Hello Bangkok

Arrived in Bangkok and it's HOT HOT HOT !! Had a horrible flight over here. Just felt so bad and claustrophobic and like I could not breath. Was close to panicking seriously. I have never been so close to freaking out on a plane. Felt sorry for the newly weds sitting next to me. They definitely thought I was a fruit-cake :o)
Been doing some sight-seeing. Getting used to smelly cities and different standards again. Looking forward to the next chapter !!

Goodbye Sydney

It was difficult to say goodbye to Grant & Clare. It hit me that I might never see them again. They are both so lovely and we had such a good time. Thank you guys !!

Sydney, Australia again....

..been here for almost a week now. Was planing to do some more sight-seeing around Sydney....but that did not really work out. Instead I've just had a wicked time with Grant & Clare and their friends. Ran also into Steve, from my Africa trip AGAIN...while strolling down town Sydney. So we had another night out on the town.

Was out last Saturday night with Clare and her friend Steven....and we had the best celebrity spotting. Who came strolling out from a night club...and stood right in front of us waiting for his car? Well,hmm you might have guessed it from the photo.... Matthew McConaughey! Wow, he is just HOT. I was so star strucked that I forgot to take a picture and all we managed to say to him was: "We love you Matthew!" How pathetic is that??

Tomorrow I'm off to Bangkok, Thailand :o)

Akaroa

After 2 days in Christchurch I decided to head to Akoroa to swim with the hector dolphins, the smallest dolphins in the world. Had heard about a really nice farm stay option, Onuku Farmstay, that is about 20 min outside of Akoroa. Talked Else (DK) and Julio (ESP) to join me. And it was just fantastic !!! A really nice hostel, a lot of nice walks around the farm and of course the highlight of swimming.

We went out early in the morning and very soon found some dolphins and they just kept coming. The weather was great, but the water was freezing !! We were wearing a really thick wet-suits so it was fine after a while. Got to go in twice to swim with them. And they were so cute coming up to me to have a look. But they got a bit bored after a while. We also saw a blue penguin in the water.

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city on the South-Island. I went down town and had a look around and really liked it. On my way home to the hostel to dinner I ran into Peggy again. And since it was her last night we decided we had to go out for a drink and look around town. Later we also met Julio from Spain again. On our way back to the hostel we realized that it was on "Prostitute heaven" street. Don't know how many girl were standing around waiting to get "picked up".

Also met up again with Aaron & Pippa on St. Patricks day. Christchurch down town went a bit mad that night. With a lot of people in green colored clothes walking around seriously drunk.

Lake Tekapo

From cold Dunedin, it was off to Lake Tekapo. Met more people on the bus again, some new faces and some old familiar once. Had really clear skies and good views on Mt. Cook. Stayed in a very laid back hostel, where we did a BBQ and had some relaxing time.

Dunedin

After Queenstown I headed to Dunedin to meet up with Kate, from my Africa trip. Yes, another one from my Africa trip!! Also said goodbye to a lot of people that I had been travelling with.

Some history about Dunedin: "The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. Charles Kettle the city's surveyor, instructed to emulate the characteristics of Edinburgh, produced a striking, 'Romantic' design. The result was both grand and quirky streets as the builders struggled and sometimes failed to construct his bold vision across the challenging landscape" and it has the worlds steepest street !!! Baldwin street, that I both drove & walked up. The driving was an adventure, since we drove up in Kate's old car, that I did not completely trust for the task.

The bonus in Dunedin was that Aaron & Pippa, an English couple also from my Africa trip turned up in Dunedin on my second day. So we had a bit of an reunion. Did some sight-seeing around Dunedin. Drove out to the Otago peninsula, where we saw seals & albatrosses.

Spent good time around the dining room table with Kate's family !! It was so lovely to meet them all. And had a hard time saying goodbye again !! Thanks Kate !!

Milford Sound

Went on a day trip to Milford Sound, on of NZ most famous attraction. Where it rains half of the year and average rainfall a year is about 7 m. And surprisingly enough it was raining when we got there. Or maybe it is fair to say it was drizzling. But a very beautiful place. Saw some wildlife, dolphins and seals. But don't know if I agree with all the hype about the place.

Queenstown

Queenstown is the adrenaline city of the South-Island. It is by a lake and surrounded by mountains. In the winter it has some of NZ best ski areas. This is where bungy-started. And where you can do almost all the extreme sports found in NZ.
I decided not to go for any extreme things and only did Shotover-jet & the luge again. Some people where going for 3 different bungy-jumps in one day 43m, 134m and 47m...crazy!! Met up with Ross (usa) again and Julio (esp), we were all staying in the same hostel and since it was their last night in Queenstown we decided to have a big night. A few of us went out for dinner and then hit the town. Queenstown is a small place, packed with tourist and every night is a big night.

Wanaka

From Franz Josef to Wanaka we had a lovely drive. A lot of beautiful lakes. I decided to get off the bus in Wanaka. Had heard it was a lovely little town where you could do some short hikes. And I was not disappointed. Cute little town with spectacular scenery. And the bonus was that there I met up with Peggy again. She's a dutch girl that I had met in Coromandle, and got on with really well. So we had a lot of catching up to do and then we went to the movies. Wanaka has a cute little movie theater that is a bit different. Full of cosy sofas and cars that you can sit in. And you can buy homemade cookies and cakes.

Franz Josef

Is a tiny little town and the roots of Franz Josef Glacier. From there you can go on hikes up the glacier or do the heli-hike. Fly op in a helicopter and hike on the top. But the weather was bad when we were there, so we only saw a glimpse of the glacier. So I gave the glacier a miss...was not such a big deal for me anyway. Seen and been on glaciers before. Stayed in a very nice hostel were I ran into an English couple that I had met in Cape Tribulation in Australia. Such a small world. Nice to see them again.

On the way from Greymouth to Franz Josef we stopped at a museum called the Bushman's Center. It was very interesting, very macho. It showed a video about how the dear industry started in NZ. In short, they were hunted in the mountains in helicopters. One of their slogan is: "Vegetarian is an Indian word for a poor hunter" and they sell possum pies.

Greymouth

FromFrom Nelson and Abel Tasman we headed down the west coast. The scenery is just amazing here. First stop was a seal colony, they are always so cute...and stinky :o) Then the famous pancakes rocks and finally Greymouth, the largest town on the west coast and home of Monteith’s beer. So the only thing to do in town was to go on the brewery tour. Had a tour around the factory, then it was beer-tasting 7 different brews, and then it was an open bar and help your selves. We decided to go with the last shuttle-bus to the BBQ, that was included in the tour at a local bar. Had such a good time and I laughed so much that at the end of the night my cheeks where hurting.

Abel Tasman National Park

The ferry ride over to the south island was amazing. The Marlborough sounds, just a beauty. Got to Nelson and from there I went hiking and kayaking in Abel Tasman. We had a really nice day, clear skies and saw a lot of sting rays in the water. Met a lot of new people on the bus.

Wellington

I'm in Wellington, the capital, at the moment. Met up with Mark, another guy from my Africa-trip, yesterday. He took me out for a night on the town with some of his friends. Had a good time. I am heading off to the South-Island early tomorrow morning. So today is sight-seeing in Wellington.

Palmerston North

Met up with Bryce & his lovely family. They are dairy farmers, milking about 140 cows. So I got to try to milk & do a little bit of farm work. And Bryce took me fishing, but we did not catch anything. After 2 days, Steve, shows up. Another guy from our Africa-trip, the one I spent Christmas with. But he's been traveling around NZ. Had some good laughs. We went rabbit and possum shooting with Dave, Bryce & his brother. It was an experience.

Bryce's parents Dave & Jo are just one of the finest people I've ever met!! The Dominators family dominates !! he he

Lake Tapo

After Rotorua, I headed off to Lake Tapo with Ross on the Magic-bus. First we stopped at some mud-pools and Lady Knox geyser, that blows everyday at 10:15. It was so crowded with people. The guide came and told us some history about the geyser and then he put some soap in it and off it went. It was OK, but I've seen better once :o) The next stop was pretty impressive Wai-o-tapu, a geothermal park. It was amazing, so beautiful. Iceland, what?? It was so big and diverse. Just really cool.
After that it was a little bit more adrenalin, Rock 'n' Ropes. I did the 15m swing. First you have to climb up this pole, which was the scariest part, and then you jump-off and swing. All good, except my, pants split open on my arse, and thank god I was wearing proper knickers :o)

Lake Tapo is also beautiful. Spent a bit of time watching the bungy, trying to talk myself into doing it but....did not work :o) So the bungy, is still a miss.

Me & Ross met up with Veronica & Mads ( one of the Danish guys ) in Lake Tapo again. And had a good night out again!
The next day I headed down to Palmerston North to visit Bryce, one of the guys from my Africa-trip, and his family.

Rotorua

Rotorua is amazing place !!! So much going on there. I stayed in a very nice hostel call the Treks, no bunk-beds !! Was in a room with 2 Danish guys and a Swedish girl. All just super nice!! Went to a Maori cultural show on the first night. It was interesting, but also very touristy. But met an American guy, who is on the Magic-bus like me and staying in the same hostel. So we all went out for a big night had a good time.

The next day me,Veronica (Swe) and Ross (USA) went luge-ing. That was just so much fun and then we went Zorbing. That was just something that I had to do because the idea is so stupid and it looks like a giant hamster-ball. The tree of us went together in one, and just I could not stop laughing.

Met 2 Icelandic girls as well in Rotorua !!! One is living in Auckland with her husband and the other one was visiting. The first Icelanders that I've met since I left in November!!