Stayed with the girls in Southern Laughter. Hostel was great. Free soup every evening, our own kitchen & tv room. Got very cold at nights though as the snow/ski season was kicking in. Walked up Ben Lomond (mountain) which took 1 hour & got the free gondola back down. Had a few t-pot cocktails in the World Bar & Red Rock bar. Went bowling with the 2 Emma's one night (only 5 lanes)! Played outside & inside crazy golf. Best course EVER!!! Did a d...

Stayed with the girls at the Purple Cow. Great views of the mountains from the hostel but very quiet place. Snow caooed mountains and lakes everywhere!! Rained most of our stay. Visited Puzzling World which had an adult 2 story maze and illusion rooms. Went to cinema Paradiso & watched 'Dan - in real life". They had different sofas & half an old beetle car to sit in!!

Stayed with the girls at Chateau Franz. On the 18th we did the half day glacier hike for 4 hours. It was amazing but hurt the next day! Payed a visit to the blue ice bar that night for free shots!!! Next night a guy that Emma met at the bar after we had left turned up to take us all to dinner as he had made all 6 of us roast chicken!!! The whole thing was weird but Ryan was a good guy & even made jelly!! It was free food and got us all out of the hostel. ...

Stayed with the Irish girls at Neptunes Backpackers. Visited Punakaiki - Pancake Rocks, did the Monteith's brewery tour & had a BBQ. Met the lovely Joy & Dennis (see photo). Quiet town.

Stayed with the girls in Tasman Bay Backpackers. Did a 13,000ft tandem skydive over Abel Tasman on the 14th. Best thing ever!!