New Zealand! - Not in front of the dwarf!

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Wed 9th May - Sat 12th May - Time Travelling
Our last night in the US. We went our dinner with Kate who I knew from Brighton (amazing coincidence) and saw the worst comedy in the world 'PLEASE, laugh, I'm a career waiter! You people are killing me!'
We spent twelve hours in which we time travelled forward two days to Wellington. I think that makes us younger. Very spaced beautiful sushi and sake numbed the pain of the longest day ever. Although the pub called Kitty O'Shea's wasn't impressed that I have the same name as the pub!! the cheek.

Sun 13th May - Lovely day exploring Wellington. It feels like Reading but in a pretty place. Was in a simulated earthquake at te papa museum however this did not prepare me enough to wake up during the 5.2 earthquake later that night!

Mon 14th May - Really fun day giving a talk for the wellington fringe. Lovely inspiring and unpretentious theatre folk. And they bought us a great dinner and gave us 200 dollars! bonus!

Tues 15th May - Thurs 17th May - New Plymouth
I headed out to New Plymouth to stay with our old neighbours the Coates'. It was lovely to see them and to stay in their comfortable beautiful house by the beach after all the grotty hostels! I was the babysitter for all their children for many years and it was so strange to see them all grown up - It was like in the Simpsons where they flash into the future and it's the same face but on a grownups body. We went for some beautiful walks along the beach and in the city. I'm understanding why NZ is such a good film location - it looks like eveywhere. We walked in a beautiful park which was just like Japan and was used in the Last Samurai.

Fri 18th May - Heading South
Got the ferry to the south island which was stunning and dolphins were jumping around our boat. First magic bus journey to Nelson - it was very sociable and I went to the very nice hostel paradiso where we sat in the hot spa under the stars.

Sat 19th May - Abel Tasman Hiking
I went on an all day hike through the stunning islands and hills of this national park. I hiked with two german girls. Es war sehr sehr nutzlich um meinem deutsch zu practizieren!

Sun 20th May - West Coast trail. Very rainy bus journey down the west coast which is very similar to the west coast of ireland/scotland. I was one of few who trekked out to see the pancake rocks at Punakiki in torrential rain. Very fun night in the very grey Greymouth drying off by the fire in the Neptune hostel. Its a fishermans lodge and I felt like I was on a school trip - watching pirates playing games etc.

Mon 21st May - Stunning train journey through the mountains on the trans alpine train through Arthur's Pass. Settled in in Christchurch which is unsurprisingly like Oxford and Cambridge.

Tues 22nd May - Day exploring the city. I realised that it's autumn as here was the first place with orange leaves!

Wed 23rd May - Very fun bus journey to Kaikoura. Very fun ogre of a bus driver made us sing the wheels on the bus with actions - for ages while not holding the steering wheel on moutain roads. It only got sillier with hot tubs,beer, pub quizzes - oh god I'm on a gap yeara and enjoying it!

Thurs 24th May - Went whale watching. Saw 3 sperm whales. Very funny maori tour guide made me think it was a big conspriacy between the whales and the guides. Mountain biking through the hills, swimming - i was pretty active today.

Fri 25th May - Waiting to get the plane to Melbourne in the middle of the night!

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