Written 3rd October 2011

Kai Ora!

We have just entered the Buller Gorge on our way from Nelson to Greymouth. The sun is finally coming out and the views are incredible! I can see gigantic mountains covered in forest on either side and I am having a great time on the bus with my new friends, Amy, Amelia, Ellie, driver Nick and a few others!

So after the fantastic ferry ride into Picton on which we saw beautiful scenery and even a couple of dolphins we drove over the mountains to Nelson. We arrived in the afternoon and checked into our hostel. The road to the hostel I was staying in was closed for some reason so as I hadn't paid or given them any details I just went to the next one where the girls were staying. All turned out nice in the end! The girl on the desk was from Blackburn, it wasn't hard to recognise the accent… After checking in we went out for a walk. Not just any walk, we were going to the centre of New Zealand! I don't think I have ever been to the centre point of a country before! We got to the top and it was a gorgeous day and the views over the town were great to one side, to the other were the mountains that if you walk over you would get to Christchurch. We had a few great jumping pictures and then headed down to try and make it in time for the free soup at the hostel. We missed it. So then it was the free chicken noodles we got at check in and off to the pub, The Sprig and Fern to watch the Rugby. The day after the guys, Terry, Ben and Pete all moved on and the Wolfpack was split. We had a great few days together and a good laugh. Cheers guys if you read this! I had a wonder around Nelson Market which was great, loads of arts and craft stuff along with foods from all over the world. Then I met Melodie and Alan, another family connection. Meldodie is the sister of my Uncle Martyn (You made the blog!), Martyn is the husband of my Auntie Julie, Auntie Julie is my dads sister, my dad! We met for a drink before we went to Trafalgar Park Stadium in Nelson to watch Australia v Russia in the World Cup 2011. Yes, I went to a match at the World Cup! Sweet as! (Everyone says that here!) The stadium is very temporary as it was put up to take the games for Christchurch after the earthquake. It is literally a load of seats on top of scaffolding! The match was pretty one sided in the first half and luckily all the action was at our end! In the second half though as the rain came down and we all got soaking wet Russia gave it a good go and the match ended 68-21 to Australia! I posed for pictures with my BWFC flag and enjoyed cheering with all the Kiwi's when Russia scored!! That evening I returned to family Prescott's house and enjoyed a good nights sleep in a king size bed!

When we woke up on Sunday it was chucking it down! The rain didn't stop all day and was torrential! We decided that there wasn't much to do on a rainy day so we went to the supermarket to buy some food, had a coffee in Heather coffee shop and then went home. I spent the afternoon sat on the sofa by the fire watching TV and chillaxing! Bliss! To top of a day back in normality we had a fantastic Sunday roast for tea. We even had Kurma (NZ sweet potato), Pumpkin, Yams and good old Yorkshire Puddings!

The following day we were all up at 6am for breakfast then Melodie dropped me at the bus stop for my fun filled day ahead. It was really nice to spend some time with yet more family that I have managed to find on my travels! I had a few days back in normality which was great and gave me chance to catch up with myself and sort out things for the next few weeks. A visit to a match in the rain, followed by a Sunday relaxing and roast was just what the doctor ordered! Thanks Family Prescott!

So my final day in Nelson was to be spent kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand's smallest and most beautiful national park. Unfortunately the horrific rain continued all night and into Monday which resulted in my kayaking being cancelled. However, I was still able to enjoy a "cruise" and walk though the National Park. We got onto the boat in the pouring rain and headed to the beach being towed by a tractor. We launched the boat into the sea which was more than rough, foggy and very wet! I wasn't really prepared for the walk as I was meant to be kayaking. I had shorts and trainers on, with no grip! Not good for a walk though and over rainforests and beaches! My disappointment at not being able to kayak, accompanied by the crap weather, meant I had to do something to make the day better! On the boat there was another group doing a Top Deck tour similar to my Egypt one, I crashed there day trip for the day J While we were riding, slamming into, flying over and only just surviving the 5m waves I amused myself by cracking my usual rubbish jokes! The only thing was that the captain reckoned they were only 1m waves! Anyway, the Belgians, Germans and Aussies in the group thought my jokes were hilarious and I was even laughing at the fact they thought I was funny! All I could think about was how no one at home ever laughs at my jokes and they loved them! (My blog now sounds like Michael McIntyre's book, just different!) It lightened the mood anyway and distracted everyone from the fact that we were about to drown off the coast of NZ after being capsized by 5m waves and eaten by sharks!

We were taken to view the famous Split rock and then jumped off the boat at Tonga Bay. We even had to take our socks and shoes off to get off the boat as it wasn't able to reach the beach! Once we had a shoes back on we set off on our monster trek in the rain. We walked for about 1 and a half hour though thick forest and eventually got to Bark Bay. We were soaked! Even my Mickey umbrella and black poncho didn't keep me dry! Anyway, we enjoyed our lunch in a hut heated by a fire and thawed out a bit! Then we set off for the last part of the walk back to the boat at Torrent Bay. We walked over a massive swing bridge just like the ones in "I'm a celeb", I posed with my sign! J We made it back to Torrent bay early so waited on the beach for the boat. We then had an equally fun ride back to the trailer before heading back to Nelson on the bus arriving back just after 6pm.

Last night I thawed out and chilled while eating beef butties, from the Sunday roast, with some of the guys off the bus. I turned into a real backpacker as one girl was making bracelets out of string so I bought one!

So today set off at 8am and I have just arrived in Greymouth! On the way we stopped at a few places with amazing views on the west coast. I made everyone on the bus go to the front and introduce themselves on the mic, tell an embarrassing story and a joke! I also inflicted my cheesy ipod on them! Just before Greymouth we made a stop at 'Pancake rocks', coinsedently the rocks look like a pile of pancakes! What a stroke of luck! The coast line is pretty cool but apparently I have seen nothing yet, so I wont go over the top at this point!

Tomorrow we head to Franz Josef, the town of adrenalin activities! I will tell you all about it after I have done them as before I don't have much to say other than it will be epic!

Tonight I am off to the Monteith's Brewery for a tour and evening meal! Here's to a good night!

Tra for now,

Tom x

Good evening! So I have just returned to my bed after a night at the brewery! I have pen all over my face and to be honest typing is hard! We went for a tour of the brewery… this consisted of watching a DVD of the old brewery as it is now being updated and is shut! Then we went on to the tasting part, pretty good. I even got told off for helping myself after, "the bar was closed!"

We then went to the local, and only, restaurant for a really good meal before playing the beer quiz! I my round was the tasting round in which I had to guess which beer I was drinking. All the others took this opportunity to draw all over my face as I was blind folded!! It was a good night all round though!

So now I have just got into bed and I am going to upload this blog. I must say I am noticing that everywhere I go all the workers/staff/people I meet seem to remember me, and after a bit pick on me! I think I must just be a friendly face willing to talk to them! I love it!

Goodnight! God nett (Swedish for goodnight as two people in my room are Swedish!)

Tom x