Other highlights? Well, far too many to sum up. But make sure you visit Franz Josef for a glacier hike. And the scenery around Queensland is just fabulous.

Quick Tips:

One other thing - if you intend to have drink and even if you're pushing thirty, take proof of age. The clubs and bars can be ridiculously strict about underaged drinking, especially around Queenstown.

Best Way To Get Around:

That hike takes about 4/5 hours and it's actually the easy option - you can choose to spend the whole day out on the ice. It takes about an hour or so to actually reach the glaicer and from there on it's scrambling up and down and trying not to fall off the ice. I have to say its a bit nerve-wracking when your guide has to cut out steps for you across an ice bridge. But fun. So much fun.

The ice caves are beautiful. I never knew ice could look so blue. Sadly the most impressive caves are too dangerous to walk through - they could fall down at any moment.

The glacier hike isn't particularly cheap and for those with money to burn who don't want to walk too far there's even a helicopter hike. But the experience is definitely worth it.

Pahia is a little seaside town, Waitangi House (where they signed the treaty) is nearby but everyone comes to Pahia to get out on the water. Pahia is the entrance to the huge Bay of Islands and whatever else you do make sure you go out on a cruise. There are a lot of choices, from an 1.5 hour Hole in the Rock cruise to a full days sailing on an old fashioned schooner. You can book them all at the Awesome Adventures on the Quay.

I went out on the Dolphin Explorer and loved it. We chased after the dolphins for a few hours, cruised around the islands, and the tour even included a stop at another island. We didn't get to swim with the dolphins - the pod included babies, but we crawled out onto the bow of the boat and watched the dolphins jump up directly beneath us. It was fun.

There are a few beaches to hit if you just want to chill out. Most of the backpackers go to the one nearest the hostels. Its worth walking on through the town and following the road round till the next beach further on. There's a lot more space and less people. If you carry on walking you'll also come aross the Shipwreck musuem and Waitangi House.

Pahia town is small with all the usual arty craft tourist shops. There's a great sandwich place in one of the arcades with a whole room of fillings to choose from and I reccommend the italian ice cream stand. If you're looking for evening entertainment, your choices are pretty limited to the Lighthouse, the nightclub in Pahia. Some of the hostels also do weekly Barbecues, eg Pipi Patch, just check at Reception.

The coach tour I went on (Kiwi Experience) drove along Ninety Mile Beach first. And its pretty incredible. Its not actually 90 miles as your tour guide will probably tell you but as mile after mile of golden beach stretches along the coast, it certainly feels like it. And apart from the odd coach bus you have it all to yourselves. Its beautful and desolate. Make sure you have enough water because you're not going to find many cafes around here.

We stopped along the way to Cape Reinga to go sand surfing. Such fun. And effort. Climbing up a huge sand dune with a body board under your arm is flipping hard work. Especially when the wind catches the board and the sand half blinds you - sunglasses are essential.

When you finally reach the top and trust me they may be times when its in doubt - its a loooong way down. But when you're hurtling down the dune trying desparately not to plunge into the little stream at the bottom, it is all worth it. Use your feet to slow down and keep your body straight if you don't want to slam into a spin.

After all that excitement we drove on to Cape Reinga. The northern most point of New Zealand. The clash where the Pacific and the Tasmin meet is clearly discernable and the view is quite spectacular. There's a pretty lighthouse and the obligatory signpost to let you know how many miles it is to home. Always useful.

Cape Reinga is more than a pretty view. Its an important spiritual site to the Maoris. And all visitors are requested not to consume food here as a sign of respect. Maori traditions believe that their souls pass through Cape Reinga onto the fabled land of the dead. Try and visit here when its not so crowded and you can get some sense of atmosphere.

Its a long day trip but well worth it for the spectacular views and of course the sand surfing.

After being outfitted with miner's helmuts we all piled into the raft. The guide asked us to turn our lights off and we drifted along in the pitch black and the silence. We reached the main glow worm cavern and it was quite incredible. Definately worth seeing.

The guide was maybe a bit too enthusiastic as he told us all about the life style of what are basically maggots hanging above our heads. Tune him out, enjoy the view and try not to shriek if one of the maggots happens to fall on your head.

Kaikoura is one of the few places where you can go whale watching all year round - weather permitting of course. There's only the one tourboat operator - 'Whale Watch Kaikoura' so your choices are limited and the price is pretty steep, about $100 for a 2 and a half hour cruise. It was a cool experience though.

You need to check in early with the Tour office to confirm that the weather and sea conditions are okay and it takes a little while to get transported out to the boat. NB if you get seasick like me, speak up and you'll be let on first to get the best seats. And mint lifesavers really do help.

The Captain keeps track on the latest sightings and you'll go to a likely spot to wait for the whale to emerge. If you see what looks like an oddly shaped dark stick lying on the water - that's it you've seen your first whale. It does get better. Once the whale's done a bit of sun basking it dives back below doing the whole tail flick thing that you've seen in a hundred photos and is now happening right in front of you. If you're lucky the whale will lift its head up to have a look back at you. You really don't appreciate the sheer size of whales until you see them in the flesh.

As well as about 4 or 5 whales we saw hordes, or I guess it should be pods(?) of dolphins. At times they seemed to be putting on a performance especially for us. And I think I saw more dolpins in Kaikoura than I did on an actual dolphin cruise in Pahia.

The trip is expensive for a few hours out on the water but I was glad I went. How many times in your life do you get the opportunity to go whale watching?