well well well, we are becoming lazy... after a superb trip in south island where we mostly did free camping, we are on North island which is warmer but less sunny. After a lovely relaxing morning in Hanmer springs spa in different hot mineral pools, we went surfing in Kaikoura. when we arrived in the car park, I spoke with a surfergirl and realised she was the girlfriend of Ben thomas, a guy from perranporth that I had met at the same place 2 years ago when in new zealand... not only that but she was French too, from savoie , a tue snowboarder and surfergirl. I followed her and did not even catch one wave. My hands were so cold I only stayed 20 min without gloves and did not even have one wave.... I know I am rubbish!! Mark and I were invited to meet them in a pub restaurant, nice to go out and mostly to speak French!!!! The next day they showed us around and we cooked a delicious meal together... After a day in Nelson, we took the ferry to go and meet saby and Barry in lake taupo in the middle of North island. a brief stop in Wellington at the lord of the rings museum (quite good) and then a lot of driving. Monday morning I was hugging saby on a car park... We spent two days with Saby and Barry and walked a lot, Mark even seemed to have enjoyed himself. Tuesday we walked a part of the tongariro crossing, only the end, as you need crampons for the ice at the beginning and for climbing the volcanoes. we walked 5 hours, my leggs are killing since.... it was really cool and we had to walk on snow. thursday we went to New plymouth to see Mount taranaki, a copy of mount Fuji in Japan. It took us two day before we could see it as it was hidden in the clouds. we looked for waves but it was too small to wet our wetsuits.... we are in Napier now and expecting a big storm tomorrow.... tell u about an incident last night in the next entry see ya