Hiya, we have made it back to Auckland from Paihia (Paihia is the place we were staying in the bay of Islands), few, it was an eventful few days. We spent 4 nights in Paihia, the day we arrived it was nice weather, we had a wander and an ice cream and it was all good. The next morning we woke up to torrential rain, "Oh dear we are not having much luck with the weather" we said. That was an under statement, over the next 48 hours Paihia received 3 times it average rainfall for March, Nice!

We went on a day trip up to Cape Reinga, the most Northern point of New Zealand. On our way we passed some bad sights, churches flooded, peoples homes flooded, cars beneath water, it was shocking. The bus carried on through all this and we still made it to Cape Reinga, were we managed to do some sandboarding which was awesome, and catch a glimpse of the lighthouse and the 2 oceans meeting through the fog. When we started heading back to Paihia though, we heard about the extent of the flooding. In Paihia (wer we had been just that morning) the hostel was flooded, the roads in and out were closed, houses wer floating around, there had been some small landslides etc. It was just awful. We had to spend the night in a Motel because we couldnt get back to our hostel.

We made it back to our hostel this morning, the drive into Paihia was like something you only see on TV, it was mad. Anyway we got the first bus out of there, and arrived back in Auckland safe and sound and suprisingly dry! We have a full day here tomorrow to do some last minute shopping for souvenirs, then its off to Fiji the next morning!

I have had an amazing time in New Zealand, and experienced things i never dreamed of. Kiwi Experience was an awesome way to travel. The higlights of my month here have been.

1. Sky dive in Franz Josef

2.Whale watching Kaikoura

3. The Maouri culture evening in Rotarua.

4. Meeting everyone from the Kiwi bus, we have made lots of friends!

5. Getting amongst it!! (A Kiwi saying).

Thanks for keeping up to date with my journal, im almost half way through my trip now. Leave me a message when you look at things on here so i no you care! ha ha!

Speak soon! x