Hello

It has been quite a while since our last post, in fact I think we have done the whole of New Zealand since Franz Josef! The glacier trek was really cool, very hard work but really interesting and beautiful. (My heels still haven't healed from the blisters though which is a bit grose!) From there we went to Queenstown for about 4/5 days, we both really liked it there, I think I could live there! Stunning scenery, really nice town and good nightlife. We went up the gondola and did the Luge down the mountain (a cross between a go-kart and tobaggan). We hired a car for a day there too with out Swedish friends and did about a 600km round day trip to Milford Sound, which was a long day but really pretty drive and nice cruise along the sound with some very nice waterfalls.

From Queenstown we stopped at a town called Dunedin which was meant to look like Edinburgh and have a strong Scottish influence. We went to the New Zealand Cadburys factory and got loads of free samples! Next stop was Lake Tekapo where we only stayed for one night and didnt really do much as the weather was really bad but it did look quite pretty! We were then back round to Christhurch where we said goodbye to our Swedish friends and caught a flight to Wellington to start the North Island.

In Wellington the weather was still a bit dull and damp so we had a bit of an explore in the rain, did the Te Papa museum which was really interesting and interactive (and free!). Then we met up with Harriet, my housemate from Uni who is travelling with her sister Georgi and her sisters friend. That was really nice to see her and we all ended up staying in the most disgustingly messy dorm ever! From Wellington we went up to Napier for a night which is a town that was demolished by an earthquake in the 1930s and so was rebuilt all at the same time in an Art Deco style. Pretty little town which would have been even nicer in the summertime!

Next stop was Lake Taupo.. we got picked up at 8am from Napier and I made a rash decision to sign up for a skydive when we got on the bus..so I jumped about lunchtime! Amazing..wanted to do it again straight away. We had about 3 nights in Taupo and Josie did this big long day trek thing (Tongarara Crossing?). Next stop was Rotorua which is famous for its hot thermal springs that smell of sulphur! It wasnt too smelly though, just the odd strong waft. Josie went white water rafting there as she is very brave and then on another day we went to a Polynesian spa where we sat in hot pools all afternoon overlooking the lake, its a hard life! Also in Rotorua we went to a Maori cultural evening where we saw a welcoming dance, a performance of the Huka dance, a model of their traditional village and ate a Hangi meal which was the biggest and best meal we have had since we have been away. All the food- sweet potato, carrots, lamb, chicken, fish, stuffing and steamed pudding is all cooked underground and was delicious.

Next stop was Mount Manganui- a posh seaside town where we only had one night before going on to Auckland via the Waitomo caves the next day. The caves were stunning- Josie black water rafted through them whereas i took the granny boat for the cheaper and safer option!! The caves are filled with stalagmites and tites (?!) and millions of glow worms which were really pretty.

We were in Auckland for 4 nights and I spent 2 days lying in bed feeling not very well at all! Josie did lots of exploring by herself (sorry Jose!) and bought me lots of things like skittles, apples and magazines! We did the Auckland sky tower and looked around the harbour on the last day when I was feeling a bit better. We also met up with a friend of a friend who we are now with ion Fiji as she and her friend were on our flight to Fiji from Auckland on Saturday! Small world.

When we got to Fiji it was so nice to be in the warm again!! We spent 2 nights in Nadi where we flew in to at a very nice hostel that felt more like a hotel with a very nice pool! We arranged what we were to do for the rest of the time in Fiji, had a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe at Port Denarau and Josie went skydiving! She took it in her stride a bit more than I did though! We then caught a boat to Beachcomber Island which was just stunning! We spent two nights there getting a good bit of tan, it was so tiny you could walk around it in 5 minutes (though that was a bit too much effort for me, Josie did!) Now we are back on the mainland at Coral Coast with Helen and Vicki- the 2 girls that know Emma my housemate. We are staying at the place where they filmed the first series of Celebrity Love Island!! Cant quite believe how cheap it is, doesn't look like a place where backpackers should stay!! www.fijibeachhouse.com. However it has rained constantly for the last 24 hours! So fingers crossed for some very hot weather again soon. We are going to see the All Blacks vs. Fiji rugby tomorrow so that should be fun!

I have been on here far too long now but hopefully that has caught up a little bit (despite putting the whole of NZ into a nutshell - I shall bore you all with tales when i get home, hehe) Anyways hope everyone is well! We are home in less than 2 weeks!!! Looking forward to seeing everyone :) See you soon, love jem xxx