Dear Diray (04/12),

Majority of people that have been on the bus stayed in Wellington for an extra day but due to time constraints I had to leave in the morning, althugh I will get to see most of them again in Queenstown which I am really looking forward to. It's strange being on an almost totally new bus. Everyone was fairly quiet to begin with but all seemed friendly enough.

Got ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton. Was told that it was a calm crossing compared to normal - yeah right, whatever!! The views on entering the south island were just stunning. People have been saying that the south island is so much better than the north - it has alot to live up to in my eyes.

Stopped at a local vineyard in the Marlborough Valley region for some wine tasting & a bit of lunch - could have chilled out there all afternoon.

Stayed in a really nice hostel which was basically an old pub with dorms out the back.

Went to the 'centre of New Zealand' which wasn't as great as it might seem, but had o be done.

A very quiet night which finished with me going to bed, for the first time before midnight, my body was in shock!!