Christchurch

After our winter clothing spending we couldn't afford to do much so spent our last night in the van eating left over food but more importantly, drinking leftover booze!

The next day we woke up early as we needed get our stuff back into 2 bags and take the van back to the depot. As we both returned back from the toilet we realised the keys were in the van and it was now locked! I got the blame as I left just after Emma and closed the (unlocked) door which then decided to lock itself! So there we were, stood outside our van, Emma in her PJs and me in my shorts. It took a while to get hold of the owners, especially as when we explained our problem to the helpful lady behind reception and asked her to look on the internet for the campervan company's companies contact number, she suggested we look on the paperwork. We tend not to take the paperwork every time I goto the toilet!!

We eventually got hold of them and they asked us to look for the spare key under the back bumper. It wasn't there because.... when we (I) hit the bumper in Wellington, we saw a key fob on the floor which didn't look like a key so we left it....that was obviously the spare key! We didn't tell the owners that though!

When the owners eventually turned up they didn't have a spare key or any tools on them which was as useful as a chocolate teapot! we went looking for some wire so we could break into the van. One of the guys commented, "if I could only look in the van, I bet theres a metal coat hanger in there!". Great idea mate, heres a better one, get the keys while you're in there!! We struggled not to be too obvious about our frustration from the useless and unhelpful words leaving his mouth!

We finally found some wire and they impressively unlocked the door with the wire. We chucked everything out of the van and then they took it, leaving us and our stuff in a mess on the floor!

Luckily our hostel for the next few nights was around the corner. The next few days were spent doing not a lot! We watched tele, ate chocolate from the Cadburys factory and wondered around Christchurch (particularly the shops that sells crap for tourists, Kris loves them!! - am I not a tourist?!).

New Zealand was really cool and having the van was excellent! Kiwis are less annoying than the Aussies!

To cap off our time in New Zealand who should be on our flight out of Christchurch but Sir Cliff Richard!!! He was in Business Class of course and we were in the chicken coop, but we passed him on our way to the back! Unfortunately he didn't come round half way through the flight and sing summer holiday though, sham!

We haven't uploaded all the pictures from Christchurch yet...

Next stop, and last stop :( is the craziness of Japan.

Another thing... Skins (ignore this bit Nan) which is filmed in Bristol was advertised on tele in New Zealand by a guy with a very over the top cockney accent! We both shouted at the tele 'They're not cockneys!!', they're from Brizzle, init!!