After leaving the girls asleep early one morning, I reached the ferry down to the South island to a place called Nelson and stayed there for the night. I made some friends down there and partied with them in the evening, even though I had to wake up very early again the next morning. I got the bus to a place, then a van to a small village called Takaka. The village was in the middle of nowhere and I managed to sleep in a hammock outside as the place was full. That following morning, I walked roughly 4 miles to the cliffs at Paynes Ford, I thought 'finally climbing again!'. I met some Germans there and climbed with them all day. There were five of them, two weere climbing Grade 7a English! God, I couldn't stop drooling! It was mainly sport climbing there and bouldering. Some of the cliffs weere two pitches high, with a small overhang so when I completed, I was lowered down to the ledge but I was right out due of the over hang so it took a while trying to swing back onto the ledge. In the afternoon, we bouldered and yes using toothbrushes! Later on, we went to the lake where there are some cliffs too, we bouldered above the water and deep water soloed side ways. Also jumping off high up into the cold, there was also a rope swing - I had so much fun that day and I think highly of Paynes Ford. It was just so hard getting there since it's like a backpacker trying to get to strange cliffs in Derby, where there are no buses to take you there. I went to 4 other towns before I reached Franz Josef to meet the girls, but on my way I made so many friends, went to some amazing parties with them, where there is so much to drink and dance and being stupid! I went to about three more parties before imeeting the girls again, they said I looked awful as i was so hungover when I arrived! There was only one day in Franz Josef for me because we were running out of time and we had to move on, so I guess I will have to discover the glaciers another time! Maybe Austria's Petzil Glacier Cave (my climb friends'll know what I'm talking about), where Ines Papert climbed the M12! If i improve up to that level one day... But due to the start of the Kiwi Experience, I had the choice of either climbing or the glacier hiking, you bet I made the right choice! Andre x