Chal Basanti Chal! My extended holiday around the world

Zorbing is the funniest but silliest thing i have ever done...why jump into a giant clear plastic ball filled with water (warm) and get pushed down a hill? the fact that it was free (the kind generosity of a friends parents) helped but it was hilarious ...a must do for anyone visiting NZ. The white water rafting was an experience - yours truly was the only person to fall out of the raft as we went down a 7m waterfall. Thankfully i managed to cling on to the boat with one hand..the disadvantage was that i had loads of pics taken of me (oh woe is me). Rotorua is a lovely place just to hang out despite all the adventure stuff to do there but pushed on to Taupo - a lovely lakeside (the biggest lake in NZ) town, before heading to Napier (art deco and beside the sea side - a lovely reminder of home) and finally Hastings (spanish mission architecture) where i stayed with the Chilean parents of a friends friend. They were wonderful and gave me some great tips on Chile and looked after me well. The meal and bed for the night were an added bonus. A 7.30 start the next morning took me to Auckland for 3.30 in the afternoon. Am staying at a Span-glish family i met for 4 hours on the tranzalpine train along Arthurs Pass who very kindly offered to put me up. Have tried practising my spanish on them and realise now how much more i have to learn!! They have been so friendly, kind and welcoming and its just what the doctor ordered after so long on the road. They have looked after me so well and i have even tried Oysters and peeled Prawns (anyone that knows me knows that that would have been impossible a few years ago!) Heading up to Northland tomorrow (3rd) after i pick up my hire car and am hoping to go dolphin and whale watching up in Paihia - just cant wait!!