Franz Josef

Arriving in Franz Josef I was annoyed that I had signed up for Kayaking because I was spending too much money already and I had also put my name down to sky dive. Even though I was aware that I was spending too much I still followed the crowd in to the glacier hikes building and promptly parted with another $150 for a days walking on the glacier because it is considered one of the top attractions in New Zealand.

The kayaking was a short drive out of the town and the mini bus was not large enough to take us all so the guide asked who had a driving license. Of the people who had not been drinking already only me and a young girl volunteered so I made sure it was me driving. In hindsight this was probably not a great idea as I doubt I was insured but everyone over here is laid back and driving in New Zealand is easy so it was all good. Our group of 10 people had a huge lake all to ourselves as tends to be the case over here and sitting on the water looking up at the mountains as the sun went down was another pinch me moment.

I managed not to spend any more money that evening by eating peanut butter on toast for dinner and drinking tea with Roxy and Lyn until midnight. Lyn is an absolute hero of a woman, she is 58, from up north and living life to the fullest. She had done a bungy jump the week before and tomorrow morning will be jumping out of a plane in the same group as me. Lyn can talk for England and although you can't get a word in edge ways I was in stitches at every story she told. My favourite story was that when she was 40 she looked down at her sofa and said to herself 'I could be sat on a beach instead of on this', the next morning she sold the sofa and booked a week in Ibiza. When she got back all she had to sit on was one deckchair but she was happy as Larry and for this I love her. Lyn you are a legend.