Hey Everyone!

Thanks for the messages! Sounds like you're all very busy!

We left Franz Josef early in the morning to start the long drive south to Wanaka. On the way, we stopped at Lake Matheson. It was a half an hour walk from the car park to the lake ( not great for my legs after our glacier hike! ), but once we got to the lookout it was well worth it. It was absolutely stunning. It was so calm and serene; I have never have seen a lake so still. This one the main reason for our early start- to see the lake at its stillest. It also meant that the surroundings were reflected in the lake perfectly, including Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. It was truly amazing and definitely the most picturesque place I have ever been to.

We got to Wanaka late in the afternoon and our room at Base Wanaka was the best we've had so far- really modern and bright. That evening, the guys at Base did a bbq for us all which was very welcome! There are definite perks to being on the Kiwi Experience bus! We only stayed one night in Wanaka as everyone was keen to get to Queenstown. Queenstown is the furthest south we travel in New Zealand and as we left the green Alps of the west coast behind, they were replaced by a much sparser landscape. Its a lot more rugged and wilder down here. A bit chillier too!

Queenstown is our favourite place so far. It got its name because early settlers believed the town was fit for a queen- and so it is! Its famous for its reputation as the adventure capital of New Zealand but theres plenty of things for everyone. One of the things Queenstown is known for is the bungy jumping. This is where it all began and we stopped at AJ Hackett's Bungy Centre before we drove into town. Lots of people signed up to do a bungy (not me) but only one guy off our bus had the guts to do one then and there with us all watching. He looked terrified! Fin chose to do something slightly different to a bungy- the Nevis Arc. Its only five months old and its basically a swing across a canyon. At 120m, there was no way I was going to do it with him but he really enjoyed, despite being a little bit scared!

We arranged our own accommodation in Queenstown to ensure we got a private room as its a very busy town and rooms fill up quickly. We are staying in the YHA right in the centre of town and it has the best view from the kitchen. Yesterday we had a bit of an adrenaline-filled day. We got a deal on two activites we wanted to do so we started off by jet boating in the morning followed by white water rafting in the afternoon. The jet boat was great- we basically just sat there and held on while our driver sped and spun the boat through the canyon. We were travelling at about 60 mph and the boats have 520 horse power. It was the best fun! We had a voucher for a dvd and photo pack so we've even got it all on video. White water rafting was a bit more dangerous and after all the safety briefings, I was seriously worried that I was going to fall in or the raft was going to capsize. Fortunately, none of those things happened, although I did get hit in the face by someone's paddle- ow! The rapids were a bit scary but it was all good fun! The photos are great!

We are in Queenstown for another two nights and then we are off to Christchurch and Kaikoura again. After that, we hit the North Island. It certainly has a lot to live up to!

Keep in touch!

Love Sian and Fin xxx