Oceania Tour

Check out the final photos... see you in UK!

We were very lucky to stay with close friends in Auckland, Lyndsey, Ryan, little Hollie and Bella the dog. I always promised Lyns I’d come to visit her in NZ and I hope it isn’t as long before I do again… Lyns and Ryan kindly took us to a few of their favourite local places – we were spoilt with great weather and excellent company… Cheers guys, hope Bella is enjoying the ball!

Our adventure ended with five days relaxation in Fiji. We have spent some lazy hours under the palm trees that fringe the beach, but we have also done some snorkelling on the reef, attempted to play tennis and hired a car for the day to explore the island a little. The locals made us really welcome and we were shown round a great little village by the sea. We ended the holiday last night with some traditional Fijian music and cocktails and saw the sun set over the ocean and on our holiday!

Just on our very long flight home via LA now - see you all soon!

The Thermal Highway runs through Rotorua and the name says it all! Everywhere you look you can see steam; people's gardens, the woods, the lakes they are all active! The photos show the geysers, mud pools and thermal activity far better than I could describe them. We rounded off our visit to Rotorua with a thermal spa and massage last night to leave us nice and relaxed ready to drive up the coastal road to Auckland today!

Air New Zealand have been great today. First up at 4.30am to start checking flight info, we were scouring the airport web pages until 7.30, just about to leave for the airport when - bam - airport closed until further notice. Reports of lightning strikes and a less than enthusiastic shuttle driver (suppose you couldn't blame him), meant this morning we were facing the rest of the week stranded. Luckily a lovely couple we'd met on the first night had offered us a room since now all the motels and hotels were booking up fast. Well, I'm pleased to say that we have just texted that couple to let them know that we are safely in Auckland, just about to board our Rotorua flight. Both the hotel and Hertz have been brilliant and we never thought it would be so easy. Flights are due to be cancelled again tonight and tomorrow out of Christchurch as another big wave is due to hit. Phew is all we can say!

Highlight of the day was boarding the plane at Christchurch, where the staff had built a little snowman in the departure tunnel at the entrance to the plane.

Tonight we will end up, all being well, at Fenton St! Tomorrow, a chance to enjoy the guysers and mud pools as well as the smell of sulphur!!!

Thanks to all those who kept our spirits up in Christchurch!

Today we should have been watching whales out in the Pacific, instead we are enduring a 'once in a life time storm' as described by New Zealand News. With 100km winds, a full day of snow and the airport closed, it is not looking good for our flight to Rotarua. Another two days are forecast!

Today we walked to the centre of Christchurch which had been devastated by several earthquakes earlier in the year, but nothing had prepared us for what we saw. It was Monday morning and we were literally the only people there. We stood at the barriers and it was eery. It was a city centre and all we could hear was a piece of corrugated iron blowing in the wind. We looked across to a tall hotel with all its curtains blowing in the wind through the gap where the windows once were. A church we passed was just a shell and the whole city centred was cordoned off an area of about 24 blocks. Not a soul in sight, just derelict buildings and snow covered streets without a footprint on them. However, the spirit of the New Zealanders' was still evident; there was a large snowman outside the derelict church and a poster that said 'Keep Calm and Carry On!'

Well, in the New Zealand spirit we are going to wrap up warm and go for a pint tonight! The wind is whistling at the door!!!