Wow! -looking out of the window at our first glimpse of “Godzone” as Simon’s friend Nick puts it. The mountains look awesome covered in snow. I know this is going to be completely different to all the other places we have seen and we can’t wait to check it out.

Well we landed on time and it certainly is freezing here but no snow so far. We get a taxi to the hostel we have booked. Dorset House is a great find, a large Victorian style place with huge rooms, thick carpets, sash windows and oil filled radiators, it reminds me of our old house in England. For 100 dollars we have got a shared room with 4 single beds (The exchange rate here is about 2.6 dollars to the pound) and after chucking our stuff in we decide we will walk into town for some food.

The road we are on has loads of bars and cafes to choose from but in the end our minds are made up by Maisie who refuses to walk any further in the cold and drags us into a coffee shop. It’s a good enough choice with a roaring log fire and hot drinks and homemade cakes all round. We get chatting to the fella who serves us and tell him we want to hire a car; he lets us use his phone and tells us we will need to get snow chains also. (Apparently included in the hire price)As its late now, another two hours on the time difference- now 11 hours ahead, we decide we will sort it out properly in the morning.

We stop off and buy some fish, chips and tomatoes for dinner. Not a very exciting meal but it will do and we will be able to stock up on food more when we have some transport. When we get back to Dorset House we sit in the lovely big lounge watching Lord of the Rings. I guess we will see plenty of that while we’re here!

11pm and we’re off to bed with the hot water bottles we’ve been given. Feeling tired but very excited about our plans for the next few weeks.

The Antarctic Centre is the base from which travellers to Scott Base (New Zealand’s Antarctic Base) leave. Over the past few years it has also been developed into a tourist attraction and it’s interesting and educational for the kids. We read some information about the Antarctic first, learning that it is the coldest (Minus 89 degrees), driest and windiest place on earth. There are lots of models in the centre wearing the clothes needed to keep you warm there and we get the opportunity to try some on when we head to the snow room.

At minus 8 it’s freezing and everyone wraps up in the overshoes and thick coats provided. Even those don’t help much when the storm comes though. These happen every hour and although I wouldn’t say it was good fun standing there in the dark with the wind howling around us and the temperature reduced to minus 21 it was a great experience. (The kids and Simon of course loved it!!) Maisie went in a couple of times and really enjoyed sliding down the ice slide and sheltering in the igloo.

We then went to see the penguin feeding; the Little Blue Penguins have all been rescued due to injuries that would have meant they would have died if they had been left in the wild. They’re so cute, only about a foot tall and its great watching them swimming around through the underwater window. Lastly we have a ride on the Hagglund, these machines are used in the Antarctic for getting around and transporting stuff. It’s quite a thrilling ride as the driver seems to enjoy scaring us by doing donuts at a 25 degree tilt. He assured us these things are made to do this but it was quite scary. We also go over a manmade crevasse and through a pond where we are relieved to discover the Hagglund are actually amphibious in case they fall into ice seas.

After some shopping we get back to the hostel and Simon cooks us some lovely New Zealand lamb for dinner- yum! I make us some mulled wine and we sit in the lounge watching a film before heading of to bed around 11pm.

The trees are also the same type and lots of the architecture is very similar, gothic and Victorian style houses and buildings are everywhere. Many of the places have the same names as English towns and cities. (We also really noticed this in Australia) The differences though are the size of the roads- massive, and the amount of space in between everything. We stop at a small place called Akaora for lunch. It looks like Salcombe at home but better, not so crowded and expensive! We have some soup for lunch and then head towards a tiny place called Waipara where we have planned to stop for the night.

Adrian and Liz, the couple we met in the Blue Mountains in OZ recommended a backpackers called Waipara Sleepers and it sounds really cool. Old railway carriages set on their own bits of track have been converted into accommodation and with brass beds and the original train seats they sound romantic and cute.

By the time we arrive it’s almost dark and the temperature is starting to drop a lot. We wrap up warm and walk to the local pub, only 100 yards up the road, for dinner. This is sheep shearing season and by the end of the night I’ve met a few shearers and learnt all sorts! Apparently the kiwi shearers are world renowned and often travel abroad to places like Wyoming in America to shear upto 280 sheep a day. They shear them now to make them cold and therefore lead their lambs to more protected and warmer areas. Interesting-I love finding out all that kind of stuff!

By 9pm its pub closing time and we’re turfed out into the cold. All the puddles have frozen and it’s icy. We get into bed fully dressed realising too late that perhaps this is just too cold a place to spend the night! Simon takes a photo of me sat on the completely ineffective radiator in a sleeping bag. Despite it having been on for the past four hours we can still see our breath in here. I think its going to be a very long night.

We gather up our stuff and the kids, skip the showers (There were icicles hanging down from the shower head) and head for the nearest pub. After a massive breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup, omelettes and toast we’re all feeling loads more cheerful and decide we will pay whatever it costs to get some decent accommodation tonight. We drive back down south, past Christchurch towards the town of Dunedin. We plan to stop halfway tonight at Timaru and the drive takes a couple of hours. We’re all really tired, Simon and I hardly slept due to the cold and I chat to the kids and revise what they learnt of Australia’s history on the way.

The best thing about this journey is the mountains. The South Island is divided by the Southern Alps and although they are a long way from us we can see them clearly on our right hand side. Covered in thick snow, they look magical and we’re all really excited about going skiing or snow boarding sometime over the next few weeks. We stop off at a cookie factory, this was the kids idea and they had a good time reading about the baking of the worlds largest cookie( In Guinness Book of Records!) and then buying a few to have with a cuppa later.

We finally reach Timaru and check into the Homestead Lodge Motel. With a blower, hot showers and electric blankets on the beds it’s as close to heaven as I can expect (or want) at the moment and we all crash out after a hot shower. We wash all our gear; it needs it badly as we have been wearing the same stuff for at least 24 hours. So grim. Get used to seeing us in the same stuff in all our photos. That blue fleece is my new best friend.

Our journey takes us through and over the Southern Alps and we stop for a cappuccino in the ski resort of Fairlie around midday. It’s getting steadily cooler but the sun is shining brightly and it actually feels warm out of the shade. The photo opportunities are numerous and as we get nearer to Mt Cook it just gets more and more stunning. We’re all snow virgins and having never been skiing before the spectacular mountain range just looks unbelievable. The frosty pine trees, craggy snow mountains and wide flat boulder plains combine to make a wondrous and magical picture postcard image. It’s like a beautiful fairy land.

Around 3pm we stop in the town of Twizel (How cute is that!) and share antipasto. Yum! Then back in the car for another hour to Mt. Cook. When we arrive it’s almost dark and we have watched the temperature on the car drop from 2 to minus 8.5 in the space of 20 minutes. The YHA hostel is gorgeous, a Swedish style cabin with log burners, a lovely big kitchen and a sauna. Luckily the fires are blazing and the whole place is really snug. We make our nightly usual, mulled red wine and put some jacket potatoes in the oven for later.

Its 11pm now and we’ve just come to bed, we spent the evening watching my favourite film ever �Point break. I suppose it must be at least 15 years old now but I still love it and I must have seen it a hundred times. Ali told me it’s really cheesy but I don’t care! Tomorrow we’re going mountain biking- god help me.

The bikes are ten dollars each and they go for about an hour, mad fools! When they get back they’re so cold and have apparently fallen off about 8 times between them! They said the cycle paths were very steep and snowy and now have blue fingers and red noses to show for their bit of exercise, but loved every minute of it.

The day was spent driving back towards the east coast and then south to the coastal town of Dunedin. The south islands second largest city has some good museums and art galleries as well as Cadbury World and some wild penguins. Cadbury World sounds like the biggest draw to me. Although- the headline in the local paper discusses the 6th annual jaffa race where 20,000 jaffas are rolled down the world’s steepest hill. (Oh no! we missed it)

We arrive about 6pm and head for a backpackers recommended to us. When we get there it has closed down and we decide to try some of the many motels instead. They turn out to be really expensive and I begrudge paying 180 dollars for some crummy place. After trying at least 10 places we opt for two hotel rooms at a Mecure Hotel. Not cheap at 185 dollars but at least it’s a decent quality kip.

We have had an email recently from Sam and Dan, a couple we met way back in January in Malaysia. They are now back at work and gave us loads of tips on NZ. It was interesting to see that they thought overall Asia was the best place, despite cutting their Asia trip short to return to Australia. We talk about this and also agree that even though it’s so so beautiful here it isn’t the amazing adventure we have experienced elsewhere. We’ve heard this a bit from other travellers too but feel quite conscious that we don’t want to start yapping on about how much better it was when we were single handedly hacking our way through some mosquito infested jungle! Blah blah blah!

I have a lovely long and hot bath, looking decidedly scruffy and travellerish recently with dry skin, greasy hair and knackered nails. Simon made some cheeky remark which I won’t repeat to save my blushes- how rude! He’s just found the dedicated grass roots rugby channel -Oh give me strength!

We have to go out for breakfast which is a pain but quickly find “Bronx Bagels” and put our orders in. I go last and the kids are outraged when I choose a cinnamon and raisin bagel with banana and nutella. Especially as they had to chose some thing a little healthier- hehe!

We decide to pay the Otago Museum a visit and make a donation of 10 dollars for the pleasure. And it is a pleasure, a really cool museum with loads of interesting galleries and exhibits demonstrating the history of New Zealand, Maori culture and the extinct Moa bird, as well as clothing from around the world, fossils and a large section on the South Pacific Islands. Can’t wait to go to Fiji, The Cook Islands and Tahiti now! The kids enjoyed the practical demonstration by a physiologist called “Grossology- the fight against illness”, which included the making of blood snot and pus, the best!

We want to go and see the latest Harry Potter instalment and when we get to the cinema the film is starting at 3.30. We book our tickets (only 35 dollars and no queue) and get some popcorn, maltesers and coke. Healthy diet these days. Two hours later and we’re out having all enjoyed the bit of escapism.

We have dinner back at the hotel and pay 100 dollars for a crap meal that none of us enjoy. I phone mum and we have a chat before heading off to bed. We’re travelling again tomorrow, heading towards Milford Sound on the west coast.

What a disappointment it all turns out to be, we get there and find that the beaches where the wildlife live are owned by farmers who charge what we think is an extortionate amount of money to go and see them. The cost to see the penguins only was 120 dollars and as its icy cold my reaction is basically stuff it up your arse, we can live without seeing them. It is a shame though and we would have happily paid maybe half of that but still, our loss perhaps!

We were told that there are some public beaches on the peninsula where we can possibly see the penguins for free but when we head there we can see from above that the penguins aren’t there and in the end give up. A bit of a waste of time but we have seen some beautiful scenery on the way around the peninsula on the way so all wasn’t lost!

We drive for a few hours to the town of Gore. There isn’t much here although a sign proclaims it to be “The capital of brown trout fishing and country music” – help. We book into a motel which is a really nice place but rather chilly and leave the kids with strict instructions to keep pressing the button on the heater which has a half hour timer on it. Damn them!

The travellers we have met in New Zealand definitely seem to like a few luxuries and everyone us including us carries around any number of large grocery bags. So much for the image of penniless backpackers living on beans on toast, we’ve seen some tasty creations being put together in the kitchens of hostels and we’re no exception. Getting all we need for roast beef with yams and pumpkin, we want some decent food due to the wintry weather and are sick of eating take out. (A miracle for me)

Just watched a program on the telly- “The man with the largest penis in the world”. The highlight of the day.

On the way we stop for petrol and Simon chats to the fella who tells us we should consider staying overnight at Te Anau as there isn’t much at Milford Sound. We drive for a few hours through the lovely countryside. Its much more like England here with rolling green hills, loads and loads of sheep (And lots of deer) and thick mist and drizzly rain.

We arrive at Te Anau around lunchtime and check into the YHA hostel. These hostels are really good, very clean and friendly. We heard from some other travellers that they felt some of the hostels in New Zealand are very unwelcoming and that they felt bullied by the hostel staff into booking trips they didn’t want to do, but that hasn’t been our experience at all and all the kiwis we’ve met have been friendly. We go and get some lunch, Simon has a venison burger and we have soup before heading back to the hostel for an afternoon in front of the telly.

Its 9.45pm now, Simon and Ali have gone to watch some rugby at the pub, The All Blacks v South Africa. Come on New Zealand! Hopefully we will at last make it to Milford Sound tomorrow.

The mist that is hanging in low sheets across the roads and valleys adds to the eerie and mystical appearance of the landscape. We reckoned that this amazing journey would be overwhelmed with about a billion tourists in the warmer months and we stop along the way loads of times to take photographs, have a snowball fight and grab some massive icicles. There are about 4 other cars on the road and we take it in turns to lead as everyone keeps stopping. We won the race in the end; we said Simon was like Penelope Pitstop.

On the way he tells us about merain fields and the difference between a sound (Formed by river erosion) and a fjord (Formed by glacier erosion) apparently Milford Sound is incorrectly named as it’s actually a fjord. Hmm clever!

We arrive at the cruiseboat terminal and book our tickets for 11.30am. The operators are offering a deal where children go free as its NZ kids winter holiday at the moment so it costs us 110 dollars in total. The boat we have chosen is a smaller boat and there are around 10 people on it. We set off through the fjord and gaze up at the mountains all around. The Captain of the boat tells us that when Captain Cook was chartering New Zealand in the late 1700′s he sailed straight past here. The reason being, that from out to sea the mountains appear to cross over each other and the entrance to the fjord is therefore concealed.

There are 3 waterfalls to see and the lots of evidence of the huge glacier that cut through here. The sides of the mountains are scratched with deep gouges where the rocks carried by the glacier ground the mountain rock away. We learn that glaciers often move quite fast, up to a metre a day and when they finally terminate leave behind many boulders in the merain fields. Interesting. Best of all we see some wild sealions, how cool is that? Lying on a rock their big blubbery bodies spread out and we’re all enchanted.

Its 11pm now and I spent the afternoon reading my book in the warmth. Travelling around New Zealand is quite different to travelling elsewhere. Very easy, everything is mapped out for you. Although the hostels are nice I am beginning to feel a bit like I’m on a school trip, actually I quite like it, I always thought I would suit an institutionalised life. Endless magazines, tv and board games, give it to me.