Maybe we wrote the last blog a little too in advance seeing as the next day we got up nice and early to find out the trip was cancelled due to the cyclone hitting earlier than they planned. So yes, we came all the way to Australia and didn't go in the Great Barrier Reef.

After our emotional farewell Jen headed south to Wiseman's Ferry to her Buddhist retreat while I flew over the water to New Zealand.

Oh.my.god...it was sooooo cold. I knew it wasn't going to be like Australia but really wasn't expecting it to be quite as 'fresh' (how the Kiwi's describe the weather) as it was. Got talking to a couple of girls, Ruth and Tara on the shuttle from the airport and ended up spending the next couple of nights going for food and drinks with them which was nice. Spent the day time walking round Christchurch, the botanic gardens, going up the gondola and looking at the amazing views of the city. It was so strange being in Christchurch, it felt like Stratford upon Avon at times, especially with the punting boats on the river and touristy little souvenir shops.

We had been told that the Kiwi's are a very friendly nation which definitely seemed to be the case from the start. I thought my bus driver to Dunedin knew a lot of people but when he literally waved at every single vehicle we passed I realised, they are just very friendly!