Kia Ora !

Finally found the time and access to write some more. Well since I last spoke I have since travelled very quickly through the north island of NZ visiting places like Rotorua, North Palmerston, Otaga and "Wellywood" or as the locals prefer Wellington. Very disappointed about the lack of cartoons in the papers. Boring bunch over here. Auckland city stinks probably due to the sea smells hitting the garbage smell and combined with bad winds. Rotorua stank like sulphur from the volcanic activity clearly still eruptive in the area, even the cabin we stayed in wreaked like hell. I was smelling sulphur for days after. But besides all the stinkiness from the land it has been excellent. Still miss drawing though. Haven't had much of a chance to draw as I have been driving.

Currently in Fox Glacier which is on the south island on the west cost. Staying in a hotel that is opposite the heliport where they take us up to the glacier on top of the mountains and let us out. Helihikers love doing this stuff. They take us down by helicopter as an option. Will see what happens. Bloody cold though at night. During day it is quite warm in the sun so locals get to wear shorts and shirt despite the tourists saying otherwise in their polarfleece.

Missed out on seeing Patea, the birthplace of my grandfather in the lower north island. Tom Cruise is filming in the area where my relatives are supposed to have lived or are still apparently in Taranake. The time has flown too fast and we still have to race to get to Christchurch by the weekend. We are on to Milford sound in the late morning I think so will hopefully update then.