It is so true what people say about the south islands, it is truely amazing and beautiful-as you will see in the photos. We arrived in Nelson in the evening and the place we are staying is really nice! Apparently Nelson has the highest recorded days of sunshine, which will be nice. The very excited activity I did in \nelson was Horse riding! never done that before, even though I really enjoyed it, I very much doubt i'll be getting on a horse unless prince charming was on! My bum and thighs really ached for bout 2days! Next stop was Kaikoura, lovely little town, with loads of seals, which we could see, and dolphins and whales which i never got round to meet! after a night stop at christchurch, we heading down to the mountains Flox Glacier. The accomodation here is not the best we have had, so basic we had pay 10c for 8mins of shower time! thank god for baby wipes! The fox glacier walk I did was hard but well worth it and there is another crazy girl on the tour who made the walk more fun and you will see from the pictures! I would def. come back here and pay lots of money to do the heli-hike which was basically a helicopter takes you up and u walk down, whereas i just did a little 2 hour walk! Next stop Queenstown,for the adrenalin junkies!-still a great place. full of tourists/backpackers! I never did the byngy jump which is what this town is famous for! however, for all you Lord of the rings fans, I went on this tour round some of the places where they shots parts of the films, just for you. don't worry i have taken pictures but just don't ask me which one is where in the films! Whilst people went sky-diving (which |I done before), bungy jump, or canyon swing, I went and had a go at hand-gliding (which is different to para-gliding!) it was fun and I managed to be in the air for bout 30minutes! however, the landing part was not good! when i got out of my 'kite' i could walk and everyone thought i was drunk!! glad i tried that!-might have a go at para-gliding but doesn't seem as fun! one early 5.30am start to go to Milford Sounds which have been described as a must see place when visiting New Zealand and I now know why-I would prob recommend you visit this place first and after u've seen lots of lakes and mountains you kinda don't really appreciate the wonders Milford sounds offer! Last stop, lake Ohau, very lovely little place, almost like a ski-lodge by the lake (even though Ive never been ski-ing!) lovely view. a quiet night as we had a farewell seesion the night before as some people had left the tour 2 days before I finish! The tour did have to end with a band, and this was a walk up Mt John, which was bloody hard work for me, think it tookd me bout 2hours! really stuggled but the view at the top is not bad! A bit sad departing our own ways, esp when I;ve just started to know people on the tour. but i hope we will keep in contact and a reunion must be organised one day, not by me! Overall I def. have a really good time and it was a good group and we certainly have had a few jokes and laughs and a one or two romances!!!