Milford Sound 8th Feb Wasn't best weather but saw loads of mountains going down into the sea. Took a cruise around that went under the waterfalls and saw sea lions and seals. Met some cocky American boys who were pretty funny joking about getting the dvd- pretty funny as the weather was so rubbish. I can imagine the place is amazing on a great day, but the problem is it's the wettest place in NZ with 285 rainy days a year on average. 7mm of rainfall just when ...

SOUTH ISLAND- My favourite Picton- Marahau, Abel Tasman. 26th-29th Anyway it was time to leave the north island, and get the ferry to the south, luckily a couple of Canadians were driving to the ferry port as they were catching the same ferry, so they gave me a ride. Saw all the stray people there and we checked our bags etc in. Watched worst film in the world, called journey to the centre of the earth. Most unrealistic thing I have ever seen, so much so that...

North island Leaving Auckland 17th Jan Woke up early for the Stray bus leaving base, after a great nights sleep a really comfy mattresses. Saw about 4 people I had already met from the previous trip, who were travelling southbound like me. Its strange because since being in NZ, I have met about 5 people who I already knew, some who I met in different places in Australia, and also a guy who I knew from ski season, who I randomly met on the dolphin boat.I didn't ...

Arriving in Auckland was cool, a slight interrogation at the airport about whether I had any money in my bank account (I don't blame them judging by the holes in my top from the dodgy washing machine in melbourne) also I became a bit obsessive to keep checking I didn't have any food on me, as my friend james told me he got charged something like $400 for having an apple in his bag! A dude kiwi bus driver took me to my hostel (choice backpackers) full of south...