Where has this year gone.... We're just back from a 10 day tour of the central south island. Our first proper holiday in a year (since our trip back to the UK). Andy's sister and partner travelled around with us for some of the period and it was good to have people from the UK finally make it for a visit.

I was lucky enough to get a batch donated for 3 days at the start of the trip (a batch for all of you that haven't been exposed to kiwi culture is a small holiday home. They range from 4 walls and a roof to luxury pads.) It was on banks peninsula, just outside of christchurch. The peninsula was formed hundreds of thousands of years ago when 2 supervolcanoes erupted and split apart, and you really appreciate the volcanic landscape and quietness of the place. The batch was fantatstic (thank you Olivia, John and Linda) and we got to recharge our batteries for a couple of days - having a trip to Akaroa where I got to swim with the world's smallest dolphin (hectors dolphin - on the endagered species list)

We also had a side trip to the Waipara region and had a taste of the lovely Waipara wines. From Christchurch - where we picked up Karen and Twiggy, we continued over Arthur's pass, past some stunning scenery use in the climactic battle scenes in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie, down to fox glacier. Fox is on the westcoast and receives an annual rainfall at times more than 2.5 metres. Probably why it felt like being in a rainforest. Luckily for us the weather was dry - albeit a bit cloudy at the top of the glacier. So in true Edmund Hilary style, we strapped on our crampons and went for a walk on the ice. Very strange walking on something that is about 50 years old and moving at around a metre a day, however well worth the experience, despite the aching thighs the following morning.

From Fox, we went via Lake Wanaka to Queenstown and had our adrenalin fix - the luge, a small toboggan track at the top of Queenstown. We all have some very funny memories of this - especially my suprise win of the 5th and final round!!

We said goodbye to Karen and Twiggy in Queenstown and carried on via Mount Cook to Lake Tekapo and then on to Oamaru to visit some friends for a night. Then back home and back to reality. ROll on xmas - another 9 days off is exactly what we both need!