Day 1 - Christchurch

Early start this morning from Avalon, north of Sydney, 5am, caught the ferry from Manly at 6.30am and then out to the airport. I was in the queue to check in and I noticed they were weighing peoples hand luggage and charging for bags over 20kg. I hadnt weighed my bag but I only had to look at it to know that it was over lol. So I went for plan B... "My final destination is London via LA, Im just making a few stops along the way" (as well as it taking 6 weeks to get there I thought) was what I said to the check in lady.. As this allows you two bags up to 60 kilos.. Well it was a good job she bought it as my total luggage had grown to a massive 45kgs lol. Successfully checked onto my Air New Zealand flight I boarded and was so impressed with them that I never want to fly any other airline!! I have had worse meals in some top restaurants. It was so good!! Plus I could make my own music playlist, I hardly noticed the 2.5hr flight. Landed safely and it took over 1.5 hrs to clear passport control and customs. Very boring, although watching some yanks and english moan about it was entertaining me... Got to my hotel anyway and couldnt help thinking how much it felt like a Northern Ireland summer when I stepped outside! Checked in and met my two tour/roommates Janette from Melbourne and Saika from Japan. We went to our tour meeting, had dinner and then crashed out about 10 as we'd all had early starts!!

Day 2 - Christchurch to Lake Ohau

Coach departed at 8.30am after a nice breakfast at the hotel. Driver and tour manager both seemed friendly, we then headed into Christchurch where we had an hour to look around and get any supplies we needed for the first few days. Then it was back on the coach and off to "Geraldine" a cute little town about 2 hours outside Christchurch. Passed an alpaca farm on the way, they'd all just been sheared, looked pretty funny!! Then I lost the last quarter of my chicken pie at lunch to wasps as I ran out of the shop lol. I dont like them at all.... Next stop was Lake Tekapo. We drove through some spectacular mountains and then suddenly as we got to the other side, blue sky appeared and this beautiful lake was infront of it. It did not look real. I had to pinch myself to see if I was actually there! One of the most beautiful things Ive ever seen. Look at the photos, they aren't photoshopped, the water really is that colour!! Its glacial run off water, and this brought rock dust with it which gives it its milky colour. Was amazing. On the way to our next stop we had to make some decisions about excursions... Signed up for "Mad Dog Riverboarding"... looks as insane as it sounds, tempted to do a bungy and skydive but we will see what happens!! Might bungy the Ledge at Queenstown as u can take a run up, only way id get off the edge prob lol, or maybe a canyon swing, who knows!! Lake Pukaki ("Poo-khaki" tee hee) was next, another gorgeous blue lake, then onto Lake Ohau lodge, our final overnite stop for the day. Had dinner against a backdrop of mountains including Mount Cook, when I looked behind me at the table it just looked like the window was a painting, so amazing. Played a few games of pool with Janette, chilled out with a few drinks, chatted and that was the end of our first day on tour!!

Day 3 - Milford Sound

We drove to a place called Milford today where we would catch a boat that would take us through the Sound and spend overnite in a little bay by the mountains. The drive out was beautiful with waterfalls, mountains, glaciers etc. Funniest bit was when the driver stopped the bus at this open bit of grassland with mountain backdrop, threw on "The hills are alive with the Sound of Music" and he and the guide ran skipping through the grass, whole bus cracked up laughing. Anyway, boat journey was pretty good, some people went cayaking, 2 guys fell in which was funny for the rest of us, dinner was awesome, we played monopoly until lights out at 10.30, a quiet day after a late one for some people the nite before.