06/09 Hi Everyone, We were treated to yet another glorious day today and driven down the coast road and then inland to Lake Wanaka. Now this is another fanatastic location on the South Island and is also the site of another Sky Dive school. En route to Wanaka we drove through Haast and on to Lake Hawea where we had breathtaking views across to the mountains and mirror type images over the lake. About 8 of the 'lads' were going to do a jump when we reached the t...

Hi Everyone, What would you do to mark your birthday? I thought long and hard about this one but a sky dive seemed a reasonable idea and Lake Taupo is a wonderful location to do it from. There are 2 jumps in Taupo, 12000 and 15000ft. The morning was bright and clear with cloudless skies, I had got up early and had breakfast so I returned to the hosatel to ask at reception about organising a jump. One phone call and 30 minutes later I was being picked up from the...

25/08 Hi Everyone, I met my next crew at 8.30 sharp, I only knew Suzi from the hostel on this bus the remaining girls were all new to me. Our guide and driver was Rex, who was full of stories and anecdotes, a really great character and a joy to be with. You know how it is when someone tells you a story or two but you pick up on other bits which although unsaid, tell you a lot more, well Rex is like that. I just formed the impression that there was a lot more to...

22/08 Hi Everyone, Today I was supposed to head East to Whakatane and around the East Cape for 4 days, but due to a mix up the the bookings it meant that I had been missed off the bus and was collected instead by 'Flee' and joined possibly the best crew I have met since being here. Fate had played a hand again and it was pure coincidence that we were together as I was now going the wrong way with no way of connecting with the right bus for three days. I settle...

20/08 Hi Everyone, Mercury Bay to Rotorua, We set off early as there was a walk we wanted to take along some old gold mines. I was really looking forward to a bit of a stroll and a change from sitting on the bus. Unfortunately when we got there the pathways to the mines were all closed, so we only managed to take a few photos up the Gorge and walk across a swing bridge which is one of the suspension bridges strung between the sides of the Gorge. It was a really ...