Hi from NZ to everyone following our journey. We have been in the North Island for 2 1/2 weeks exploring around in a car. It has been a massive culture change after 4 months in Africa. For a start we arrived to 3 days of heavy rain. What is that stuff?! We had forgotten what it is like to be cold and wet. Apparently NZ is experiencing its worst summer in ages. We have had some great days since but the nights are blimmin freezing. Still we have managed to camp every night bar two and enjoying the outdoor life. Most nights we camp for free in the middle of nowhere. I'm the only one swimming every day so my companions are the smelly ones. For those that don't know, we are travelling with our good friend Ben Schiller. He's so laid back he is horizontal. In fact we are permanently having to wake him up! It has been great to at last be making our own way and our own decisions. The world is our lobster at last. So we have been seeing the sights. We went up to the Far North and visited Cape Reinga and the wide lonely stretch of Ninety Mile Beach. Typical Antipodeans, they exaggerate. Its only 68 miles long, but lets face it, its a big beach. Travelling south we had a few days at the Bay of Islands where a boat took us out and dropped us off on a wild and remote headland called Cape Brett. There we did a morning on the Cape Brett Trail to a beach where we were picked up by our boat. We had the whole trail to ourselves. From the boat and the trail we were able to watch dolphins all morning. We have also seen the smelly volcanic region of Rotorua which bubbled and squelched as we visited two thermal reserves. Disappointingly touristy but so different to anything we have ever encountered so it has to be seen to be believed. Camping at night on stunning beaches and in lonely forest reserves in the mountains we made our way South. Ben and I tackled the fantastic Tongariro Crossing on a stunning sunny day... we left at 6.30am to beat the hoards because unfortunately this great walk is advertised everywhere like the latest film attraction as the must do best walk in North Island. And it is great, but it is suffering under the weight of millions of boots a year. We added 4 more. It was awesome. We decided to add a little adventure of our own and made an ascent of Mount Tongariro itself. It took us away from the crowds and we had the mountain to ourselves as we crossed patches of snow to top out. ( it wasn't hard) The views of all the surrounding volcanoes and crater lakes were just stunning and again beyond any previous experiences. We have now travelled to the most southern tip of North Island at Cape Palliser where we have seen more seal colonies. (The NZ fur seal) The beaches are remote and dark ,made up of volcanic "sand'. So we are now in Wellington and a day away from sailing to the South Island and all it beholds. Thanks to all for staying in touch with us while we are so far away. Look forward to some more photos when we get back to OZ and Uncle Tony's Super Friendly Computer Services. ( he's the real deal) xxxxxxxxxx Pete and Janet.