Hi Guys,

Thought I would do a quick update! Whilst in Queenstown I decided to take the skyline up the mountain to get views of the town and the lake, at the top it was amazing and I was really lucky that it was a clear day! At the top you can go on a luge, so you have to take a cable car up again, which is just a wooden seat that you have to pull the bar over yourself, in which I didnt realise this and was half way up the mountain and nearly fell out of the seat before I managed to put the bar on! Oops but at least I had a helmet on, I got photos of this and I have to say its not very pc but I looked quite disabled in my hat! Hee hee, will try and put them on here but have to scan them in. Then at the top of the mountain you get in a little plastic cart thing and go on a race track down the mountain! Again photos very funny!

The next day I caught the bus to Fox Glacier, this was an all day bus so glad it was raining. When I arrived I decided to walk to the base of the glacier hoping the rain would stop, it didnt and I was dismade that no b*****s stopped to give me a lift to it since we were going to the same place! Got to the base and the views were really impressive, and I am glad I made the effort. Although I was soaking wet! I decided to hitch a lift (thought I best do it at least once on my travels!) to the town, the guys were really nice (mum - made sure it was a bus load of people not some random bloke!) and dropped me off at the door to my hostel!

The next day I went to Franz Josef, whilst waiting for the welsh sisters to arrive (Heather and Ashley - check out the photos - been travelling a bit with them) I decided to walk to the base of it and then do a forest walk. I am really lucky to see this and fox as these are two out of three glaciers that decend into rainforest and are known as warm glaciers. Franz Josef was stunning, I got to walk to the base of it following the river bed along. When the girls arrived they moved me to a little room with them so we had our own bathroom and kitchen which is cool, and we also get free soup at the hostel.

Today we have done the helihike on to Franz Josef, first we had to get suited up and booted up, the boots were too big and had 4 pairs of socks on! I couldnt move my toes and I looked like michellin man with all my layers, which was a mistake as got really hot walking on the glacier. It was brilliant being so close to the ice, the guide hacked out special routes for us to take so no one had previously walked on them, the ice arches and carvings were amazing, you had to be careful were you put your step as it could be a pool of water underneath, one man didnt step were he was told to and ended up waist deep in freezing water and had to walk like that for another 2 hours! The views from the helicopter were amazing!

Anyway we are just chilling out now as all a bit tired from the hike, going to a spa later! Off to Nelson tomorrow which is a 12hr bus drive which is a bit of a b*****! Didnt manage to get in the same hostel as the girls as it is all full up but its only round the corner so we are meeting for tea etc.

Hope you are all ok.

Love lots

Hel x