New Zealand, the land of hobbits'zs and and extreme sports (to the max)!!!! A very strange route around the country and some more awesome friends.

Where shall we start, Auckland would be a good place, hiking up a volcanic island and camping on the beach on Wahike Island got us off to a good start before we caught up with Lou and Mike.

We headed South to attempt the "worlds best one day walk" the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and suddenly realised that the cheapy t-shirts and board shorts we stocked up on in Thailand had become dead weight in favour of jeans, hoodies, wooly hats and socks...it was quite cold!!!!

Next to Taupo, a volcanic crater lake so big you could fit Singapore inside it, so we did the only thing that could be done, jumped out of a bright pink aeroplane at 15,000ft! Rotarua was next a very volcanically active little town that smells like sulfur all the time, but was a great setting for mountain biking, zorbing, thermal spas and a visit to a geothermal wonderland of geysers, boiling mudpools and other features that are amazing even if your not a geology geek....

From North to South, a brief visit to Wellington, a dolphin escort to the South Island, Christchurch then Dunedin. We are currently touring the South island with our friend in her camper van (Edwina) visiting various National Parks and lots of little towns on the way. Right now its Emma's birthday and we are in Kaikoura, the sun is shining, the pubs are open, the crayfish are cooking and we will round up the weekend swimming with dolphins...life doesnt get much better than this - or maybe it might after a pint or two!!!!

Love you all
Rich and Em xxx