I'm just here for a couple of hours as I'm travelling between Auckland and Tongariro National Park where I hope to do the four day Great New Zealand Walk. I set off from Auckland at 0800 on a coach and its taken 5 hours to get here, but that's with a half hour break.

The countryside is not too disimilar to that of the UK but it does have some tropical vegitation to. We occassionally passed through what I would describe as American style 'shanty' towns and you can certainly see the influence from the US on the place. They do drive on the left hand side here but you cannot help notice the Polynesian influence also by the way the locals dress and the Maori population.

I have noticed that the food is very wholesome, traditional (just like gran used to make) and you get loads of it. Clearly the Kiwis have not been affected by the Western capitalist market economy of skimming volume and quality to achieve greater profits. Thats me off my soap box. Anyway guys, I have a bus to catch and some sheep to gaze at. Catch up with you soon.