I LOVE THIS FUCKING COUNTRY!!! Arrived in Queenstown this evening after spending the night in Makarora. Did some jet boating which is my new favourite sport as it is totally mental. Got up to about 120km/hour in as little as 6 inches of water. The driver was a total mentalist and spent the whole time trying to scare the living whit out of us (successfully i might add). We were tanking along about 1/2 m away form the side of the river and jinking in and out of rocks and trees. he showed us the emergancy break which sent a tidal wave 3 feet high over the bow (and me). definatly going to do it again as it was awesome. There was some karaoke on aftwerwards but gaver that a miss in leau of an early night which was much needed!

Queenstown has got to be the adrenaline capital of the world as u seem to be able to do anything that involves jumping, throwing, powering or other ways of scaring the living shit out of yourselves. I've signed up with Team Dutch to do something called Fly Swinging, which is basically strapping yourself into a sldge with a jet engine strapped to the back. Which is suspended in a canyon 400m up then swinging at 180km/h in an arc down and being able to fly it around the canyon. Will try and find the link for the web site and maybe some vids of it as it is going to be crazy.

Might be tempted by the nevis bungy as it is 130m drop and is the most extreme one in the world at the moment. Mike and Ronan are arriving tomorrow so we will have more idea what we are going to be doing then.

Over and out folks,

Me

Had a storming day today at the Franz Jospeh glacier as Rich and I scaled the steepest guided glacier in the world. Well at least for 3/4 of a day as that was meant to be the best. Climbing up crvaces, and sqeezing through ice tunnels. Excellent fun and the weather even held for us. Forecast was for 1m of rain every hour so was not looking forward to it that much...Also a bit worried as i stubbed my toe very badly in barrytown and now it is black and swollen and can't really walk that well at the moment so hope the it is not broken. Have been doing so well with the injuries lately :))

This evening we are just back from kayaking round the lake which was pretty intense as massivo waves and huge wind. After we got across we headed into the rainforrest up a creek for 6km. Wicked views but a little short an wildlife, hey ho but at least there were no crocs, spiders, snakes and other such things that the Ozzies have to put up with :))

Off tomorrow with Rich as the other two are having to stay as there ice climbing was postponed till today due to the shit weather. I was well up for it but the toes not going to take that punishment at the mo :(( Might get Dave to take me next time he goes!!

Me

Had a wicked night last night in barrytown where we had a pimps and ho's party. Obviously me and the boys took the pimping thing V seriously and went out and bought pimp hats and canes Oh and some guns :)) Got myself decked out in a zebra skin tank top and a pair of massivo shades and went out pimpnig.

Slept in a bit today and missed the bone carving, which was meant to be sweet but really wanted to do the knife making but would have had to stay another night.

On route to Franz Joseph glacier to do some ice climbing so fingers crossed for good weather.

Hey Everyone,

Will keep this short as have had the stupid pc delete this post 3 time now so getting a little nooyed havign to rekey it everytime. Went to see some savage buskers at the festival in Christchurch. This boy Mr Spin was juggling baseball bats while riding a mono cycle with a glass of water on his head!!

went on a seal swimming trip when we arrived inn Kaikura whuch was alright-ish and then got up at bastardo'oclock to go dolphin swimming today which was amazing.

Off to able Tasimin national park tomorrow for some hiking or tramping as they call it in thsi stupid country!!

Me

Spent yesterday afternoon fishing which was wicked. I was getting powered by the boys for only catching 1 fish in the first hour but then got the hang of it and managed another 11 in the remaining time which left me 2nd in the rankings after Doyler (13). Managed to get almost all the way down to Auckland but had to stray in dodge central as all the beds were taken in Auckland with punters going to the big day out :( Ok but a bit weird, would not have been happy staying there on my own!

Now down in Christchurch and going to get back on the lash tonight and have a quiet day tomorrow.

Hope everyone is ok with all the crazy storms back home!!

Mex

Good God it's been waaaayyyy too long since my last post and loads has happened. Been being a road warrior with the boys for the last wee or so and it's been heaps of fun. Managed to get the car for $70 each for a week after much blagging with the girls in the rental place. Me, Ronan, Mike, Richard and Christian (tame texan we met) all squeezed into a toyota estate thing. Pretty cruisy as we headed back to Taupo for some slalom zorbing which was wicked as usual. Wanted to go sledging but the river was closed as it was too cracy to do. Decided to head over to Raglan for some suring which was sweet. Got the most amazing apartment for the night as all the hostels were full and only for $3 more a night. Cooked a savage BBQ and basically lorded it up for the night.

In the monring we trekked over to Waitomo for the most mental caving I think I will ever do. Climbing over massivo cliffs over subterrainian rivers, squeezing though very, very tight cracks, swimming through flooded tunnels, abseiling down water falls, and climbing up through 17 pools and water falls to get out. The guide was pretty muh like just go and see how u get on. Left us to lead the way for a while which almost ended in disaster when we tried to swim under a rock passage that didn't go anywhere...mentalness all round but highly entertaining.

Drove down to taupo that night and ended up in the hostel from hell and had a massive barny with the night manager when she locked all opur booze away and wouldn't give it back till the morning. She will be well and truly flammed on hostelworld.com :)) taught the boys the game arrogance and spent the evening very drunk. Christian was in such a state that he spewed in mike's face and all down me at the bar in the club!!

next day we headed up the country, dropped Christian off at the airport and then headed up to kiri Kiri for the Poor Knighst Island dive which was awesome. Totally reaffirmed my faith in NZ diving. Bit nippy but 20+m vis so pretty good. Arrived in Bay of Islands last night as got very drunk again on Arrogance. I lost very badly and almost spewed. had to drink water for 3 hours to rude the storm out. Did find a couple of poles in the club and was teaching the boys some sliky pole moves. The club were loving us as we were basically up for doing any crazy shit on those things. Met 2 of the All Blacks team and had a rucking comp with them which we lost...go figure.

Anyway this is turned out to be the longest blog i've done so far so i'll cut it their. Off to Christchurch tomorrow for some S island actio.

Later y'll as they say in texas,

C

Hey y'all,

back down im Rotorua with the boys as we have hired a car and going to drive round the island for the next week. Wanted to go sledging tomorrow but it's cancelled cause of all the rain. Did the zig zag zorb run today which was ace. Think we are planning on heading back to Waitomo tomorrow for some more caving then onto Raglan for some surfing.

More tomorrow,

mex

All hail to the monopoly king of Pahia. 12 games and 12 wins for the stophe. The weather was that grim that we just played for about 3 days. Now back in Auckland and feeling a little woozy after a night out with the boys :))

Going to head back to Rotoru with Mike for some white water bogie boarding down grade 5 rapids. meant to be one of the craziest things u can do here so sounds like me cup of tea!

Managed to win a free jump off the sky tower yesterday so that was a 600 feet jump in the rani. Good fun but would not have paid for it.

Right off for a feed.

Me

Managed to get a dive in this morning but it wasn't the Rainbow Warrior as it is supposedly too swelly (!!) for the dive to go on. Ended up on some shit bay dive and saw nothing. Oh well only 8 nights accomondation down the drain!! But off back to Auckland tomorrow to meet Mike and get very leathered, which will be nice...

But can feel the South island calling me so it's time to head down mething.

C

Well finally met up with Meika and started on a drining session. She was blasted from the night before so i was tanning voddy and sprite with some folk on the roof terrace. Meika started about 9ish but I ended up having to crash early as was feeling V dodge. Woke up in morning and Meika had managed to blag a free lift south and scarpered...never mind as will catch up with her before I leave. Spent the day chilling in the park with cool folk from the hostel drining Corona and listening to some free music festival in the sun :))

Off tomorrow back up to the bay of islands to do the Rainbow Warrior wreck dive and some dolphin swimming :) Should be good, then Mikey and Team Irish arrive. Going to see them for a day or two then head down to the South island. Got given the bottom part of the Kiwi Expo for free so only have to pay for half!!

Auckland is a cool place but not much to do so looking forward to the South which is mean to be the best!!

later peeps,

Me

Well thats Ruth winging her way back to Scotland after a wicked 2 weeks of cmapervan fun. Did get my ass kicked 51 to 60 at mini golf, which was not my finest hour!! Staying at Nina and Roy's at the moment but going to head into Base to hook up with Meika and maybe get some dolphin swimming on the go :))

Very hot here at the moment and did the tourist thing round Auckland today. Not sure when i'm going to be able to head down to the South Island and Mike and co are arriving on the 12th and still have the Rainbow Warrior to dive up in bay of Islands...decisions decisions.

Mex

Hey Everyone,

Been a busy couple of days , apart from NY that is. On the 30th spent the afternoon doing some caving (can;t spell the proper word for it!!). 30m abseils into pitch blackness and down waterfalls, squeezing through holes and tunnels om belly and swimming through subterrainian cavenrs. Also bit of rock climbing and scrambling and of course the world famous glow worms. Very cool experience!!

Today we spent the morning exploring the thermal park and checking out geysers, hot springs, boiling mud pools and smoking craters. Smelly but cool.

In the afternoon we did a spot of Zorbing which is basically rolling down a hill in a giant rubber ball half filled with water. Wicked fun and seriously considering buying one when i get home as they are excellent craic :))

Tomorrow we are getting up at 5:30 to do the Tongerrara crossing which is NZ best walk. 18km over some pretty serious mountains. Most of it is over 2500m so will be a little chilly. More when I get back down.

Bye for now,

Me