I just have to say a few things about the van. We picked it up in Christchurch at around midday and Rhiannon who had previously claimed was really excited about the van and considered it the start of our travelling suddenly looked panicked. I'm not sure what it was pehaps the realisation that we really were going to sleep in a van for five weeks or that I was going to be doing the driving. We'll get some pictures up soon but it is a Mazda 2ltr petrol van from ab...

From the hustle and bustle of San Fran to the calm and laid back atmosphere of Christchurch in the summer where even the businessmen seem to amble along as if they haven't a care in the world. Yes, it won't shock you to know that I really liked Christchurch. Often called the most English of cities according to my Lonely Planet I can only think that thew person who said that had not been to England recently as not once did we see gangs of hooded kids terrorising ...