Hi there Thanks for all your replies to me and comments about the site. I've added a couple of pics (only two this time) but hopefully they will put as much of a smile on your faces as the last lot did. I've done quite a bit since the last postcard. Been to Waitomo where I had to dress up in a wet suit and float through some caves on a rubber ring to see 'Glow Worms' - a very surreal experience. In fact I've had a few of those while in NZ... After Waitomo was Taupo, where most of the bus did their sky dives. I opted for the 'Rocks and Ropes' course which was billed as something to cure your fear of heights. Basically it was an assault style course where you had to walk across tightropes 40 feet off the ground. You were hitched to a support line in case you fell off, but that doesn't stop the fear. My first go was pretty poor, inching my way across, but I made it and didn't fall off. Next I had to walk a wobbly bridge (with no hand holds), similarly with a log, all 40 feet off the ground. Then we were made to climb up a telegraph pole, stand on the end of it and jump for a trapeze bar. Have to say it was the most difficult thing I've done but I did it, though I missed the trapeze...I must say it has done wonders for how I cope with heights. From Taupo we did the Tongariro Crossing, billed as one of the most beautiful walks in NZ. I won't bore you with the details except to say that it was truely amazing and I walked on the slopes of Mt Doom (as filmed in Lord of the Rings). Eventually we reached Wellington, the so called 'windy city'. Now I imagined a few breezes but not the force 10 gale constantly blowing day and night. My impression of the city was slightly coloured by the crap weather. In addition my accommodation was dire. I'd decided to slum it with the bus crew who for the most part are a bit drunken, being mostly English and all (heh! heh!) Most of the time I take myself off to a classier hostel, but this causes bonding issues with the group. What a mistake in Wellington! The place was another prison like dorm with a filthy kitchen. I shared my room mostly with girls (it's the thing in NZ to have mixed dorms) but they were worse than the boys, rolling in loud and drunk at all hours - I need my beauty sleep these days. A tribe of Mauri children invaded the hostel on the second day and ran up and down the corridors screaming constantly. The climax of this particular sojourn came when my so called dorm-mates discovered that they had nits. As you can imagine, I couldn't wait to leave Wellington. The next day my flight to the South Island was cancelled and had to make a mad dash for the ferry to keep up with the bus. Luckily the Lice Girls decided to stay behind a day to sort their hair out... South Island looked up a bit. The scenery is amazing and I met some nice new people on the bus. Though the prob is that people come and go as people hop on and hop off. Additonally after the Wellington experience I took matters into my own hands and made sure I was pre-booked into the nicer hostels in each town we passed through - sod the bonding. At a place called Mahinapua though we had no choice as there was only one place in town - the Mahinapua Hotel also known affectionately as the 'Poo Pub'. Tonight was to be a special evening as we all had to take part in a fancy dress party. The theme was 'cross dressing'. Now those of you who know me from Allen & Overy know that I have some experience with this (from the Christmas parties - okay) so I was determined to put in a good show. You will see in the photo section the owner of the pub, Les, who is 80 and a bit of a legend. Each Kiwi bus comes through and each time the crowd have a party at his bar. The boys shop for supplies at the local salvation army where the old ladies behind the counter sell young lads their first bra for 20 cents. Anyway despite my reservations the party was a great success. In fact I won first prize for my outfit. (Les chose me!) I'll get to what the prize is later...Anyway, the ironic thing is no-one knows I'm gay...no really...no honestly... After the party we went to Franz Josef where I went for a hike on a glacier. It was very exciting and surreal, climbing up a mountain of ice. We had to wear spikes on our boots and were given ice axes. We crossed huge bottomless fissures and saw wierd ice holes and shapes. On the way down a thunder storm developed over our heads and it poured with rain. For a while I thought we were in trouble but our guide brought us safely down. There were one or two casualties of the day though. One girl had a potentially broken finger after falling on it twice and I managed to get my mobile phone soaked so now it doesn't work (don't ask why I had it with me!) Now I'm at Wanaka. I've let the bus go ahead for a day so that I can chill out (it's bloody cold down here) and rest up before the madness of Queenstown. What was my prize from the fancy dress? Well I thought I might end this update on a cliff hanger in true Dr Who tradition. Almost literally. I've won a 'Canyon Swing'. Billed as the 'world's highest swing' at 109m/360ft. The testimonials include things like "Even my s*** was scared". I am to jump or be released from a cliff-mounted platform then freefall into a canyon until the 'ropes smoothly pendulum you in a giant arc at 150kph'. Even writing this is making butterflies in my stomach... So have I overcome my fear of heights sufficiently to jump off a cliff? Tune in next time...(hopefully) Love to all PS I haven't made a will