Well our time in New Zealand has come to an end already! It's gone way too quickly.

We started off in Auckland and stayed there for New Year, we started 2008 sat on a beach looking back at the city centre. There was lots of fireworks off the sky tower (which is taller than the Eiffel Tower). While in Auckland we also went to the museum and saw a traditional maori performance including a haka. We also went to the Kelly Tarlton Antartic Encounter Centre where we saw Penguins, Stingrays, and Sharks and loads of Fish!

On New Years Day we headed up to the north to the Bay of Islands staying in a place called Paihia. It was a bit grey on the day we arrived so weren't that impressed but we booked to go on a cruise to swim with dolphins the next day anyway hoping for better weather. Luckily the weather was really good the next morning, and the fact that Gaz reseambled a lobster is evidence. (He's still peeling and has been moaning about it most of the trip!). We werent able to swim with any dolphins as the pods we came across all had babies, Tish was quite relieved as swimming in the ocean with huge fish scared her! The babies feed about 20 times an hour so if u swim with them, they play with you, forget to feed, and die! On the boat trip we got to stop on an island, where we had lunch and got to try snorkeling (its not very easy!), we ended up dumping the snorkeling stuff and just swimming! We got to try out what they call a salty jacuzzi, (its a big boom net attached to the side of the boat), i think its more like being shoved in a fishing net and dragged along, but it was good fun. Some crazy old indian women jumped in fully clothed, in jeans and all! On the way back we stopped in Russell. We had a look around, went kayaking around the bay (tish had a bit of a paddy because Gaz tried to tip up the boat!), and then watched the sunset from the beach!

Next stop was Auckland, where we went up the sky tower. Its quite scary, especially as the floor of the lift is glass. And theres parts of the floor at the top which are glass that you can stand on. Its about 230 metres up. That night we headed to Lake Taupo in the centre of the north island, didnt get there till 1.30am!

While there we visited the craters of the moon. Its wierd because its an area of geothermal activity. The ground all around you is steaming, and there are bubbling mud pools. It smells funny too! We also visited Huka Falls. Our crazy german bus driver was hilarious, you had to be there, but we were crying with laughter.

We then decided the hostels we were staying at were far too plush so decided to visit turangi's pre-historic YHA. It was like a bad 80's campsite, complete with duvet covers grannies would be ashamed of! We did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing the next day, reportedly the best 1 day walk in new zealand (our legs were so tired after we didnt do any more walks so cant really compare). We went up to the Mt Tongariro summit, so the whole walk was 21km. Its wierd up there because of it being volcanic. No plants or anything seem to grow. There was a bright red crater, and the emerald lakes were bright blue and completely clear. They looked tempting to swim in but are actually poisonous.

Next up was Wellington. We only stayed for one night, but still found time to visit the museum, the art gallery and the botanic gardens using the cable car.

We crossed to the south island (just), Gareth managed to set the alarm for pm so we only just made the boat. Then he tried to leave the camera on a bus! On our way to Kaikoura, we got to stop and see the new zealand fur seals. The road goes right by the coast so you get a good view of them.

Kaikoura is the only place in New Zealand, where you are guarented to see a Whale. The village is very dramatic as its coastal but backs onto mountains. We went out on a boat at 6.15am, and got to see one sperm whale. Its about the same size as our boat (18 metres), so its quite dramatic. We also got to see albatross (GIANT seagulls!), and 100+ dusky dolphins. They were surrounding our boat and all doing flips. It was really good fun, but the sea was a bit rough and other people on the boat were throwing up! We were ok, just!

Our last night was spent in Christchurch. Its like a mini England. Its very like oxford and even has punting! We spent the afternoon sunbathing in the gardens. You'll be pleased to hear the tan's are coming along nicely and we haven't let the umpa lumpa sun lotion set us back! (Gaz's Mum had tried to sabotage the tan by sending us with self-tanning after sun lotion which turns you orange!)

We really enjoyed our time in New Zealand and wanted to spend longer there, we would like to move here! Everywhere is really clean and the landscape is so dramatic it is beautiful!