New Zealand, what a place!! Beautiful landscape, inspiring sights and genuine people! I could happily get used to the Kiwi living!

Arrived in Auckland at 4.30am 10th September, ask me what happened to Tuesday the 9th and I wont know! Lost and gone forever! After an early start it was straight into Auckland to hunt for some digs. The first thing that struck me about New Zealand was the money, checking your bank account over here does make you feel good about yourself! However that doesnt last long when you realise you're paying $8 for a muffin!!!

Auckland was impressive on first view and then when you look around the Harbour and all the Bays you really are impressed. A clean and vibrant city with lots to offer.

Due to a slight concern over jet lag I decided that a good 15 hours kip should do the trick!! Worked wonders!!

We took in the sights of Auckland for a few days whilst planning the trip around the North Island in a campervan!! We hired a van, with Clint Eastwood spray painted on the sides, oh yeah we looked the part! And off we went in search of the wonders of the world and we werent disappointed!! First stop Cape Reinga, a great drive, went for miles without seeing anything at all! A fantastic coast line, mountains and fields, we had it all!

Cape Reinga is the most northern part of New Zealand and is where the seas meet. Pacific meets Tasman. Very impressive even on a cold day! Spring has arrived and the new life is buzzing its great! Also strange to see the lambs and calfs in the fields.. Its october!!??!!

The North Island has everything, great cities and immense lakes not too mention the Volcanos! I love it, everywhere you look something eles grabs your attention and impresses you even more.

We spent two weeks travelling in the van, our mobile home, and had lots of fun. Coromandel Peninsula was amazing. A great coastal paradise, glorious beaches and fantastic mountains and forest! Cathedral Cove is a spectacular paradise, very peaceful this time of year and on a good day (there are many) you could spend hours on the beach relaxing.

Lake Rotorua and Lake Taupo are both exciting places with lots to offer. A bungee jump in taupo followed by the experience of the thermal pools in Rotorua and we were flying! Awesome! I'd recommend everyone to give either a go!!

Taupo is a beautiful setting, the view across the lake is just unbelieveable, the snow capped mountains/Volcanoes, no photograpgh can do them justice you need to see it in first person!!

After a couple of rugby matches (New Zealand Warriors) it was time to part with Clint. I was very sad to see him go as we'd had so much fun driving the counrty on every type of road imagineable!!

Back to Auckland and some canyoning! Woop! What a scream, abseiling down waterfalls and jumping into rock pools was class!! Freezing but such a great day in the Waitakere Ranges! Spectacular hiking through the forest before changing into wetsuits and flying down the falls!! Awesome and the best day yet!

Accomodation this time in Auckland was impressive, like home from home really. A lovely place in Ponsonby. Comfortable and clean just what you require!

And now we are currently in the best place possible. Staying with a great family who have looked after us so well they'll be lucky if we ever leave! In Hamilton taking in the Waikato area and enjoying it no end! Life this side of the world really is greener!! Having loads of fun cycling, running and climbing! Being kept active and its great! Good food too so we're away!!

A trip to Rotorua to catch up with the regional hockey team and an afternoon I wont forget, mainly because of the bruises! Our family treated us to a ride of a lifetime! We took on the Luge! And what a scream! Go-carting down hill at speeds of 60k!! Awesome and one of the funniest sights ever seen! I took the competitive edge to another level and didnt use the brake! ERROR!! Thrown from the cart not once but twice! Very funny and will be talked about for a long time!! My competitive spirit was matched by the rest and the races were feircely contested, a no mercy rule given!! Hilarious!

This really is the life, living the dream!!