Now in Christchurch!

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Hi again all,

I've now made it down to New Zealand, I'm on GMT + 12 and it's very cold down here - yesterday it snowed in Christchurch for the first time in 2 years!

I didn't do too much more in Melbourne before leaving - I did go back to the game on exhibition and spent another day playing various great games! I also visited a huge casino there - I spent 1 1/2 hours just walking around it before deciding to gamble with some money. I ended up putting $50 in some slot machines - I almost lost it all only to get a $42 win on one of my very last spins! $8 for a night out is good anytime by me!
Other than that I walked around the botanic gardens, briefly saw another art gallery - this one with an interesting section on design including items like the Barcelona chair, Chaise Longue, Globe chair (or Ball chair) and the Ribbon Chair. I also met up with a friend I worked alongside at Alliance Pharmacy in Feltham for dinner.

I reached Christchurch on Thursday afternoon, after some fuss with my plane being delayed due to fog in Melbourne. I spent Friday walking about the City and searching for travel agents to work out how to travel around New Zealand, and yesterday I went on my first 'Lord of the Rings' tour - I traveled to the area where the city of 'Rohan' in the film was set and climbed the rock the main palace was set on. We had terrible visibility and it was supposedly only the second day in a year of doing the tour the guide said we couldn't see much. I've been offered the chance to do the tour again, which I might be able to take up when I next come through Christchurch on my tour.

Today I've been shopping to get some warm fleeces, gloves and more long socks! I don't really want to have a coat in Fiji after this and so am intending to go for wearing as many layers as possible. I might even have to go find some thermals because my trousers are all quite lightweight.

The tour I've chosen to do is 'Short Brett' with Stray (http://www.straytravel.com/index.php) which i start tomorrow. Unfortunately I don't have the time to do the bottom section - or the 'Burt Pass' as they call it - I've not found out why it's called that yet! I've been told it's mainly just scenery down there anyway. Stray claims to go further from the usual tourist track and do more 'alternate' activities, which sounds good after doing the main tourist things down the Aussie east coast for a few months.
I have also booked up some Skiing for Christchurch, there was a cheap package in the travel agents so I thought it was worth it whilst out here. I might have to change my travel insurance though!

As usual I hope everyone is well and enjoying the heat!

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