River Valley was an experience we hadn't had yet. Firstly everyone had to get off the bus a mile from our accommodation as the bus couldn't fit down the steep hill or turn around at the bottom. Then we realized we actually were in the absolute middle of nowhere and our driver wasn't exaggerating. There were only two rooms in this log cabin style place, both of which consisted of one long bunk bed which was meant to fit ten people on the top and ten on the bottom all squashed together on one big bed. Thankfully there was a bar. Although definitely not much else. At first I was glad we were only staying one night but then everyone got into the spirit of things. The owners of the cabin cooked our whole bus a ... read more

Rotorua is the capital of all things cultural in NZ and the centre of information for anything Maori. When entering the town you immediately become aware of the stench of rotten eggs and after looking around everyone on the bus in suspicion we were informed that it was the smell of sulfur from the geothermal activity in this area that has made it a popular tourist destination. The huge dormant volcano towering over Rotorua has made the many bubbling mud pools and geysers available in this area. If you visit here you cant leave without attending a traditional Maori Hangi or feast. We toured round a local village, learned about the history to present day Maori traditions and we entertained by the singing, dancing and storytelling. The Hangi meal including chicken, meat, potatoes etc is buried ... read more

After another quick stop over in Auckland we headed south to Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga, Wh is pronounced as a F in Maori, there is a place named Whakapapa but we'll get to that later). Here we headed to the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula to visit Catherdral Cove Marine Reserve which can only be accessed by foot or by kayak which explains why the scenery was so incredible. We spend the entire day completing the trail walks along the white sandy beaches, coastal walkways and rugged cliffs. The next morning we visited the beach at Mercury Bay where you can dig your own hot pools and we did just that. The reservoir of water stems from heated water underground from a nearby volcano, when the tide is low you can rent a spade and start digging then take ... read more

First off I have to give credit to Thai Airways who flew us thus far. The service was excellent, as was the food and entertainment and it was without a doubt the best airline and flight we have flown. This made our transition into New Zealand all that easier after a refreshing and relaxing flight. We touched down in Auckland with high hopes and lots of enthusiasm for what lay ahead. After a good first night sleep we were up and out to explore central Auckland. We were keen to get the boring stuff out of the way so after a morning of buying sim cards, opening bank accounts and applying for tax codes we went in search of some lunch. It was quite an odd feeling wandering around here as doesn't look all that different ... read more

We got a flight from Phuket up to Chiang Mai and from the minute we got off the plane it felt like a different type of Thailand. Much more chilled out and perhaps even more organised in regards to transport from the airport. Walking around Chiang Mai felt much safer than in Bangkok or even Phuket and the people there were some of the friendliest we had met in Thailand. We stayed at the New Mitrapap hotel which was very cheap for the clean and comfortable room we received. We became very fond of the Riverside Restaurant which we visited THREE times in our time here. But excelled our expectations everytime. It was a cosy restaurant and pub right on the riverside complete with lanterns and live music every night, it was clearly loved by locals ... read more