Dear Diary (20/12), So the time has eventually come for me to get prepared to go home. It is a really difficult thing to do as I miss everyone back home, but I would love to stay, either here in NZ or go to Oz. I can honestly say that the past 2 months in Vietnam & NZ have been the best months of my life. I have met loads & loads of people, made lots of new friends, seen the most amazing sights, done the most ridiculous activities & have lived lif...

Dear Diary (18/12), Left Kaikoura for Wellington via the ferry across the Cook Strait, which was alot choppier than previous crossing! Arrived at hostel at about 5.30pm & I decided to splash out & get a room to myself rather than a dorm-absolute heaven. The simpliest of things but it was as good as being in a 5 star hotel at this stage of my travels. Met the only other 3 people who got off at Wellington in the bar along with Matty our driver (apart fro...

Dear Diary (17/12), Left Christchurch at 7.30am & there was only 10 of us on the bus. Arrived in Kaikoura (means food of the crayfish) by 12pm. It is very similar to Bay of Islands, which I loved, as is not too big & is really chilled out. I messed up my activities as I signed up for a seal swim rather than a dolphin swim. However it turned ok as was able to book dolphin swim for the following morning & the seal swim was pretty amazing. I had a hell...

Dear Diary (15/12), Left for Christchurch, which was a blessing as Queenstown was killing me & not sure for how much longer I could have survived. Stopped at Lake Pukak, which has the most amazing blue water due to the glacier finely crumbling the mountain rocks. It was such a lovely day that you could see My Cook in the background, which is quite rare. Also stopped at the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is set in one of the most beautiful & peacefu...

Dear Diary (14/12), Day trip to Milford Sound, which was 1 of the things on my list to do in NZ. Weather was not particularly great as cloudy & rainy for most of the day, but did get to see a number of magnificent waterfalls You really need good weather in order to really appreciate the scenery. Didn't get back to hostel until 8.30pm - a 12 hour day with most of it sitting on a bus takes it out of you!