Well the first leg of my trip is all but done so I'll be making this my last journal entry from out here in New Zealand, before i head off to Fiji. Its a hard life i know!

So i'll start with what i got upto in Queenstown. The first day was spent doing the Kawarau Bridg Bungy, the supposed baby of all the bungy's in Queenstown at 'only' 43m up. But when i was out on that ledge I was bricking it but managed to launch off at the first countdown and got dunked in the river below upto my knees. What a rush, one of the best things i've done and that was me set for the rest of the day........just feeling lively and bombing around at 100mph. Apparently everyone gets the same sort of feeling after doing their first bungy, but i was warned it.......'it's nothing compared to The Nevis!' That night was a 'welcome to Queenstown night' which basically meant a heavy one and i taking 1.5hrs to walk back to my hostel that wa only 10mins up the road. Good night though........i think.

One thing for anyone going to Queenstown who's reading this.......if you're feeling a bit rough one day or extremely hungry, get to Ferg Burger in town! An amazing burger bar, possibly the best i've ever been to, where i devoured 'the ultimate burger, made from 2 half pounder burgers and loaded with everything from onion rings to beetroot. The rest of the day was just spent chilling out by the lake and in the evening went to watch Blood Diamond, cracking film.

Next day was the big one, day of the Nevis Bungy, all 134m of it and 6.5 seconds of freefall! It was QUALITY! The scariest thing i've ever done but the feeling during it and after it is amazing. Went a pale white as i was being strapped up (check out the pics) and then hobbled over to the ledge and tried my hardest not to look down, pretty hard though when floor below you is made from glass! All i hear was '3 2 1 bungy!' and knew i had to launch then otherwise i'd never do it........so off i jumped, screaming at the top of my lungs the whole way down. All i really remember is seeing the river below rushing up to my face and then bouncing back up towards teh Gondola. Once i got winched back up all i could feel was the adrenaline pumping through me and i wanted to do it again and again....but the funds restricted me to just the one. If you're going to Queenstown..........DO THE NEVIS!

Jumped the last of my 3 bungy's the next day and was little disappointed with it.  It was 'The Ledge' (47m) where you're strapped round the waist (instead of the ankles) so you can flip off it and i did but after doing the Nevis it didn't seem that great but I should've done it befor ethe Nevis guess.  In the evening some people we met in Taupo got into Queenstown so we all went out and had a cracking night out for very little money...mainly due to teh drinking games beforehand.

We spent three days going to the very south of the Island around the towns of Dunedin, Invercargill and Te Anau.  Considering Dunedin's supposed to be the student capital of NZ, it's a ghost town, was pretty disappointed with the lack of things to do.....aprt from the Brewery tour which i did with a mate, purely for the beer tasting.  Then it bwas onto Invercargill via the Catlins and Curio Bay.  A pretty good trip, spent watching the sea lions (don't get too close, the like to chase!) and watching the Dolphins off Curio Bay, a beautiful beach just wish we could've spent longer than 40 minutes.  But watching the Dolphins playing in the surf is a great sight.

Invercargill must be the mullet capital of the world!  Not to mention the place where every boy racer in NZ congrigates!  Got out in the evening and managed to find a bar to watch to watch the merseyside derby........cant believe i stayed up til 3.30am for a 0-0!Te Anau was a nice little town, not much to do there but a decent little town.  All in all the bottom bus was alright.....good to get out of Queenstown and chill out for a few days, just not too much to do thats all.

The rest of the time in Queenstown was jsut spent relaxing down by the lake getting the emails form everyone befor i left to get back upto Auckland.  Had one brill day on the lake when there was a little music festival going on for New Zealand Day, just spent it kicking round a footy and basking in the sun.  The last night in Queestown, we all had a cracking BBQ with plenty of food, a few beers and a game of cards.....which i again didn't win and havn't maanaged to since ive been out here.  Felt odd leaving everyone and was pretty gutted to have to.  Odd that you've only know people for about 3.5 weeks and it feels like you've know them for ages, guess thats what living in people pockets does.

 Headed off to Christchurch with Marly and Kathy and Marly flew off to Melbourne the next day, going to meet up with her when i get across to Melbourne so lloking forward to that.  The time in Christchurch was mostly spent just trodding round the city with one another and sorting a few things out.  Did go to a rugby game which was a good evening and the Christchurch Crusaders won in a tight match.  Had to go for a chest x-ray to get by Visa for Oz, considering it only took 10seconds was pretty gutted to have to fork out almost 100pound for it!  But cant really complain cos Dad's giving us the cash for that one..........thanks Dad!  Did realise 4 hours later that i'd lost my passport, ran back to the hospiatl to be told that nothing had been handed in, so off i trod f-ing and blinding out of the door and heard a 'Mr Hussey' shouted form back at the reception.  Turns out some old dear handed it in for me.......i'd left it on the table in the reception area, IDIOT!

And then there was one.  Kathy flew over Thailand the next day to meet up with some mates and it was odd saying bye.  First time i'd been on my tod since the very start of the trip.  Promised we'd hook up again when i get home and i hope we do.......reckon i'll have to get across to her next year for ST Paddy's day and be shown everything Cork has to offer.......don't forget Kathy, YOU PROMISED me a place to stay!

Had anothe rodd bump in that day with a mate (ED) i hadn't seen for weeks.  Lost his email or more accuratly, made the note of the wrong email.  But was walking through a square and heard someone shout my name and foudn it to be Ed.  So we just hung out for the rest of the day before i went over to see some mates from Queenstown who'd just arrived.  If there's one thing about Christchurch.....it does feel like an English city and is pretty seedy in places.  Up one street (and it would be called Manchester St) there's prostitute after prostitute........four on each corner, bit like seeing Mc D's Burger King and Pizz Hut battling for business!

Well, back in Auckland now and i've managed to sort my flights for Fiji, leave on Wednesday (21st Feb) so i'll be ont he white sandy beaches in time for my B'day on Friday.  Typical STA Travel though, tried to charge me $450 (150 pound) to change 3 flights, went down the airline office and only had to pay $50 to change all three.  Seems like STA take every opportunity to get as much money from you as possible!  But can't complain, got it for cheaper than i thought i would.  So just tieing up a few loose ends here before flying out. 

Before i forget, got slapped by a trasvestite the other day for staring at his mate.  But for GOD's sake, if you're going to stroll around in high heels, with your manly legs poking out of a short red skirt, in a boob tube with a bit of bristle on the chin and an adamas apple you have to be prepared for people to stare.  Obviously he/she/it wasn't and so i got slapped for looking.  Pretty funny!

 Anways, i'm off, so i'll write again when i've finisished Fiji.