Soooo back in Koh Samui I was going to have a restrained and civilised dinner with Lucy and her friend Storm, which we did have, at a beautiful restaurant on the beach.Once we got back to the villa, Storm suggested we finish off her bottle of tequila. Lucy instead rather sensibly retired to bed as Storm and I continued on to wreck havoc upon the Island. My personal highlights include playing pool with the local girls and boys at one of the more 'tasteful' go-go bars, abusing the punters in said go-go bar, dancing salsa with a guy in a wheelchair, though he struggled with the podiums, buying shots for everyone and getting a free lift back, Storm and I clinging to a motorcycle at 8am, all my good work from my detox undone in the space of 12 hours. And I had to travel straight through to Bangkok, by boat, tuk tuk and plane, what fun that was!Lucy noted I was a pale shade of green until about 6pm (which makes a change from me being just a pale shade of white - 4 weeks in Thailand and not even a hint of a tan, well, maybe the glare from my legs isn't blinding people anymore).The flight from Samui to BKK also brought home that a skydive may no longer be on my NZ itinerary - I picked up a flyer yesterday and felt nauseous for about 2 hours.

Lucy generously booked us into a very fabulous and very trendy hotel in Bangkok and I spent the next day shopping in the boutiques of Siam Square - from now own I have an embargo on future purchases - well at least until I offload a few of my books.

Storm, with a local's low down, knew a helpful pharmacist who would prescribe me xanax for my BKK to CHC flight.I got 4 seats to myself and Emirates were once again very generous with their beverages - well they are if you keep going to the galley to request them, with a look like you're not going to move until you get them.Finally I managed to get a good 10 hours, waking up a little groggy in search of wifi in Sydney airport for an hour stopover.

Having no clue as to what the time was, I imagined if I was a little late they would call my name over the tanoy, so I kept my ears peeled (honest).Then thinking time was getting on, I wandered over to the departure board to see the flight was closed.Well, they probably say that, I thought, just before they close the gate - but no, to my horror I was (a mere) 10 minutes late and the gate was deserted.Given the xanax I wasn't too worried, but I did grab a groundcrew guy to ask where my flight was "Well it's taken off" was his helpful response.He hurriedly called the pilot who was revving the engine on the runway.He asked the pilot to return but he refused, until a few more frantic calls later he was informed that as my bag was still on board security protocol meant he had to return (though how this works when they lose your luggage i'm not sure).As the groundcrew had ticked me off as being on board the plane - I don't feel entirely responsible, but it was still slightly embarrassing as I got a round of applause walking the walk of shame to the back of the plane (didn't even get an upgrade).The plane then had to refuel (as it's very precisely calculated - I learnt so much that day) and we were an hour delayed.There is a lesson there somewhere if I look for it hard enough.

Arriving in Christchurch I had no accommodation so I called a hostel from the airport.A converted Jail, it was the nicest jail i've ever stayed in (boom boom), albeit in an area on the outskirts of town in what can only be described as a barren industrial park, a good hour's walk from anywhere, as I found out going to the supermarket.As the sun set on me carrying a few provisions back, still groggy, it hit home that I was no longer in tropical Bangkok and I was likely to freeze to death getting back to my dorm room.I have since taken to wearing all of my clothes all of the time.With no plans for New Zealand (here's to the new me) when I got offered a lift to the South, I thought why not?As Rafi and I looked for warm trekking clothes, and I couldn't find him for a while as we shop hopped I realised all my belongings were in the boot of his car, I did have 30 seconds of mild panic but it all worked out well, and has been a much better hitching experience than those truck drivers in Queensland 9 years ago ; )

We went to Omaru where we spotted a lone penguin and then tried to get some beers at a local bar."Naa, not at this time" came the response. The time being 21:30 - definately not in London anymore! The next day we drove around the Otaca peninsula, through stunning scenery to spot seals and sea lions.I'm counting how many times I say "wow" a day at a new vista- current total 887.

Then we hit Dunedin, twinned with Edinburgh, there are plenty of hip bars, cafes, music venues and an amazing art gallery. However given the number of hen and stag parties and how little the laydees were wearing last night, I'd say it is more like Newcastle. I toyed with the idea of cycling the rail trail but the weather is very unpredictable, well it's cold and it rains most of the time and then unpredictably the sun will shine for 5 minutes.

Rafi moved on down south, introducing me to two of his Israeli friends Yoni and Tomer who are travelling New Zealand by bicycle.On Friday they invited me to have dinner at the local Chabad, from what I could tell, a sort of community house for Jewish travellers."You might have to say you are Jewish" said Yoni - I raised an eyebrow."Ok, maybe half Jewish, say your mother is Jewish but your father Christian and you can't speak hebrew", hmmmm, I thought."And maybe we call you Carmela and you must turn off your phone and don't use you camera, in fact don't do nothing until you ask me first" - it sounded ominous.As it turned out we decided honesty was the best policy and the Rabbi and everyone else really welcoming.It was a very interesting and tasty evening and I wish the Catholics did the same thing for weary travellers.

The last few days have given me a different (read better) impression of Israelis.You have never travelled on a budget until you have travelled with Israelis' on a budget - they have had me in stitches (what with the holocaust jokes) and rarely did 2 minutes pass by without one of them bursting into song - and as an added bonus they cooked really well - black bean stir fry and seafood thai curry in a hostel were both firsts.We hit the pool tables and even with those Israeli imperialists imposing their tricksy rules: Israel 4 England 5.

Now I am about to hit the road, by bus this time, to Te Anau and Milford Sound - it's all good.

Le hayim and beh atz la ha

Kerry x