We spend the next couple of days seeing the delights of Rotorua which include the Buried Village, Lake Rotorua and the Green and Blue Lakes, Te Puia (another thermal area, but with the famous Pohutu Geyser which is huge) and a Maori evening of entertainment and a hangi (a Maori meal cooked in the ground using hot rocks), which was very tasty. On our way north from Rotorua we also gave Zorbing a go which was great fun. For those of you that don't know, Zorbi...

Got up nice and early to catch our ferry back to the North Island only to receive a text that it had been cancelled due to bad weather. After much to-ing and fro-ing we ended up booked on another ferry for later in the day. Unfortunately that ferry left three hours late and was probably the worst crossing I've ever experienced. Fortunately sea-sickness was kept at bay with Amy's newly discovered remedy - Ginger tables (recommended for anyone who suffers from m...

Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park & Marlborough Sounds 8th May to 14th May 2006 It's a dejected Stu & Amy who check out of the Motel on a Monday morning after Tottenham's failure to clinch 4th place in the league. The Lindauers Sparkling Rose remains on ice. We find it difficult to believe that the players can come down with a spot of delhi belly in a London Hotel when we have been working our way around numerous dodgy countries and have not had a sniff of...

The 'Wild' West coast. 6th May to 7th May 2006. We covered the towns of Hokitika, Westport and Greytown very quickly over the next few days in a desperate race to get to Nelson in time for the biggest footy game of the season Spurs vs West Ham (what do you mean you get the impression that we are just filling in time between footy games). It has to be said that these towns are largely forgettable with little in the way of character or interest. ...

Franz Josef (FJ) Glacier 5th May 2006 It's a pretty long drive from Wanaka to FJ and we stop in Fox Glacier on the way for a walk around Lake Murchison and some stunning views of Mounts Cook and Tasman across the most pristine of lakes (NZ is full of these mirror like lakes). After staying in possibly the dirtiest camping ground come hostel in the world we head off for one of the highlights of the tour so far, a Heli-hike up to the Franz Josef Glacie...