After enduring two snorers and a very hot room (street noise if you leave the window open!) I'm glad to set off down towards the harbour area to get my ticket for the ferry to the Bygdøy peninsula home to about six museums! I realise the 24 hour Oslo Pass will save me loads of money and includes ferry and museum entry along with a load of other perks so get myself one of these instead. A boat has just left so I have a wander around the harbour while I wait for the next one. There seems to be some kind of event going on with marquees and two large decorative elephants, oh and a really ornate gypsy caravan. Amongst all the tourist paraphernalia, tours, boat trips, food outlets, cruise ships etc there are three ... read more

Having arrived in Christchurch in the dark I find myself leaving in the dark too as I have an early morning flight to catch back to Auckland on North Island. It feels really sad to be leaving South Island behind. I've had such an amazing time, seen pristine, stunning scenery, kayaked on a glacier lake, cruised on the stupendous Milford Sound, seen more cute kiwis, hiked to see glaciers teetering on the edges of mountains seemingly about to slide off, rode the trams in Christchurch, seen amazing wildlife on the Otago peninsual from yellow eyed penguins to hooker sealions and royal albatross. Oh my, it's been so awesome. But home I have to go and Auckland is my first stop before an evening flight heading off to Beijing. BUT I do have a whole day left ... read more

I'm up and out early for my Intercity bus to Greymouth. The driver. Trev, shows at exactly nine o'clock having disappeared up a different street, giving me a minor heart attack thinking the bus stop pick up site had been changed again and I'd be missing another connection - this time a four hour trip! But no, apparently there were other stops in tiny Franz Joseph and I WAS in the right place. Phew. This is to be another drive through stunning scenery for the section. There's a twisting, turning road up through the mountains surrounded by shear rock faces covered in trees and ferns. It's wet and drizzly and I hope this doesn't make for the tree avalanches I'd heard about on a previous tour! Our first stop is at the Pukeko Stores in Hari ... read more

So this is to be my first experience of the competition. Intercity didn't work right for me time wise for this next move from Wanaka to Franz Josef so I'm with their main competition Naked Bus. Stupid name for a company and one of the reasons for putting me off them over Intercity in the first instance and then on further investigation their worse reviews. But mostly because I could book earlier in advance with Intercity, and get in with my many $1 'golden tickets'. I'm not impressed when a minibus and trailer for luggage turns up. My back's still hurting from horse riding so four hours in rubbish knee room, uncomfortable seats is not my idea of fun. Luckily the passing scenery is stunning which helps take my mind off physical niggles. We are travelling ... read more

After my morning horse riding I obviously grab a quick shower and head off to the lunch spot recommended by the stable girl as a good veggie options place on the way to the cable car or Sky Gondolas as they prefer to call them here. In my mind gondolas are long, pointy boats quanted along by singing Italians so I'm hoping more for the cable car version as the ride up the mountain looks incredibly steep! As I'm finishing my lunch it starts to drizzle. Good job I picked the morning option for horse riding which was lovely and sunny. I decide I may as well go up the mountain anyway as the skies are still pretty clear for views from the top despite the drizzle, but I don't bother with the luge thing, not ... read more