I still have not managed to write about John and my trip through New Zealand and Australia and thought whilst I am bored at home today I should finally update you on what we have seen.

When we left Auckland we traveled down the north island stopping off at the Waitamo Caves, which were special because they house glow worms. To see them properly, we did a boat ride in the dark. Very beautiful, like stars in the sky! The caves are usual limestone caves, but the rock in one of them contained loads of minerals which showed them in different colours.

We then went to Rotarua, best known for its adventure activities. There we stayed for the first time at a campervan park. When we made dinner, we met a family having a braii (BBQ) and a family eating Baked Beans. It didn't take too long to guess from which country they were!!!

In Rotaua, we first visited a park where there are geysers (a hot spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accomplished by a vapour phase ;-), and traditional Maori housing. We also saw a traditional Maori dancing performance and had to be told not too laugh. I was sooo scared!

Later on we took the gondola to see Rotarua from above and the luges to get back down again. Luges are little un-motorised, three wheeled carts or sledges which you race down tracks, similar to go carts but down hill. It was a lot of fun!

We went to have a coffee at the lake to relax. John asked for a long white, but the coffee shop lady gave him a funny look. In Oz they are calling their coffees differently and you can only opt for a long black, a short black, a flat white, a latte or cappuccino. So what is what? After a confusing discussion we figured the flat white, which is basically a black coffee with loads of milk, is what we want. However, as our order was small, I am not sure what I need to ask for if I like a large coffee with milk? Maybe a long flat white? …but it's not an option! Anyway, to date I still wonder what the difference is between a flat white and a latte or a cappuccino? Apparently the flat white has not froth or foam like a latte, but they always put the foam on top anyway, which 'I don't want'!!! But why do they do that??? So in the end, I always have to ask for a flat white with extra-NO froth just to get what I actually want - a coffee with loads of milk! Weird!!!

Right, the next day we went to buy coffee and a plunger to make it ourselves. No more arguments! In the morning we drove along a scenic route to the Blue Lake, the Green Lake and Lake Tarawera which is a lake in front of Mount Tarawera which erupted in 1886 and buried a whole city. They wanted around $20 dollors entrance to see a city that isn't there anymore. Err…

Well, our next aim was Taupo and on our way we stopped off at Wairakei River to see some spectacular Huka falls. Taupo is known for great Trout fishing, so I was getting excited to have some trout for lunch somewhere. I was already thinking if I like to have it fried, oven cooked or grilled, with lemon or butter, when I was told that I had to catch it myself if I want it! There is a law protecting this fish!!! Disappointed we visited a prawn farm instead, where we didn't need to fish our own food!

When we left Taupo we drove along a beautiful lake road on Lake Taupo to Turangi from where we followed the desert road past some lovely vulcanic mountains. The view of the snow capped mount Ruapehu was amazing! After a long windy drive along beautiful sheep filled landscapes we ended up in Wanganui, a town by the sea.

Wellington was our last stop on the North Island and we drove along the marine drive passing various beautiful bays. We also visited the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, where they demonstrated what an earthquake feels like and walked around the city centre. The next morning, in the early hours, we took a ferry to the South Island.