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We arrived in Greymouth on the 23rd of December, about 6pm. Had a nice meal of spaghetti bolognaise, and drank some wine, getting ready for Christmas. The next day, we went bicycling down to the beach, Robin booked a train to Christchurch, she needed to fly from there on Christmas day. We went to the Warehouse a New Zealand version of Kmart, where everyone gets a bargin. We got each other Christmas presents - I got a Plastic Kiwi Policeman to live on my backpack and a water pistol - Anders got a water pistol and chocolate, Robin who bought the water pistols got wet, she didn’t have one. Got my hair cut, and said goodbye to Robin as she boarded the Tranz Alpine Railway.

Went out in the evening with everyone we could gather from the hostel, danced and drank till 11.30pm when everything shut. The laws in New Zealand don’t allow for any bars or clubs to be open on Christmas day, which starts from 12am.

Christmas day in the hostel - Global Village Backpackers - was really good. A morning spent watching videos and juggling. An afternoon barbecue free for everyone. Pascal a Swiss guy played guitar as well, spent the afternoon playing songs and singing and drinking red wine, allowing us to keep playing and singing.

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