Kaikoura

In Queenstown our driver changed again. Chicken was nice and informative but our new driver is funny. His safety info stars: 'If there's a fire, I'll be the first one out the bus so just follow me!'

In Queenstown in the evening after frisbee golf

On Wednesday we headed to Mount. Cook which is the highest mountain in New Zealand. The way there went past a few amazingly blue lakes. Travelling with a van would be amazing in these sceneries. In Mt. Cook we stayed in rather luxurios hostel which propably used to be a hotel. We did a nice 4 hour walk to the start of the Tasman glacier and it's terminal lake with ice'bergs'.

Next day we drove to Rangitoto where I almost swam. (no the reason I didn't swim wasn't that the water would have been could but because I was sick a few days ago) Now I'm writing from Kaikoura, a nice little town in the East coast of the South island. We're about to go search for some seals! Now I'll be switching places every day until back to Auckland because of my tight schedule.

Me and Lene in our 3 storey bunk beds! (don't have time to figure out how to turn the pic)

Titanic at the terminal lake of the Tasman glacier

Me and the awesome German girls Marie&Alex

The southern part of NZ

The last days in Queenstown went more or less partying, which was great since a haven't done it a lot so far. Saturday it was St. Patricks day which seems to be a great excuse to party a lot here and so we did. Next morning on the bus wasn't my favourite one then...

We spent a night in Invergargill since the ferry to Stewart island was so expensive. Then we headed to the beautiful Milford sound and Gunn's Camp to sleep. We've been really lucky with the weather so far and our luck continued in Milford sound. It was a perfect day to do a cruise there and we even saw dolphins that came to swin right next to our boat ;) Gunn's camp was a nice camp site with huts in the middle of now where, but it was a really beautiful place.

I have to say that for a few days I was a bit tired of meeting new people all the time. The hard part of travelling for me is that you're all the time surrounded by people and now we had a almost totally new group in the bus. But today I've been feeling better and more social again.

Taupo to Queenstown

We arrived to Queenstown with the bus on tuesday. We're gonna stay here for 5 nights in total so I'm enjoying late mornings and not having to pack your bag every day. Last night we went out for the last time with the bus group since from here people will be going to different directions. I'm happy though I still have two awesome german girls Marie and Alex coming with me in the same bus until Auckland. On sunday when we hop in the bus towards Invergargill we'll have a different driver also then. We said good bye to our chilled driver Trouble tuesday night.

During the last week I've been amazed again and again by the stunning views in this country. I survived the 19,4 km long Tongariro alpine crossing during which you could climb Mt. Doom (Lord of the Rings) but me and swedish Annalina found walking the whole track in the mountainous scenery was quite enough. After the trip continued to Wellington and we were lucky to catch the ferry even though the weather had been quite bad.

Tongariro crossing

The most stunning thing last week was though a day hike to Franz Josef glacier. It's one of the only glaciers in the world surrounded by rainforest. I bet I'm gonna come home quite fit after all this hiking!

I'm more than half way through my time in New Zealand but I'm sure I'll love Asia too. I've got so many more things to experience waiting for me. Eventhough travelling can be exhausting sometimes, I'm loving it :)

Our friend we saw from our tent window in Abel Tasman

Local magic mushrooms

What a start

Views I've been watching from the bus window



The last few days have been full of action. I've already managed to burn myself (only a bit, don't worry mom!) during a 4 hour walk at Rangitoto volcano.

I started my Stray bus tour on Thursday and so far I've loved it. It is different from the spontanious travelling of Australia, but I've met really cool people and been doing a lot ;) The best parts for me have been getting to know the maori culture in a local village and during a cultural night and then my favourite, surfing!








and ps. Today I did a .....





SKYDIVE!!!!!!!!!