Travelling up New Zealand

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Hi my 20 followers...

So im in Lake Taupo, but by the time I finish typing I may be in Roturua. Very skint at the mo, living on 20 quid a day, including accom, so no beer or treats for me, haha...

So I went to the cinema in Wanaka, was so good. Proper sofas and funky little place, was really good. The next morning Pinky and I just chilled out and went into town for a bit. It took me about an hour to hitch a ride, the lady that picked me up said the disapointment on my face made her stop, as I had been waiting ages, haha. She was a really nice lady and we chatted all the way. She dropped me by the airport and I hitched into Queenstown with 2 irish birds taht had been to the airport to welcome the rugby team in. That night I did nothing, saw some of my mates from Queenstown in Nomads, but just read my book and chilled out. So last Friday had a full day on the bus, left at 8am and arrived in Kaikora at about 19:00. Those of you with a good memory, I had already stopped here as my pass circled around the south Island and then back up the east coast, have a look at a map! I went for a run and cooked some dinner and then watched a film in the hostel and got to bed. On Saturday we had another long day, although we were on a ferry for 4 hours from Picton to Wellington. We had an hour in Picton before we set sail, so I had a walk around and it is a really nice little place. Nice harbour and town...Ferry was pretty standard, just carried on reading my book, it was 900 pages long so was ploughing through it. We arrived in Wellington at around 17:00 ad went for a run. Cooked some dinner and then went for a couple of beers with a guy in my room. met some other peopel around teh hostel, we were staying in base. I decided not to get the bus the next day and stay in wellington for a few days and get the next bus, as its such a lovely city, really really cool place.

On the Sunday mornig I had a walk around the shops, looking for more books to exhange, I've pretty much read every Lee Child book since I've been away, anybody read any? Jack Reacher is a total legend. I walked aroud the harbour, rugby world cup anticipation is now in full swing...I purchased some Lamb sausages from the farmers market, iv been eating really good food the whole time and like cooking, especially as I have now staretd runnig aswell. Lots of fruit and veg, e.t.c. I walked around the harbour and went around the martime museum. The really cool thing in Wellington is everything is free. I walked up to the Botanical gardens, via the Houses of Parliment. I had a quick look at the botanical Gardens, but then dashed back to parliment as tehre was a free tour every hour ad I went on the 15:00 tour. Was quite good, looked al around the main bits and the house aswell, very similar to the house of commons actually. New Zealand base their legal sysatem on England, so lots of similarities. Saw all the chambers and went in the basement to look at the earthquake protection that had been installed by Architects. Was a very Intresting trip, walked back to the hostel and went for a run. Ran up mount Victoria, stupid idea as over did it and burt myself out a bit the next few days!! Anyway, apart from that all good. Went to an irish pub for a little bit in the evening and watched Mo farah win the gold, go on my son, great race, didn't think he was going to win, but he ran the perfect race, lovely little kicks in the last 800m. Good boy. Saw a bit of the triple jump, thought Idowu would win but when I woke up in teh morning he only got the silver. I knew the 4 x 100m relay would be useless, so didn't stay up until the end.

On Monday I woke up and had my porridge, lovely breakfast. Pinky made me a bowl in Wanaka and I have been on it every morning since then...! Went to the national museum Ta Papa, and walked around tehre for 2 hours. Was feeling so bloomin tired and was annoying as had a mammoth sleep, so figured I must of over done it the previous day or was coming down with something. Went back t the hostel and laid on my bed for a few hours and chilled. At about 16:30 me and a welsh girl walked up mount victoria, its right by our hostel and not that big. The views however from the top are 360 degree and totally amazing...! We sat at the top and chilled out, was amazing. A guy came up to us and asked us if when his girlfriend came up we could leave the viewing area at the top, as he was going to propose to her...We waited around for a bit, but was getting cold so we left and went down. Cooked the last of my lamb sausages and went for a drink at the only welsh pub in the southern hemesphere, with the welsh girl an her friend. She had seen the welsh rugby team training, seen them all in the welsh pub the previous night ad seen the South African team walking around wellington that day. As I said, its now in full swing...!

Next day I was up early and back on the hus to Lake Taupo. Lovely place, right by a volcanic lake, very very nice. On the tuesday afternoon when I arrived I went for a run, but was shagged still so turned back and cut it short. Spent the night in the hostel chatting to people of the bus and cooked myself a nice pasta and pesto dish...Found a book shop and exchanged some more books for another Lee Child book...

Yesterday, so Wednesday I thought I better have another day of no running to try and get my energy back up. Walked to the park and there is a stream with boiling hot, and I mean boiling hot water in. There is a volcano under Lake Taupo you see, so the water around gets heated very hot in places. Sat there for a bit and chatted to a chinese girl for a bit. Had a dip in the hot stream and relaxed. Strolled back slowly and treated myself to a choclate milkshake from mcdonalds, was amazing and my only treat of the day. Spent the rest of the afternoon laying abou reading my book, cooked jacket potato for dinner and then watched tv and a film last night. The hostel was totally dead, I am in a 16 man dorm on my own!

Today, I have got up, had another long 10 hour sleep and went for a run first thig. Just got back, had porridge and writing my blog...The hostel is cool, you get 1 hour free Internet, each day! Just been to the hot stream again, sat in it for a bit. Sat by the river and read my book and treated myself to another milkshake on the long walk home. Just spoke to Wardy on the Internet, which was good to speak to him!

Lake Taupo is really nice, miss all my mates and the girls of the Kiwi bus though. Its not the same traveling north and getting off the bus to stay in places a few nights. Oh yeah, I got off in Lake Taupo to stay 3 nights, the same as Wellington! Its rubbish that I have no money, as you can't socialise as much in the bars an that, oh well its done me good not going out properly for a couple of weeks! Just not met that many people compared to the previous weeks. Im really looking forward to getting back, seeing the family and all the boys, my birthday the weekend I am back and then the wedding, gona be cool. Gota get a job asap and earn some dollar though 😞 It is quite good in a way living off 20 quid a day, quite satisfying knowing you can do it and still eating good healthy food!

So the Rugby world cups starts tomorrow, some say the biggest game is the All blacks opener v Tonga, some say its the Welsh v South Africa, soame say its Australia finally ready to step up to the plate again v italy, they are all wrong though. Its all about Fiji v Nambia it Roturua on Saturday! Haha, got my ticket for 20 quid, not going to be a classic but still will be fun. Could't afford the Aussie game in Aukland on Sunday, accomodation there has gone through the roof and the tikets were 40 quid, so thought may aswell check out Roturua and watch Fiji as Iv got some time to kill...!

It's a shame I can't get any work here, as would be perfect to get some money...

Love Lots

Luke x x x

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