Hello everybody! I am now in cairns where ishall probably spend the remainder of my time before leaving for NZ, hopefully now on the 20th Feburary.

I stopped off in Mission Beach for one night, and met some nice guys also on there gap year, so that was cool. But the nest bit was rafting on the tully river.

Basically we had two options; the normal version and the xtreme version......naturally i opted for the xtreme version, which was only $30 more and well worth it!

we had huge amount of time in the water, and were constantly being deliberately capsized by our xtremely mental kiwi guide! we also went swimming down a rapid which was seriiously cool. One rapid we went down was practically a small waterfall but the pool was so deep that it took me about five minutes to make uit back to the surface. A little bit unnerving but its what i signed up for!

we were also allwoed to jup off a 9ft high rock into a deeper part of the river which was wicked.

the people in my boat were all cool people, and we got on which made the day way better.

I now plan before i leave to go to The Atherton table lands to see some cool waterfalls for a day, and i plan possibly to go to a place called cape tribulation, which is apparently very tropical and paradisical.....but we'll have to see abou that.....

I am going to stay up to watch the rugby tonight....england had better beat italy or ill be very dissapionted. Hopefully youll all stay up to watch it as well!!

When I get to christchurch my first port of call will be my mate Jack Jarvis' flat for a while and definately casa del dawn and paul.

As far as cultural experiences go in NZ, I pan to do a tour of the Milford pass, which is in the south island, and features some L.O.T.R style landscapes (although if you mention that film to the newzealanders apparently they get very cranky!)

Hope twiglet has recovered from his brush with the squirrel, and that the weather is not too bad. and mum you need to send me some photos of the new kitchen at your house.

Love you all and missing you loads!! xxxxxxxxx

lots of love

George x