We really are in the middle of nowhere here. Was very surprised to see Lee when I got off the bus as I was expecting to catch up with her in Napier - shes been here riding everyday. It was really lovely when we arrived so we were hoping to go out horse riding when we got there but the horses had already been out so were tired. Sat around a bonfire in the evening drinking and chatting after a traditional meal 'hangi' that was disgusting. With a lot...

Have spent a couple of relaxing days in Napier, staying at the prison - it closed down in 1993. I am very glad that I did the tour of the prison on the morning I was leaving and not before otherwise I don't think I would have slept after hearing about the hangings and the ghosts. Could have stayed in an actual cell if we wanted to but strangely decided against that idea!! Napier is a really cool place and is the Art Deco capital of New Zealand and there ar...

Stayed in Taupo for 5 days, a bit too long really but we had to wait for the bus to take us on the East As part of our trip and it didn't come until Monday. We stayed in a hostel called Urban Retreat - the nosiest hostel ever and impossible to get any sleep. The whole bus had a big night out on the Thursday night when we arrived in Mulligans and The Holy Cow. A few of us had very bad heads the following day..... Went on the Huka Jet in the afternoon...

Had a fantastic weekend skiing - the weather was great and the ski conditions were perfect - just the early mornings that were a problem (nothing unusual there) especially as the clocks went back so we had to get up at 6 on the Sunday morning. There were loads of runs to choose from, managed to fall over quite a few times and really hurt my knee, at one point one of my skis was at the top of the slope and I was halfway down it, another time I got completely ...