I checked into my hostel and was allocated an 8 person dorm. Little did I know I was sharing it with the Swedish under 21 girls national netball team, reserves and physio! I walked into the room and they were in there semi naked, some of them had just returned from the shower and were chasing each other around the room, the others were having a pillow fight. There was soap and feathers everywhere! They thought my accent was really cute and when they found out I was the best looking Geordie Copper in Millom, they became uncontrollably giggly and hysterical. Scenes reminiscent of a Beatles concert led to one of them whipping me with her towel. When I threw a pillow at her she jumped on me and I fell to the floor, another one piled on, then another and then before I knew it..........................................The bus suddenly stopped and I woke up, my mouth was wide open and I had saliva dribbling onto my shoulder that had already began to crust on my cheek. I had dozed off on leaving Franz Josef.

The journey between FJ and Wanaka is the most spectacular so far, with emerald green rivers and lakes, waterfalls straight from a Tarzan film and spectacular views of the Southern Alps. The 6hr journey flew over thanks to having a good crack with Gabrielle and Robbie from the UK.

I arrived at Wanaka and my jaw nearly hit the floor. This town and the surrounding deep blue Lake Wanaka and Mt Aspiring National Park has to be the most beautiful place on this earth! Wanaka is a small picturesque town of 3000 residents. It has many restaurants, bars, cafe's, interesting shops and tourist activity centres. You can skydive here, jetboat, Kayak, go horse riding, mountain biking, trekking up the surrounding mountains or just sun bathe by the lake. I checked into the Wanaka Bakpaka and shared a 3 person room with Hans from Germany and Ken from Japan, who I'm assisting with his English lessons. The hostel is very good and sits on a small rise overlooking the lake. What a bummer!

Yesterday I did a 15,000ft tandem Skydive which was nothing short of unbeleavable! What an adrenalin rush! Check out the photos, I also got it filmed on DVD. I was with Lori from Seattle, USA and Britta from Germany who shared my aircraft but jumped out at 12,000ft. Afterwards we celebrated with lunch and a couple of cold beers looking out onto the Lake. One thing led to another and I ended up in the company of John a Kiwi and Jason a Canadian and playing pool in a local bar till late.

Today I trekked up Mount Roy which is 1578m. It was very tiring but the views of the Alps, Lake Wanaka and the town is stunning! I'm now just going to chill before I catch my bus to Queenstown tomorrow because I'm aching and I think I caught too much sun. See you soon

Eddy