Japan has really stolen the thunder regarding earthquakes but Christchurch is still in a terrible state.The busses are a complete mess as the CBD is completely closed and guarded by soldiers as there are about 130 building still waiting for the wrecking ball.We had booked a hostel in advance because as far as we could see there were only two or three operating.Most were in the exclusion zone and some were not operating as no backpackers were going there.We stayed in a suburb called New Brighton and reckon there were maybe four other people in the whole hostel.You still have to drink bottled water as all the sewerage and main water pipes are broken and you can't go in the sea for the same reason.We left the next morning and even in that small space of time there were 8 small earthquakes.

The next day we went to Escapes Rentals alternative location to collect our van.Their main depot had been destroyed so they were operating out of the Garage where they are maintained.In this part of town they were getting no water at all to speak of.When Olli asked to use the toilet they said fine but our rule is "if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down".

We were given a choice of 4 vans.Only one of them was a manual so that made things nice and easy.Like the sailing club they were so laid back.They must have been in at least a little financial difficulty given no one is coming to Christchurch but they were the opposite of pushy over selling us add-ons.We were going to both chip in to rent a sat nav but they said we would be wasting our money.When it came to the final bill they let us off the two days which we should have had it for but had been late - even though they were within their rights to charge us.

We jumped in the van and headed off only to realise we had no idea where to go or what to do so headed straight for the nearest McDonalds where in the end we decided to go to a town called Hamner Springs.

We got to Hamner Springs quite late so had a quick drive around and found a campsite where we could park up and spend the evening in the owners garage playing table tennis for hours.As a bonus we also met a couple who were just about done travelling and they gave us their box of food.

The next day we went for a wander round the town and too the thermal baths before getting some fish and chips.I wouldn't normally mention fish and chips as, lets face it, its not that exciting but this was an unusual fish and chips.Firstly the shop was full of TVs all playing the same Phil Collins gig (Olli was very happy to see this) and also you could only have the fish and chips prepared the way the owner wanted.You had to have lemon, chicken salt and pepper or you were not getting any lunch at all.She was very proud of the fish and how much better then England's fish and chips it was.It was crap, it was not as good as cod, and all the stuff she made me put on it did not cover this up.

Before leaving we thought we would drive up into the mountains and get a look at the view but we turned around when we realised the camper van was not going to survive the drive up there.I would like to say I executed a beautiful 3 point turn however halfway through the manoeuvre the van got stuck with one wheel off the ground and the other one spinning.A little pushing and pulling soon sorted this and we were on our way to Kai-Kora where we would camp up next to the beech.

On the way there we realised why the bus driver took us on such long windy roads.They are as good as it gets.Their main roads, what they refer to as interstate highways and are our equivalent of the M1, are in places so windy you need to be doing 10mph in first gear or you will fall off a cliff.

On Thursday we drove to Abel-Tasman.The last 10k of the drive to the campsite took about an hour because it was the worst road ever.What we didn't have with us we were not going to drive back to get.We drove around the site looking into the different fields until one group of campers waved at us.Big mistake as we assumed that meant come camp with us. They were a group of 4 German girls who were good fun to hang out with.They had been travelling NZ for about 2 months and since the van only had 2 seats they would just lie on the beds and keep their heads down whilst driving.That's not what I expected from the sensible Germans!

The first night we collected a load of wood and got a big fire going for everyone.We also cooked all our food on it and although it took 2 hours to boil the water it was still good fun. I also saw my first possum.They are considered a pest in NZ and the government pays $10 or something for every skin handed in to keep the numbers down.The Germans had said it would be a cross between a rat and a cat which would claw my eyes out given half a chance. I climbed up into the tree to get a closer look.A look which could have been my last.It was nothing like described and very cute so although I needed the money I decided not to kill it.Mum has been thinking about getting a new cat (sadly as a friend for Ziggy, not as a replacement) so I have saved her the money by packaging it up and sending it home.

On Friday morning I woke up at 330 am still in the chair by the dying fire surrounded by empty bottles.This was a little disconcerting as the German girls had been telling us about an Australian traveller who disappeared without a trace a couple off beaches up.We decided to stay an extra night so that we could use the day to go on a hike with the Germans.

The hike was about 6.5km return and took us right off the beaten track through the woods and along some beeches which were completely deserted.Eventually we wound up at a lighthouse point, cleverly named because it had a lighthouse.More importantly at the bottom of the cliff were sea lions so me and two of the girls braved the treacherous walk down the cliff face and when we got to the bottom still found ourselves to far away from them to see them properly.There were a couple of other people out there as well but no one seemed to keen on heading out across the rocks to get to them.Naturally I jumped at the chance so went climbing until I got within 6 feet of them and a few other people I had left behind came a little closer as well.I thought sea lions were harmless but we have since checked on the interweb and apparently that are actually quite dangerous.I suppose the clue is in the second part of their name but I lived to tell you the tale.

I jogged all the way back to see if I could still run any sort of distance and I just about could although since Olli walked and arrived 25 minutes after me so at the time I must have thought I was running a lot faster then I was.We then drove all round the campsite finding chopped wood so we could build an even bigger fire for the night.When we were going to give up all hope we found a huge pile so filled then front of the van with it and went back.Sadly our luck was not to last very long as it started to rain and it soon became apparent it was not going to stop anytime soon.In the end it rained all night but never fear the girls had a last plastic sheet and we had a fair amount of string we could take off our completely useless solar shower.We backed the van up towards a tree and with the boot opened up I was able to tie the sheet between said tree and boot creating a shelter for us all.Apart from it falling down once soaking everyone and needing the water that gathered on it removing every 10 minutes it was perfect.I know. I truly am the alpha male.

The next morning it was time to move on.We got up early with a view to leaving before the ranger appeared to collect fees.This was quite an expensive site ($12.50 each) and fees are paid via an honesty system with a ranger checking a few people while they leave in the morning.We are not honest.The girls went, we got rid of the rubbish and then we made a run for it as well.The ranger was however already at his post and we had to pay up.

As we drove though a small town on the way out to go to Franz Joseph we spotted that most beautiful of symbols - the big yellow M.We thought we would go in and get some food and use the WIFI as we never know when we will next get the chance but ended up freezing dead in the door.The couple on the fist table looked very much like Kelly and Graeme who we had been out with quite a lot in Miami.From the looks on their faces as they stared back I concluded they were.

We had a catch up with them and then bumped into the girls from the campsite.This McDonalds in the middle of nowhere really was the place to be.Shame it was 830 in the morning and not 830 at night.We could have had a pretty good party.It turned out that the girls had just got out before the ranger turned up.Basically by being good responsible campers we got charged $25.Very unjust.

So it was nice seeing Kellie and Graeme, apart from having our faces rubbed in the fees we ended up paying it was nice seeing the Germans as well.We had the last laugh though.We had left the lights on in the van so had a flat battery.The car park was between a McDonalds and a Burger King so the Germans had a huge audience whilst they bump started us.

Our van troubles were to plague us again later in the day.We had a good 10 hours to drive to get to Franz Joseph and we had not realised how little there would be on the way there.We left the last big town with ¾ of a tank and after driving for hours with no sign of a petrol station a little yellow light came on.Something about us running low on fuel maybe? Yeah great.As we were getting closer and closer to a tourist place a few more towns were sure to turn up and sure enough we soon drove through a little town.Too small to have petrol station though.Next we had to drive up a mountain which really did help on fuel front but we did get to coast down the other side.The next town did have a petrol station but since it was 630pm it had been closed for literally hours.Also it would not be open the next day - Sunday, and that would mean being stuck there till Monday which was not something we could do.In the end we decided to push on to the next town and see what was there.We limped in having done over 50km since the warning light came on and once again we were confronted by a shut petrol station.However this one would open the next morning so we called it a night and parked up behind the local pub for $5.

As it turned out this was a fantastic thing to do.We had parked with a pub 20 ft from our van.We were living next to a pub. Normally this would be my idea of heaven so we quickly forgot about not making it all the way to Franz Joseph and decided to introduce ourselves to the locals.

When we went in we asked the bar maid what time it would close and she said quite late, normally when it got quiet.Now this was no help at all. When is quite late in a place where petrol stations are closed after lunch?By 10pm the man who looked like a cross between a gold prospector and a oil baron who was threatening to buy everyone's farms had driven most of the people away and was leaving himself.If we went beck to the van to cook our steaks we would come back to find it empty and shut.In the end I decided to man the bar while Olli cooked his.I wasn't that hungry anyway as I was full of beer and diesel (not the fuel kind, it's a canned drink of ready mixed bourbon and coke) and I had a few people to play pool with.

The first guy I can't remember the name of but I do remember that he had no teeth at all.The second was called Rangey.I am not quite sure how to describe Rangey other then being a stereotypical rugby character.In fact he was most like brains from uni for those of you that know him.

We had also been chatting to two of the volunteer fire fighters.Chief Ian and a guy called Tim.Chief Ian also ran the petrol station and said it would be open at 8 as long as they were not fighting a fire.They had popped in for a couple of drinks after being on a course and were both expected back for dinner by their respective families.We however had different ideas and kept them there till about 2 am when they eventually staggered out the bar and drove home to be told off.Yes drove home! That however is nothing as compared to some of the outrageous stories they had.They mostly involved being drunk in the pub then having to take the truck to fight a fire (there's nothing like fighting a big fire to sober you up) and getting underage drivers without licenses to take them home when they are past driving.

After they had gone I went back to the van to cook my steak in the dark and try not to wake Olli up.This is easier said then done.I was sporting one hell of a blister the next day from where I dropped my fork into the pan and had to get it out.The alcohol did however numb the pain.Still had I been sober I might not have dropped the fork.You live and learn.

I went back to the bar at about 3am and it was just being closed, however the night was just going to get interesting.Rangey had grabbed a couple of decorators who were passing through the town and wondered if I wanted to join them for a spot of goat fighting?Yes, just yes.

We made it to the farm but we never got to fight the goat.What happened next was quite a surprise.A very angry women came storming out the house shouting "you shall not fight my goats tonight". Was it just Saturdays that people were not allowed to fight the goats?What if we came back tomorrow? This was on reflection probably a good thing because lets face it, those goats never stood a chance. I had been wondering how she knew we were coming to fight her goats.It turned out that being such a small town the bar lady had phoned ahead and the owner had been waiting for us.I had thought he was taking us to fight his goats!

Rangey however did not disappoint.Since we could not goat fight he was going to take us to the haunted houses along the road.These were the houses that had not been lived in for perhaps up to 50 years.Most of them had been turned into shearing or slaughtering houses for the farms and we did indeed find a sheep corpse in one.I eventually made it back to the van at about 4am wondering if all that had just happened.As Patrick said - never stick to the plan.

The next day we got our fuel and made a run for it before the whole town heard there was a pom going around attacking people live stock.We were soon at Franz Joseph booking ourselves onto one of the glacier tours.

The tour left at about 1pm and we were fully equipped with waterproofs and all the other equipment we would need.It was raining super hard so I was quite glad not to be in my own clothes.It was a half hour trek to the bottom of the glacier and then about two hours on the ice.On the way up we were treated to a good view of a glacier rescue via helicopter.We though maybe someone had been injured but in fact someone had been just to unfit to carry on, and they were only our age!How is that even possible?

Just before we hit the ice we were given our crampons.They had a very simple name but I can't remember it.They were pretty neat though.As long as you stamped hard it was like walking on normal ground.Although the rain was not what I would have wanted it did have one good use.It constantly washed away the less dense top layer of house leaving the super dense layer behind. This showed up as aqua blue and was spectacular.Upon getting down off the glacier though I discovered that all the rain had not made photos from my camera any clearer and spectacular.Quite the opposite in fact.It was broken.Luckily our guide who was really nice and had a really cool job all before she was 21 said I could leave it in their heat cupboard over night where they dry the radios.

The tour also came with free entry to the thermal pools in the area but I tend to get bored if I am in them for more then 20 minutes and was starving so headed to get a meal in a place with free wifi.Whilst there I got chatting to a couple of guys after one of them started drinking my beer by accident so we sat together and watched the formula one.When Olli turned up we went in and hung out with a group who had been on the tour with us and discovered there was 10 minutes left of the happy hour.Why can't we ever discover its happy hour just before it starts.Still there was enough time to get a tray of drinks each before heading elsewhere.

They were a pretty cool group but it has to be said that one of them, Alex, is one of the most hilarious people I have ever met.He spent the whole time dancing around and going crazy and seeing how many people who could talk to at random and as such was also in constant trouble with his girlfriend at which point he would look like a schoolboy being told off.A 6ft4 school boy.Olli also admitted at this point that he had left the bar before without paying for his food.I am worried that he is going off the rails.

That night we camped a little north of Franz Joseph and got up early on Monday to head to Queenstown, another long drive.When we got there and had checked out the out skirts as well as getting some food we backtracked a little way to a small place called Arrowtown where we hoped to be able to camp for the night.We drove around for hours following sings that led nowhere eventually finding somewhere which had closed its gates 10 minutes earlier.Because of this we were eventually forced to park up in one of the towns car parks with a few other people who must have had the same problem.It did say strictly no camping but we thought it unlikely that would be thumping on our door at the crack of dawn.

We were woken up just before 7 the next morning by a man thumping on our door and flashing orange lights.Apparently the local council do take the camping quite seriously but as long as we were gone within 10 minutes they would not fine us $300. This was a good thing because we didn't have $300 and that would have made things very uncomfortable.

Since we still wanted to sleep we headed back to Queenstown and on the outskirts found a car park which was "campervan friendly".So we parked up down the end near the building site and went to sleep again.When we got up we found something amazing.Not only had the car park filled up with considerate drivers who had taken care not to wake us up but the building site turned out to be the most insane dirt jumping park I have ever seen (see pics on facebook).Once we had sorted ourselves out we headed to a lodge in Queenstown that the guys from Franz Joseph had suggested.

As was becoming the norm with bumping into people at random times we ended up checking in at pretty much the same time as the other so decided we should all do something together.In the end we settled for Luging down a mountain at the Ben Lomond scenic reserve.We all got a cable cars to the top where we were treated to fantastic views of Queenstown.We also realised we had forgotten to bring a camera.

At the top we also found that there was a long downhill track along with a lot of downhill riders on insane bikes.I hadn't realised all the cable cars had been modified to take the bike up to the top. To be honest I realised at this point however that however good the luge would be, I had made a mistake.I should have hired a downhill bike and spent the day riding as Queenstown really is the centre of mountain biking in NZ.Even the small towns have skate parks and jumps but this place was packed full of stuff to do.Most shops pretty much only sold high end mountain bikes and it would be difficult to have hired anything worth less then £2000.The luge did however turn out to be great fun as long as you did not get stuck behind a golden oldie whom refused to take the break off.On our final run a tour helicopter landed next to the track and we were all racing each other through the rotor wash.

That night we unfortunately ended up in another base hostel bar but we had got together our own crowd so didn't have to talk to anyone else.We had got hold of Rachel from Toupo who had brought a load of her friends and also Kelly and Graeme.Rachel had also bought a surprise guest along who she had spotted walking down by the lake- Kate the Criminology graduate from Toupo.

We eventually wound up on a bar crawl put together by the hostel which worked out at something like £12 for 10 bars with a free drink in each plus some pizza. Not bad.After tearing up the night with the others and a couple more of Germans called Daniela and Johanna whom no one knows where they appeared from we went to the legendry Fergburger.Every single person who we have asked about NZ has said we must go to. I would like to say how fantastic it was but I can't remember and even if I could I think the drink would have put my taste buds to sleep for the night anyway.

We woke up the next morning and stumbled about trying to get ourselves ready for the 10am checkout and in the end failed hopelessly.When I stumbled into the reception to extend our stay the guy behind the desk just burst out laughing at me.I didn't see him again till about 3pm when we woke up again and he explained that it looked like I had been bleeding from the eyes.

After a quick trip down to Fergburger for a huge venison burger and a coffee which I would actually remember (best burger I have ever had in my life.If your going to go to Queenstown make sure you get one.In fact go out of your way to Queenstown to get one) Olli settled into the hot tub and I took the van and a map out so I could find some LOTR shoot locations.In the end I managed to get to the locations of Amon Hen, the Ithilien Camp, and finally an area labelled Various Scenes from Middle Earth.It was quite a difficult climb to get up to it and the fields were also being used to graze bulls which didn't help matters but once there I recognised it as the scene of the small battle from the second film just before Aragon got thrown off the cliff.

I headed back into town as I was supposed to have met Olli and the Irish girls in a bar for a pub quiz at 730 and it was now 9pm (I had a little trouble getting back to the van in the dark).As I drove back to the hostel I did my best to avoid all the people who were already drunk and stumbling around the town.One particular chased the van s small distance.I then headed to the pub where I found the quietest and most serious pub quiz of my life.I was just in time to save the day by answering the final question.Worryingly Olli was no where to be seen.

Rachel and her friends said although he had been there at the start he had already been drinking and had then vanished.Apparently he had sat in the room and finished all the drink we had left.Drinking alone in the room and running from bars without paying.Worrying.

I went off wandering around the town and eventually bumped into him (that's how small this "city" is).Turned out it was him who had chased the van as I came into town.When he has seen how serious the pub quiz was he had gone to make his own fun eventually ending up at the slot machines in a casino.We can add gambling to the list.

We went around and checked out a few bars, a couple of which we knew we had been to the night before but remembered nothing off, and then back to the pub where luckily the quiz was over.They had some really good live music - a husband and wife duet. He played guitar and they both sang.There was nothing they could not do and every now and then when they needed a drink they would let people in the pub use their instruments to play themselves.Somehow by how closing time everyone was dancing around with their stools on their heads. Bar stools that is, not the smelly type.

On Thursday we were due to head to heads to Milford Sound which most people had said good things about including a glowing review in lonely planet.On the way we tried to find another LOTR shoot location, The Pillars of the Kings.We never did and in the end decided we should just get off the tiny road mountain road before we fell off.We did however on our way take another small diversion and after an hour walk in the rain find the shoot location for The Dead Marshes and also and the River Anduin (from the end of the 1st film).They were really cool, especially the marshes, and very recognisable form the films.

That night we parked up in the most deserted place I had even see in my life and yet still somehow a ranger appeared out of no where to collect our fees. It was pouring with rain and I don't think we even bothered to cook.We had given up on showering etc so this was the next logical step.This was actually where I started my blog for NZ.Olli also started his blog starting back in American but then found his notebook was loaded with free games which got in the way a bit.Now it is taking all my self control to stop myself looking for games on mine.

The next day we got to Milford Sound and quite frankly it was a waste of time and petrol.No one had said that you would need to take an over priced boat out to see anything and that it had more sand flies per person then anywhere else in NZ.Have I mentioned the flies before?They are the bane of our lives in this van.Open the door for a second and they come in.They don't bite like mosquitoes and suck blood.They just eat your skin until you have a small bleeding hole in your arm which then itches for weeks.Anyway we got some chips, filled up on petrol and left.Next on the list was Mount Cook.

We had plenty of time so made some stops at cool places on the way including a small town for a lunch stop of fish and chips.We had noticed it once or trice that it is difficult to get vinegar on your chips in NZ but it was most noticeable in this small town.The girl who served us went to get the manager to check she was allowed to put vinegar on the chips.Unless you go to a tourist area it is completely unheard of.After we had persuaded them that it was safe to put vinegar on the food we headed onto Mt Cook where we had a two hour hike over towards the base and back..

On Saturday we went to our final stop on the way back to Christchurch at a place called Banks Peninsula.This are was super isolated and deserted as can be.As we drove towards the coast be had fantastic views down from the mountains.We found a camp site as out of the way as possible by the sea so we were some what surprised when we arrived and there were 40 trainee teachers there on a course.

The next day we dropped our van back off at the depot in Christchurch but not before dumping all our bags back at the hostel in New Bright so that we could explore the city without having to lug all our stuff about.When we gave the van back we checked the clock and realised we had done over 2300 miles.Not bad.

This time we got to see a lot more of the damage to the city.The CBD is still cordoned off and it still looks like a war zone.I don't know where you would even begin to start clearing up.

We eventually got back to the hostel and found that there were a lot more people there this time.Obviously travellers had started coming back to the area although there were still plenty of aftershocks while we were there.The first thing on the agenda was a proper shower.I had not had one for 5 days now and no amount of deodorant was keeping the small at bay.I would like to say how awesome it was to finally get clean again but since we were still not allowed to drink the water there was no escaping from the fact that I was basically washing myself with diluted sewerage.Still I guess I still came out cleaner then I went in.

That first night we found ourselves in a pretty cool group.There was a couple who just seemed to travel non stop called Tim and Steph as well as an English guy in our room called Andrew who had just come from Auz and was doing roughly the same trip as us but in the other direction.I would like to say that everyone in our room was as cool as them.We had an old man who went to bed at 730 every night and stank of piss as well as a creepy guy I never got the name of but looked just like Victor Creed from X-Men Origins: Wolverine.Somehow things ended up going pretty crazy as after a couple of bottles of wine we decided we should all dress up in whatever clothes were in the lost and found.Unfortunately they were mostly women who had lost clothes in this particular hostel.

On Tuesday we spent most of the day just chilling and recovering from the time in the van.In the evening we went and treated ourselves to a really good Indian takeaway and me and a couple of guys who same I have forgotten thought we should go for a LOTR fest, we were in NZ after all.Somehow we managed to keep ourselves awake and managed all 3 films.

On Wednesday I decided it was time to wash all my stuff including my shoes.They would need to go through several washes to get rid of the smell and Steph became one of my very best friends when she showed me how to activate the washing machines with nothing more then a hairpin.Her boyfriend proved to be very laid back that evening. When we were all drinking I would keep grabbing her hand and taking her to the laundry room to practice.Picking the washing machines that is.

Anyway at about 9pm that night we were all having some chilled drinks around the table when Nicko turned up with a pizza and a bag with a battered fish in it.Nicko is a huge 25 year old Maori scaffolder who was staying at the hostel because his place had been destroyed.He had moved his family out of Christchurch but had stayed behind to earn as much money as possible.He must have been doing ok because he was completely out of his mind drunk and the first thing he did was chuck $70 at me and demand that I go to the off licence to buy everyone wine and beer.Now this put me in a slightly difficult position.On the one hand he was a man mountain so didn't want to tell him I wouldn't.That would also be out of character because when would I say no to free drink?On the other hand I didn't want him to wake up tomorrow and be pissed off that I had taken him seriously when he could barely stand up and had just tried to explain how he would scaffold the apex of a building that we were all partying on the side off by drawing it on the pizza lid.It was quite a sight.In the end I compromised by buying some drink and trying to give him the change which he said I could keep, all $40 of it.I might as well have not bothered though as he later sent Andrew back with what was left to get more drinks.

At this point the night really did deteriorate and he decided was should all eat the fish with him after he had finished preparing it.This dish was soon given a name- Eat the Fish, a chant which kept the rest of the hostel awake till about 2am. He took the battered fish and cut it into small pieces before preparing it with beer, wine, jam, sugar, BBQ sauce, sweet chilli sauce, cottage cheese, ketchup and finally water.It actually tasted really good.Nicko then went completely mad and started pouring the box of sugar and whatever else he could find down his throat whilst stabbing a huge knife into the kitchen table until he looked like he was going to be sick at which point he stood up as cool as a cucumber, thanked us for such a memorable night and that we should do it again tomorrow, and went to bed.He did come back 10 minutes later to arm wrestle us all though.

After him the first to bed was Steph at which point me and Tim thought it would be funny for me to dress in his clothes and go get into bed with her. It would have been funny apart from the fact she basically ignored me when I got into bed with her and tried to snuggle up.Poor Tim!When everyone else headed off at about 2pm I headed back to the laundry room to practice on the machines until I could do it with my eyes closed.

I woke on Thursday with my two thumbs ripped too pieces.I am not sure how long I had practiced with the hair clip for but the drink must have numbed the pain at the time so I had not noticed was it was doing to me.Never mind though we had a distraction, about 25 Chinese (Buddhists I think) had arrived from Auckland to help volunteer with the clear up and they were fascinating.They seemed to have some sort of telepathic communication with one another as without saying a word were able to prepare the most incredible meals for the group and tidy up.It was truly slick, they all knew what tasks and responsibilities were their and at what times with military precision.

That evening the hostel was hosting a music night for local talent that would go out live on the New Brighton radio so we went downstairs to check it out.It had certainly attracted some interesting characters.The sort where you wonder what it is that they do for day time jobs.I did comment on some of the odd clothes they were wearing but then it was pointed out to me that I had been in my pyjamas for the past four days and had not let that stop me from wondering around the town.

The next day we were due to fly out from Christchurch to Sydney at about 130pm.It would only be a very short flight and we had arranged to stay in the same hostel as Marco from Tahiti.Being a Friday we had arranged to then meet up with Suzanne who lives down the end of my road at home, her boyfriend Scott, and finally Jess who we met in Miami. We got to the airport in plenty of time at sat around as the flight was delayed over and over again until about 6pm when they cancelled it. @$%^.

As you can imagine everyone was pretty pissed off by this.We all queued up at the domestic flights desk where we would be told where we would stay and when we would fly.Some people were missing some pretty important stuff like weddings so we didn't get much sympathy over a missed night out.It was pretty annoying for us though as we had no way to telling everyone who were just going to turn up at the hostel and wonder what was going on.Anyone you talked to or complained about it to said they worked on a different department and tried to make us feel bad.They were helping out just because they were such kind nice people.Not because it was all there fault. I used to use that one all the time when something went wrong at work.Eventually we were told that we would fly out just before 7 the next morning and they would put us in a hotel over night.Things were looking up until we found out we would be picked up at 430 the next morning.

We were shuttled to the hotel which was really nice.Since Air New Zealand was paying we went for the most expensive dinner on the menu.I was a little upset when I found out that they would not pay for drinks or anything from the mini bar in the room, having said that we both had our own really nice rooms so I will not complain to much.I stayed up watching Harry Potter on my nice big flat screen and was pretty pissed off when I got my wakeup call after an hour and a half of sleep.This time the fight left on time and although it was 7 in the morning we were on our way to the next adventure so I decided to take advantage of the free champagne.