week 1

sorry for not being in touch - internet is expensive and hard to come by. got a bit of time this evening, so i can fill you in on my adventures so far.....

started in aukland, didnt like it - busy, no character, 'unfriendly'. (a bad start really!)

headed to rotorua the next day. stayed there 3 nights. really beautiful area and met some really cool people. went to a very commercialised Mauri village - which was very informative, if a little touristy. went on a long walk - got completely lost and hitched back to hostle with this awesome kiwi (absolutly crazy bloke)

then went to taupo with two guys from birmingham i met at rotorua hostle - even nicer place: weather was great (got sunburnt) went on a scenic hike, swam in lake taupo.

met 3 german girls in taupo. got on with one in particular, hannah, she was cool - drove to tauranga (bay of plenty) with her. This was amazing. best weather in all of NZ apparently ... id agree with that. went swimming in sea alot, climbed mt. monganui, did a sky-dive (cooooooool!!!). spent the whole time in a german youth hostle..... a weird experience imust say - but in- fact this was actually the best hostle so far! really friendly people, made loads of friends: however conversations tended to need alot of concentration and effort!

few days later headed to Taihape ('ti-happy') by myself - for blis-stick. a 6hr bus journey. i arrived there at 5pm to find that Bliss-stick and the lodge i was supposed to be staying at was a 40min drive into the mountainous countryside from the town...... hmmm, this was a difficult situation. the best i could do was arrange a lift for the next morning- i was forced to stay in a tiny room above a dodgy pub , but for $15 i wasnt complaining!