Hey everyone. Next stop was Franz Josef for a couple of days. The glacier hikes are supposed to be the best in New Zealand so we booked into doing a half day hike up the glacier.

The evening we arrived we just chilled out and had a couple of drinks with our friends from the bus. We had to be up early the next day as we had booked our SKYDIVE for 6.30 the following morning. Franz Josef is meant to be the 2nd best place in the world to do a skydive so we had to sign up. 6.30am is also the best time to do it as we get to see the sunrise over Mount Cook (the highest mountain in New Zealand).

So we got up the earliest we have got up in a long while and got picked up with 4 other girls from the bus....needless to say it was a pretty silent journey with everyone either too tired, nervous or hungover for chit chat!!!

When we arrived me and Hannah were actually the 3rd pair up so we actually didnt get to see the sunrise. But by the time we got in the plane and done all the checks and stuff it was perfectly clear. The flight up to 12,000 feet was worth the money itself, the views of the mountains and sea was amazing. Then it got to jump time. We both loved all of it. We bought the pics and we were allowed to take up our own camera for when the parachute opened.

The freefall was 45seconds but was the most amazing feeling ever. it was over pretty quick but when the chute opened everything went silent. It was the most peacful thing ever and the guy spun me around in loads of circles which was brilliant. The views were amazing and the landing was so much fun...sliding along the grass on your bottom!!

We were both on such a high after that and we both said we would do another one someday! Later that afternoon we went on our glacier hike. this was good fun too and when we got high up the views were pretty special. It was quite cold up there but the sun was beating down and my face got a little burnt!!! The walks and tracks we took change from day to day depending on rainfall and sun etc... so every walk and climb is different which was cool.

Franz Josef was definately one of our favourite places so far and we are lloking forward to the rest of the south island now.

Rich and Hannah.x