pay for our food. I tried to find out about getting airmiles on my ticket but am none the wiser. Arrived in Christchurch at 11pm. Got a taxi to the hostel the women driverwas so excited telling us about the area. Next morning we went for the campervan, Jan made it a surprise. We had to choose one that was painted so I chose the Squid the green and blue colours go with the landscape. We sleep in it but have our food outside or we have a little table at the back. We spent the first night in Christchurch, as the first day we did not see much we spent a second night. Christchurch is a city but feels like a town very English sounding named streets. There is a 2km tram line loop used by tourists we went on it. The cathederal is lovely and there is a modern but nice statue beside it made for the year 2000. On the tramit had for years been a chook (chicken) shed and was done up. We stopped at the arts center where there was a craft market lots to eat and buskers. The girl singing whilst we were there had a lovely voice. We then went a punt down the River Avon which is just a little strem with weeping willows beside it and ducks swimming alond. When we got off I had an Afghan biscuit which is delicious coco cornflakes. I have had several since then. Saw statues of Scott of the Antartic and Captain Cook. On the tram again we past a street done in Spanish style colourfull with tiles under the windows. There was a Cuban Cigar shop. Next day we went to the Antartic Centre this is where most flights go from. We saw little Blue Penguins. Did you know a group of penguins is called a raft. Leaving Christchurch we drove down the coast over the longest bridge in New Zealand, the water in the rivers is ice blue and clear the stones look a silvery blue. We saw the majestic snow capped mountains. We past through farming counrty, lotsof merino sheep, aberdeen angus cows and deer. The little villages are lovely lots of houses have tin roofs and are wooden. We stoped at Omarau for 1 night then headed for Dunedin. On the way we had lunch looking out to the southern ocean from the van. Then we stopped off at an old mining siteon the coast it was freezing walking along the coast we saw fur seals but no penguins. We arrived down a very steep hill to Dunedin. It is built on hills but was named after the street map of Edinburgh. The first settlers were Scottish so we felt at home. There was a statue of Robert Burns and a Scottish shop. We went on a wild life walk on the Otago peninsula we went past Portobello and a few farms owned by McKays. We went to the Albatross center and saw lots ofyoung ones which were ready to take off. Then we drove along a dirt track to farm land on cliffs, we walked down to a cold but sandy beach. There We saw an amazing site a yellow eyed penguin walked out of the water and waddled past where I was siting. I could have touched it it was so close. We walked past sleeping sealions they go out to sea at night. The yellow penguins are endangerd there are only about 5000 left. We saw there nesting area theyare up beside sheep which I foound amazing. We then saw a huge colony of fur seals the pups weere beautifull playing in the rockpools. That trip was one of the best things I have done. The next day we saw the steepest street in the world in Dunedin called Baldwin Street and Otago university. Then it was another scenic drive to Invercargill. There is an Umbrella statue inone of the streets with all the residents of Invercargill whowere in the telephone book in 2000. We went to Carol and George Henderson (una's aunt and uncle) for dinner. THey were lovely and it was lovely tohave another home cooked dinner. Una does look like her cousinKerry who we also met. We did not make it to see the fastest Indian motorbike made by Burt Munro it is in a shop there. Next morning we went to Bluff NZ landsend. It was raining heavily it reminded me of Scotland have a picture of ne cold and wet at thew sign. Having trouble getting pictures to load so you will just have to read for the moment. Then we madethe journey to Te Anu which is surrounded by snow capped mountains it is alpine country and very like Lordof thr Rings (no Hobbits except me). We went the next day to Milford Sound we past Te Anu downs sheep station it was so pictureque. The road to Milford was stunning bit scarey in some parts risk of avalanche glad we went on a bus. We saw kea green alpine parrots. There was lots of golden grass land surrounded by mountains. We had to go through a tunnel the sow was nearly by the road and there were lots of areas where there had been landslips trees cling to the mountains. There are so many ferns and the trees are covered in moss, it is like rainforrest minus all the birds. We arrived at Milford and did the cruise to the Tasman Sea and back. It is a beautifull fijord lots of beautifull waterfalls. Managed to take some nice pictures. Like India and Asia every where you look there is a picture the scenery here is spectacular it takes your breath away sometimes. We then did a long day drive to Franz Josef Glacier past stunning lakes there is lots of ski fields here the Robertsons and Rory would love it. We past Queenstown and I saw the bridge where the first bungy took place. I have not enough time to do a bungy or a sky dive there is so much scenery to see. We past wine valleys and fruit farms with snow capped mountains in the background. The road to the west coast was very steep and dramatic lots of waterfalls and rivers,ferns, palm trees and moss by the side of the road. The road to the west coast only was made in the 1960s. I touched the Tasnan Sea. We stayed the night at Franz Josef and the next morning we got kitted up with cranpons and with a group went to climb ontothe ice of the glacier. It was stunning the blue colours it was quite dirtytoo . There were helicopters zooming round and planes. It was amazing but hard work on the ice steps not made for short legs. My crampon fell off to make it more exciting I could have slipped down the ice. It was amazing standing on the ice looking down the valley. We had to squeeze through some creveces big cracks in the ice wich were dripping ice cold water. It was a short but sweet experience