New Zealand!!

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We have both really enjoyed travelling all around NZ. We joined the Kiwi Experience bus in Auckland and travelled to the Coromandel Peninsula on our first day. On the way there we did sea kyacking along the coast where we saw the sun set in our kyacks. All was going well until we had to go over the waves going back into shore. Even with a guide trying to guide us over the big waves we still managed to capsize our boat which looking back was funny but at the time was quite scary! Our next stop was Rotorua where we went to the geothermal park to see geysers, mud pools and a kiwi bird! Unfortunatly our bus had timed it badly so we didn't get to see the main geyser go off. In the evening we went to a Maori experience where we had a traditional welcome and looked around what a typical village would of looked like. They performed traditional dances and the haka before we had a Maori meal.

We stopped in Taupo for 2 nights where Rebecca did her skydive which was amazing! Also we went to the river where a hot spring was which was to warm to sit in for+ too long. We drove through 'lord of the rings country' and saw Mount Doom. Next we stayed at a remote activity lodge in River Valley where we stayed in a dorm room of 30 people which was literally 2 massive bunk beds with individual divides across the room which was interesting! From there we drove to Wellington but got there in the evening and left early in the morning so disappointly didn't get to see much of the city. From the ferry we got good views leaving/arriving into the islands.

In the South Island we travelled down to Franz Josef glacier through small indescript towns and had a lot of rain on the west coast. At the glacier we did a full day, 8hr walk, which was really good. It was an hours walk to the actually front of the glacier and then we were on the ice for the rest of the time looking at different features. Wearing crampons it was easy to walk and we got quite far up the glacier. Thankfully we had pretty good weather as we were going up but it started to rain as we came down but we'd already taken our pics! Next stop was Wanaka where we got our first real views of the big mountains and lakes.

From Wanaka we travelled to Queenstown for 3 nights. Neither of us realised how beautiful the area around Queenstown was and how like a 'ski town' it would feel like. We spent time walking around the lake and in the town and from here we went on a day trip to Milford Sound. For the 4hr drive in we got really good views of the Fjordland national park and had photo stops along the way. We went upto the snowline and then down to Milford Sound where we did a 2hr boat trip. The weather wasn't too great so we didn't get spectuacular views but we saw lots of waterfalls due to the area getting rain 2 out of 3 days on average! We went out to where the fjord meets the sea and saw loads of dolphins swimming around the boat which was amazing.

The last part of our journey was to Christchurch. Due to the earthquake in February and more recent aftershocks, the city centre is fully cordened off so we are staying in a holiday park near the airport. After an hours walk to the nearest mall and then a bus we did go as far into the city as we could out of interest and we really shocked by what we saw. Buildings were reduced to rubble and there is still so much devestation months on.

We have made some really good friends on the Kiwi Experience bus and travelled and shared dorms with 6 other girls for most of it so it will seem strange going back to being just the 2 of us. Tomorow we leave for Melbourne to travel up the east coast of Australia for 6 weeks!

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