Hello there..!

Right well we seem to have left it an age again to write a blog but not sure it's that long time wise, it's just how busy we are it makes it seem like ages! Now we have shed loads to write! Woohoo!!

As you can probably tell we are in the South Island now which is utterly beautiful but we need to start at the very beginning..well ish anyway! Having stayed in Taupo for a rather noisy night as the A1GP was on we headed up to Rotorua which was smelly as but amazing. We stayed in the local YHA and managed to only pay 18NZD for acco that night which was magic! There is a park right near the town centre which has it all(as you have seen by the photo's) and it wass for free!! Love anything that's free especially when some people are paying a forune to see the same thing somewhere down the road! The heat around the town was so weird a constant hot breeze going by you that stank depending omn the wind direction. The bubbliung mud and that lake were just extraordinary, never thought somehting like that could exist and be natural and we'd be so close to it!

Anyway onto Waitomo, where we had the most amazing tramp..through the bushg and loads of caves and glow worms and blackwater it was out of this world..if a tad scary at times! We found an awesome place to stay called Juno's Hall where there was a lovely couple from the UK working there so it was chilled out and the first place we'd been where everyone spokje to everyone..so friendly. Decided to stay there another night so we could hang out with Cath and Tim and get to know Matt and Lucy too (another couple that were staying there that work at summer camps in the US) so lots of storied tro be shared. The deer got out so Cath, Tim and I had to chase it back in with the help of the owner's daughter...very entertaining you should have seen it!

We then worked our way to Taranki, home of Mount Taranaki, where the Last Samurai ws filmed and with damn good reason...it was incredible, big and cold but incredible, well worth the detour. We then drove back up the centre and stayed in one of the most awesome places I've ever seen...River Valley...rather a lot of off roading but it was heaven, the place was stunning! The pics will tell all regarding that one..think we're going to try to stay there on our way back up...desperate to go back and Tim went there when he came in 2000 so it was extra special for him. Back up towards Taupo through Tongoriro NP and out towards Napier down to Wellington. Had a couple of stops along the way, one on a farm with sheep and cows etc which was mad, that was where we met Muffin the kitten oh my word the cuteness!!We spoent a wonderful day in Wellington...Botanic Gardens, Waterfront, City Centre, a truly gorgeous city and then it was onto the boat for the most glorious evening/sunset cruise. Perfect time of day to do it!

We have been in the South Island since the 1st and have done Nelson, Able Tasman which was beautiful and onto Golden Bay which was out fo this world (yes I know I keep using that but it's true!!). Yersterday we went Salmon fishing at this ffarm place and you fished for free, you just paid for what you caught so we were aiming for a little one but oh no managed to catch a 1.25kg one and we killed it, I took the hook out (very brave me thinks!) and they hot smoked it for us straight away...the best salmon I have ever had....well wiorth the trip to GB...but it doesn't stop there. We stayed at an eco Lodge last night (I know compost toilet and everything...have to try these things!!) and whent down to the beach...T was swimming and a 4ft stingray came to say hello...he saw about 4 of which I managed to pluck the courage up to get up close and personal with one...it was incredible. We were ecsatic!

And now we're in Motueka (literally just passing through) onto the West Coast today....then doing a slightly vrazy route to be back up in Blenheim for the 13th(spoinling oursleves for Valentine's) then down to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass for the 20th to drop off the Spaceship and head down to Queenstown to stay with the rentals!!!Yippee!

Hope you enjoy this random blog sorry if it's tricky to read...

Lots of love xxxx