The bus left Franz Josef at 7:30am, to say James and I were a little worse for wear is a massive understatement. This meant that most of the journey through to Wanaka was a write off which was a shame because apparently it was really beautiful. Thankfully I recovered in time to be impressed by the fantastic views of Lake Hawea. The hangover was further subdued when we arrived in the beautiful little town of Wanaka. The small town sits on the shores of Lake Wana...

Everyone piled onto the bus with sore heads after the Poo Party. The pain was further increased when the driver announced to everyone that I had won the best costume prize for helping with the dishes, after that my headache didn’t seem too bad. Our first stop of the day was at Pukekura to visit Bushman Pete’s Cafe and Museum. Here we got to see example of the West Coast’s wildlife and then watched a documentary on how deer used to be hunted in the area. I t...

After Nelson we headed down the West Coast of the South Island. Before arriving at Westport we stopped off at Lake Rotoiti for some awesome views, we also caught some great views at Westport beach. The next day we travelled from Westport to Lake Mahinapua. We journeyed southbound on State Highway 6 checking out Tauranga Bay and the seal colony and then the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Just after lunch we stopped off at the town of Greynouth. The reason for this was t...

Before discovering Nelson I had a 2 day walk and kayaking trip at Abel Tasman National Park. The bus departed Nelson at 6:30am and by 9:00am I was on a water taxi heading from Kaiteriteri along the Abel Tasman coastline to Awaroa Bay at the north end of the national park. The view from the taxi of the coast was great and I couldn’t wait to hit the land and start my trip. I being dropped off I started my unguided hike southwards. The scenery was simply stunning;...

It was an early rise to catch the Interisland Ferry to the South Island. I was really looking forward to the south; anyone who has visited New Zealand will tell you that it is the place to be. Arriving at Marlborough Sounds you can see why. The Sounds are a maze of sandy mountains, green hills and white beaches that all plunge into the crystal clear waters of the Cook Strait. It is a natural advertising board that shouts ‘Welcome to the South Island. It is beau...