Day 12 (May 25th) Skydiving at Fox Glacier and Lake Matheson

So I woke up this morning with a strange urge to jump out of a plane over a glacier. Oh how convenient being in the Glacier Country and all that. I found a voucher (heads up those who want to do a skydive over a glacier) in the free South Island road map (found in any i-site) offering free photos and a t-shirt for Fox Glacier Sky Dive. Sweet. So I leave Shelley with some chocolate as a thank you and get on the road hitching. After twenty minutes, literally not one car has driven by. It's 10.00am on a Saturday morning, on the main road, in one of the most popular tourists spots in the whole country AND a lovely day. This will give you an idea of how little people there is on the South Island, tourists or no tourists. I head to the I-site and ask about the shuttle. Even though it's Saturday - it's not running. Right...! So I tell the lady I'm 'planning' on doing a sky dive over Fox Glacier and within one minutes she has called them, booked my skydive and organised for them to come pick me up, free of charge. Awesome! But also...... no turning back now. Oh wow. They are coming to pick me up at 1.30pm, so I kill a few hours in 'Full of Beans' cafe with a delicious Mocha Frappe and free wifi. I also meet Shelley again who is egging me on for what I'm about to do.

When I get picked up I realise that there really is no turning back! We pick up a French hitchhiker, Xavier and begin to watch a video. We then sign forms. The company will not pay out any insurance or take any responsibility should I die. Okay. No worries. No worries whatsoever. We get to the drop zone, are kitted out and before I know it we are in the plane taking off. At the moment, I have the same feeling I have 10 minutes before curtain call the first night of a theatre show. Except a million times worse. I am TERRIFIED. I would like to think of myself as a cool 'adrenalin junkie' but I am definitely not cool enough to give myself that label. And this feeling confirms that! Within minutes, my legs are out the door, I am posing (or just sitting there hyperventilating) for the 'wing photo' and BOOM I am tumbling through the clouds. I'm also screaming so hard that I've forgotten to breathe so after finding my breathe and realising I'm not dead I begin to enjoy the experience of flying through the air at 12,000 feet above the ground. And it's pure unadulterated bliss! The view of the glacier, and the Tasman sea meeting land is spectacular. When we finally reach the ground I am buzzing and wondering when I can do my next skydive. What a rush! I would really recommend this company and at 300 dollars for 12,000 feet, pick up from another town, free wing photos and a t-shirt - I think I got a quality bargain! 

 

 Skydive Fox Glacier

When I get to my hostel Ivory Towers in the cute, alpine township of Fox Glacier, I meet Xavier, our hitchhiker from earlier, and also two new guys - Dror from Israel and Joe from the UK. We all get chatting and decide to head to Lake Matheson to catch the sun go down. Dror has a car so we are there in ten minutes. We begin the walk and are laughing and joking along the way - these three guys together are hilarious and it certainly doesn't feel like I've only known them only half an hour. I also cannot wipe the permanent happy grin off my face because I just jumped out of a plane. Ahhh! Lake Matheson is also known as 'Mirror Lake', famous for the beautiful reflections it creates. We are told not to count on getting the money shot and it's 'rarely still enough' to really capture the beauty but I think we did a good enough job. We reach 'Reflection Island' and admire the mountains in the lake. We play a few echo games and joke push eachother in before walking back through the forest in the dark to the car. We pick up a few beers, head back to the hostel, play charades, watch stupid prank videos and laugh uncontrollably for the rest of the evening. It's perfect days like today that will make me smile when I'm old and grey. And I'll know that I have truly lived. 

Cue slagging.

Beautiful Lake Matheson

Day 11 (May 24th) - Franz Josef Glacier

The party was great last night at Shelleys but as it wound down at about 4am, I decided I wanted to go to sleep. As I had the couch, I had to sleep amidst the few stragglers who were left chatting. This morning, I realise I had made a very stupid decision. When I went to the bathroom, I was greeted by my face, which now resembled the face of a cat, one that is sporting an undesirable body part on its cheek. Wonderful. When Will, sleeping on the other couch wakes up and sees me, he starts laughing uncontrollably but then stops when it dawns on him that if my face has been sabotaged, so has is! Shelley then gets up, laughs hysterically and we sit and drink tea for an hour. I spend the next hour scrubbing my face until it's red raw and in pain. I still resemble a cat but not to worry. It will give people a reason to stare. 

Shelley and I in Monsoon Bar

Cheers guys

I walk into the quaint little town of Franz Josef and decide to do the glacier walk. It's a fine day - perfect for a bit of a hike. The staggering development of Franz Josef and Fox glacier is largely due to the endless rain of the West Coast. Snow falling in the glaciers broad accumulation zones fuses into clear ice at 20 metres depth, then surges down valleys. The glaciers are particularly steep, so the ice travels a long way before finally melting. Although 140 glaciers flow from the Southern Alps, only these two glaciers reach the lower rainforests and sit at just 250 metres above sea level, making them accessible to the public. To actually get onto the glacier, one must do a guided tour which proves to be quite expensive (generally all over 150 dollars and my bank balance isn't looking majorly healthy) so I think getting 200 metres away from the glacier is good enough for me. 

I walk from the town, through the rainforest and reach the car-park after approximately an hour. Shelley has recommended I do the walk to 'Peters Pool', about 25 minutes from where I am. When I get there, the view is wonderful. The mountains and glaciers are reflected in the small pond and as it is such a calm day, the surface of the water is perfectly still and undisturbed so the reflection is flawless. It's a beautiful sight. 

 

View at Peters Pool

I walk back and then begin the walk to the glacier which is an hour and a half return. It takes me through the rainforest again and eventually I reach the glacier valley. Early Maori called the glacier 'Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere' - the tears of the avalanche girl. The legend tells of a girl whose tears froze to form the glacier after her lover fell to his death from one of the peaks. I feel like I'm in an ancient valley, completely alone and vulnerable (as there doesn't seem to be anyone else doing the walk) but it feels awesome. On each side of me are rising concrete cliffs and a river runs along side me over more stone. Gushing waterfalls and greenery adorn the sides of the cliffs that both lead up to glacier in the centre in front of me. I finally get to the top viewing point to see the ice, as hard as steel. It's pretty spectacular and my photos don't really do the sight justice. Although the glacier is really impressive, it's more the whole scene that gets me, and the sheer size of what I am standing in, completely alone. This is probably the only time I will stand right in front of a glacier so I sit, breathe in the clear air and marvel at the sight in front of me for a few minutes. It is tempting to go beyond the barrier and explore further, but there are clear signs warning against this, one containing a copy of the newspaper cut out detailing the death of two tourists who tried to brave the elements and were hit and killed by falling ice.

The glacier walk

 It's actually beginning to get dark and I knew I shouldn't have set off so late. If I were to be caught down here before reaching the beginning of the valley I'd be in trouble as there is obviously no 'street lights'. I hurry back and make my way towards town. I decide after about four hours of walking I'm too lazy to cook so I head to the Landing for some grub. A delicious sirloin burger and chips is 22 dollars. The atmosphere is great and staff are friendly so it's definitely worth it. Shelley's working again tonight so it's home, an episode of 'Mad Men' and sleep time for me! The view of the moon is beautiful as I walk. Oh New Zealand, you spoil us!

The moon over Franz Josef

23rd May (Day 10) Road to Franz Josef

It’s time to get back on the road down the West coast. Luke went back to work in Christchurch yesterday so I’m going solo again. I have my free breakfast and head into town and towards highway 6. About 20 minutes after I have my thumb out, a massive freight truck drives towards me and stops about 3 inches in front of me. The driver is laughing and obviously very entertained. He gets out, lugs my bag inside and I climb up what seems like 10 metres into the passenger seat. Warren, a middle-aged Kiwi man brings me to Hokitika, drives through the town (seems to be a true wild west town but I don't have time to explore) and then drops me at a perfect hitching post. Happy days! After ten minutes, Thomas, a young Kiwi guy brings me to the tiny town of Ross, where he is from. 

On our way in we come across a really cool looking house with car registrations stuck all over it and on the fence surrounding it. I start to hitch again outside what looks like a closed pub, with more car registrations stuck all over the wall. After two minutes, two men wander outside the pub and say hello. We get chatting - the guys names are Muz and Tommy. Muz has collected old and new motorbikes for years. There is a pub / cafe next door but this part of the pub has been turned into Muz' storage place for all of these cool bikes. He takes me inside and shows me around. He's hoping to perhaps turn it into a mini museum, which could be another drawing point for the town of Ross. There is some amazing bikes and really interesting memorabilia, and I'm delighted I've been dropped off here. Unfortunately I haven't got much time to spend with Muz as I need to get to Franz Josef before dark. He tells me if I had time he would take me up to the graveyard a short drive away to where there are many Irish men buried. They came to Ross in the 1800's to make their gold fortune, but unfortunately a lot of them died in mining accidents or in other unfortunate events. Many of them were only in their forties. Muz also tells me that Ross is a town of glories lost. It's where the unearthing of NZ's largest gold nugget, the 2.772kg 'Honourable Roddy', caused a kerfuffle in 1907. Just as we finish our lovely chat and I begin hitchhiking again, a beautiful and bright rainbow appears right over the house I saw when I first drove into Ross. It happens to be Muz' house. Does it seem weird that I feel like it's a sign for something? Maybe. But it feels special.

 Some of the motor-bike memorabilia at Ross

 Muz and I

 Beautiful rainbow over Muz' house

 Beautiful Lake Lanthe

 Lake Lanthe

 Little town of Hari Hari

 Hari Hari

Soon before our arrival in Franz Josef

The first car that drives by picks me up. I hop in with Emma and Zita, a lovely Maori lady and her daughter. We have a great chat along the way. She wants to stop to use the facilities at Lake Lanthe which I am delighted about because it is such a beautiful lake and the sun is shining down on it. Together with the surrounding native forest, it creates wonderful views. We arrive in the even tinier town of Hari Hari, where Emma lives, and she drops me on the main road slightly down from the town where it will be easy to hitch. It's getting late at this stage and it's going to get dark soon - I remember my rule - don't hitch when it's getting dark! However, I'm enjoying the sun setting and the view of the mountains. This place is beautiful. There's a few cars going by but nobody picking me up. I begin to get irritated by the millions of sandflies and decide after half an hour it's time to call it a day. I'm thinking I'm a bit screwed as there is no backpacker in Hari Hari. Uh-oh! Just as I start walking back to the town, a car driving the opposite direction to where I am going stops, turns around and pulls up beside me. The luck of the Irish yet again prevails. I get into the car with Lynn and Greg, an Australian couple who have a daughter of a similar age to me and they wouldn't like to see her hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere. They are also primary school teachers and we have a great chat, admire the views and even stop to take some pictures. Just before we arrive in Franz Josef, we are pulled over by the cops. Greg is wondering what he's been doing wrong but turns out he didn't have the lights on properly. Phew - that could have become interesting. They drop me right to Rainforest Retreat in Franz Josef where my friend Shelley works and who I am staying with tonight. Perfect!

I meet Shelley and she takes me to her house about two minutes away. She has to head off to work so leaves me be. I make beans on toast - perfect, delicious, backpacker food and chill out. A short while later her room-mate Tom comes home and invites me out with him and his friends. They are going to head to Monsoon Bar where Shelley works so it sounds perfect to me. Soon after we arrive, I bump into a friend, Chris, who I worked with in Pipers Lodge in National Park on the North Island. We have a great catch up! I wait for Shelley to finish work and we head back to hers with a load more eager party-goers in tow. Good times!

Day 9 (22nd May) - Greymouth

So it was never really part of my plan to spend any time in Greymouth. But today I'm feeling lazy, there's free wifi, a warm fire and fun people in the hostel. I decide to have a lazy day here and move on tomorrow. I figure I at least need to get out for an hour so I head into the 'enchanting Greymouth' to see what's on offer. It's all in the name really. It's grey. Greymouth gets on average about 2575mm of rain yearly and today is no exception. This town is the largest on the West coast and the commercial heart of this side of the country. The boom time for the town was the 1860's for the gold rush, and you could say there is still a character and pioneering spirit to the place. I walk along the coast and learn about some of the huge gold-mining disasters that have happened over the years. I also wander by Monteiths Brewery. From humble beginnings in 1868, the brewery has won international acclaim for its boutique beers. I walk across Cobden Bridge to do 'Lions Walk' which is about a twenty minute uphill walk through Rapahoe Range scenic reserve with a great view up above. I don't think Greymouth is enchanting, but I'm sure it is a lot nicer during summer time.

I decide that's enough for me for the day and head back to the hostel. I wish I had a onesie right now as I'm freezing and wet. One of the other guests however just has a fresh, pear sponge cake coming out of the oven and is offering us all a piece (all three of us). Oh I couldn't, okay I could...oh maybe I'll have 6 slices actually. It was delicious!!! Day 9 over. 

Day 8 (May 21st) Road West through Arthurs Pass

Today is the day I am hitching through Arthurs Pass over to the west coast. I’m slightly nervous about this as it is one road up through the Mountains where the temperature drops significantly and there is just bush and nothingness all around, including limited phone signal. And if an axe murderer did actually pick me up and intend to murder me – there wouldn’t be many who would hear my cry.  So…I decided to cheat. Luke, (who picked me up for the Akaroa trip) decides he is still in holiday mode and agrees to come along for the adventure through the mountains. A lift all the way. RESULT!

Driving through the mountains

We set off early in the rain and fog of Christchurch but soon enough it begins to clear and the stunning views are visible. Nowhere else in New Zealand does the coast rise to mountains so quickly. From Christchurch the road traverses the Canterbury plains and escalates rapidly into the Porter Heights and Craigieburn skiing areas before following the Waimakariri and Bealey rivers to Arthurs Pass. This drive is a sight to behold - beautiful mountains, some snow-capped, some with extremely unusual rock formation, waterfalls, valleys and gorges, beautiful greenery and birds along the way. The Maori term for New Zealand is Aotearoa; land of the long white cloud and this is very evident all along the drive. The Castle Hill area has fascinating limestone outcrops and some scenes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Chronicles of Narnia have been filmed in the area. Arthurs Pass is New Zealands highest-altitude settlement and a cute (if tiny) town and a good base for many hikes, tramps and climbs. Soon after driving through we come to Deaths Corner where there is a lookout we decide to stop at. We realise when we get out of the van that there are kea birds everywhere. They begin to ascend on the van and start picking away at it and it’s really funny. Keas, native to New Zealand, are known to be fearless and inquisitive birds, capable of killing sheep and breaking into your car through the windows. I manage to get up close to get some pictures. As these parrots spread their wings their beautiful colours are visible. They are amazing to watch up close. On walking closer to the edge of the look-out, I see one of the most amazing sights I have seen so far in New Zealand. We are looking down into a massive gorge with extremely unusual rock formation on the sides and a little river running below. A bridge, that looks extremely dodgy takes cars through and it’s safe to say I am very scared going across. The sky and clouds seem to reflect a crystal like silvery mirror above the valley, creating an almost surreal image. I am in complete awe. And raging that my camera battery has just died!

The drive is quite simply spectacular and no camera could do the scenery justice. We carry on by beautiful Lake Brunner, which locals reckon have the worlds best trout fishing, and finally arrive in, according to a tourist guide, ‘enchanting Greymouth’. We decide to wait until tomorrow to see if we believe the writer and head to a backpacker and check in. Neptunes backpacker is actually a historic West coast pub, part of the old Gilmer Hotel built in 1905. Dingy? Yes. Old? Yes. Charming? Absolutely. The nautical themed hostel has a cosy fire, huge fish tanks with turtles and a wrought iron balcony perfect for soaking up the sunset. There’s also free wifi, free breakfast and a little bar – so we agree that it was a good choice. We get chatting to some of the wwoofers, all order 5-dollar dominoes pizza and watch movies in front of the fire. Call me a granny but I can’t think of a better way to end the day!

 Kea bird at Deaths Corner, Arthurs Pass

 Lake Brunner - some of the best trout fishing in the world

Day 7 (May 20th) The centre of Christchurch

The sun is out. Finally. I decide I’m going to brave the still cold weather by wearing flip-flops (or jandals) and ramble into what once was the city centre of Christchurch. I am meeting Katie who is from Christchurch and Lenni, from Germany (one of the chefs in Furneaux who left before I got to meet him – and who the boys talked a ridiculous amount about). In twenty minutes I get to the Container Mall.  Christchurch has apparently lost a lot of infrastructure and is physically, a shell of its former self. The town was looking for novel designs to help the city bounce back and this mall seems to offer a bit of normalcy to the residents, and some serious contemporary eco-style. The shipping containers or brightly coloured boxes, house shops, cafes and galleries and together seem to be one of the most striking features of the cities renewal, if one of the only ones I come across. We grab a bite to eat and have a wander. A young girl approaches us and I immediately think she is selling something or looking for money. Instead she tells us it’s her birthday today and hands each of us a balloon with a positive message on it. She wants to ‘spread the cheer’, which we all agree is very sweet. It seems Cantabrians have proved to be very resilient in the face of adversity, and I find on each meeting with someone from here, a positive attitude abounds; it’s residents are embracing change and looking to the future. I say goodbye to the guys and enter ‘Quake City’, a museum dedicated to informing visitors what happened during the earthquakes. It houses some of the infrastructure from the Christchurch Cathedral and other iconic buildings, has a documentary playing with interesting accounts from survivors and a lot of information and pictures illustrating all aspects of the earthquake, from why, scientifically, it happened to how mudflow caused more havoc to the city in its aftermath. At ten dollars, it’s definitely worth a visit. 

 Lenni and I with our balloons

 Quake City

 A building ruined

 Whats left of Christchurch Cathedral

I then meet up with Lena and Adam, two good traveling buddies and Luke, my hitchhiking buddy from yesterday also joins us. As we wander around the city, I begin to finally realize the extent of the devastation. There is no ‘city’ anymore. It is quiet, with an almost eerie calmness. Many roads are blocked off and businesses closed. Massive areas of nothingness remain where buildings have been wiped out. Other buildings are left in ruins. Some businesses haven’t even been cleared out, and the remains of the chaos of the day evident. We peer in the windows of what once was a bakery and see mouldy sandwiches sitting in the smashed up fridge, fried chicken on a grill, cakes and muffins in another fridge (looking fairly well in tact mind you, for two years later, God knows how they were made!) The tables that haven’t been smashed or turned over contain dirty plates and trays that have yet to be cleared. There is glass and debris all over the floor and dust everywhere. On a wooden chair close to the window, we see little mice paw prints in the dust, a symbol deepening the empty feeling of the place. Yet as I mentioned before, despite all the chaos and devastation, the people of Christchurch are looking forward and the city will be rebuilt, eventually. We decide a cold drink is in order, yet we can’t find a pub that’s open, or a pub at all for that matter. So we head back to the container mall for coffee. Later that evening we have dinner and drinks at PedalPushers in Addington, which is really busy for a Monday and refreshing to see. Another day of the travels in the bag. 

Day 6 (May 19th) - Akaroa

I wake up to rain and grey skies. Not ideal since today I have a Nature Cruise booked in Akaroa, an hour and a half east of Christchurch. I booked the cruise on www.bookme.co.nz www.bookme.co.nz, a discount website with tours and offers for things to do around New Zealand. Definitely worth a visit! The tour isn’t until 1.30pm so I figure I have enough time to hitchhike there. Luckily my hostel is on the road to Akaroa and after ten minutes I am picked up by Luke, a young Kiwi working in Christchurch, but from the North Island. He hasn’t explored any of the South Island so ends up coming out to Akaroa and on the cruise – awesome as now I have company.

The gorgeous surrounds that accompany us on the drive through Banks Peninsula set the scene for our arrival in Akaroa. Despite the dull weather, there is an instant attraction to this small, charming French-influenced village. The nature cruise is great but AGAIN, no spotting of dolphins! I do see seals, penguins and albatross, which are massive and beautifully graceful birds. I was hooked watching them when one followed the boat, swooping up and down from side to side, a seldom occurrence according to the guide. We learn about some of the fascinating nature on the peninsula and see the first ever Maori settlement in New Zealand.  If anyone is visiting Akaroa, get in touch, as because we didn’t see dolphins, I have another trip for free! We head into town after the trip for some fish and chips. Delicious! Akaroa is really pretty and quaint, but I would recommend getting there on a fine day if possible to see it at its best. Luke drops me back to the Jailhouse and I spend the night chilling with my dorm mates and a hot water bottle as the cold has gotten into my bones. Another early night for me!

Day 5 (May 18th)...trying to get to Christchurch

The beds in the hostel were amazing for a change so I had a lie in until about 10am or so. Amabel, the lady I hitched with yesterday has offered me a lift heading toward the West coast but I decide I’m going to do Christchurch next instead. I head out of town on the road for Christchurch and wait. And wait. And wait. Nobody is picking me up...perhaps because Hanmer could be quite a touristy area. That or I’m looking a bit strange today. Finally at about 3pm, hours after I stood on the road, the lovely Darryl picks me up. We get chatting and whatever happens soon he is telling me his whole personal life and the problems going with it, and I’m trying to counsel him and make things seem okay. He tells me he needs a nanny and any chance I need a job? We have  a good laugh and he drops me off at a bus stop ten minutes from Christchurch, gives me his card and tries to hide twenty bucks under it. I refuse to take his money and he ends up putting in a pocket of my bag – ‘treat yourself to a meal’, he says. Yet again, I am baffled at how people are so nice and I am so lucky!

I get off the bus in Christchurch and have no map and no idea where I am. There’s nothing really around so I go into the nearest shop and ask where the city centre is. I immediately regret this as I see the sadness that has come over the shop assistants face. ‘Well, this was the city centre, but it’s kind of all scattered around now’. The Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 devastated the city and claimed the lives of 182 people. I’m only seeing the effect of it first hand now. However, despite my ignorance, the lady is lovely, learns I am going to the Jailhouse Backpacker (thanks Peter for the recommendation) and gets her friend who is leaving work and driving by to drive me there! SCORE! The Jailhouse is expensive at 32 dollars a night for a 10 bed dorm without ensuite. However, it is an awesome place, with some of the cells still in tact from when it closed in 1999. It is also in the suburb of Addington, which since the quakes, is becoming a new entertainment hub of Christchurch. So there is plenty of offer for tonight, especially since a rugby game is on down the road between the Crusaders and Blues. On arrival in my dorm I meet Liam from the UK, who seems mad to get out ‘on the town’. Despite a rather uneventful day, I am knackered! But he makes me dinner and persuades me to go out. We get ready, join the rest of the girls from our dorm and hit Cargo Bar across the road. It was heaving and an awesome night was had! 

 The View hitching from Hanmer Springs

 One of the cells in the Jail

 Time for a boogie

Day 4 (May 17th) Hanmer Springs

I’m up at 730 and head down to the beach to try catch some whales or dolphins again. No sign. I don’t think they like me. However, it’s a much clearer day today and I get to admire the beautiful and majestic southern alps, or the Kaikoura mountains. They are snow-capped and I suddenly get a thrill of excitement to be back on top of the mountain ready to snowboard down. Soon, soon! I make myself a coffee with the awful free hostel coffee (but appreciate it all the same) and lug my bag to where I need to be for my next hitching post. By 10am I’m picked up by Leo, the most lovely man, who is on his way to Christchurch but drops me 55k to the turn off for Hanmer Springs. After 5 minutes I’m picked up by Amabel, Matt and their gorgeous 2 year old Hugo. We arrive in Hanmer Springs about an hour later. They offer me a lift tomorrow and I offer to babysit if they want and we exchange numbers. I have a ramble around the town and feel like I’m in a yuppy European ski town. It’s oak tree-lined streets, shady park and cute cafes give it a lovely feel. (I take back previous comments). This town is inland, 140km North of Christchurch and its springs are fed by rainwater seeping through fractures in the rocks of the Hanmer Mountains, absorbing various minerals and warmed by the earth’s natural heat, making the famous ‘hot pools’ exist. (Naturally hot spring water one can bathe in).

I check into the Hanmer Backpacker which is awesome. (20 minutes in the massage chair free – need I say more!) I decide to check out the hot pools and whether I am willing to part with 20 bucks to sit in other peoples dirt. (They are commercial hot pools). I have a look around and decide against it as I already sat in amazing natural hot pools at Huka Falls near Taupo so I’ve had my fill. I take pictures – that’s good enough. I decide to go for a hike – it’s rainy and misty but it will be good for me with the severe lack of exercise I’ve had lately. Traveling around having fun is hard work so I decide to take the shortest walk – Conical Hill Walk which is an hour or so hike. I walk through what looks like a tropical rainforest and get to the top lookout point which is pretty spectacular. Well worth it! I sit and take in the views of the domineering mountains and low lying cloud and ramble back to the hostel, shower, eat and have a free massage. Yeahhhh buddy! Now I’m sitting writing this, waffling to other guests and debating whether to go into town to treat myself to a dessert somewhere. Looks like the weather will be okay tomorrow so I may be heading further toward the west coast. Who knows! Until next time...

Day 3 (May 16th)...pretty Kaikoura

I’m up and out by 8am. I use one of the free bikes to head to New World down the road, pick up some fresh bread and ham for my day out and then head down to the beach behind the hostel as I’ve been told there has been lots of whales and dolphins close enough to the shore the last few days. No sightings for me unfortunately - it’s quite a dull day. I cycle through the town to the I-site and get some info. The town is small and cute and has a tacky feel to it, reminding me of Brighton in the UK. (Don’t get me wrong – tacky can be awesome and Brighton rocks!)

Kaikoura, 130km south of Blenheim, enjoys a lovely setting in the Lee of the Kaikoura Peninsula, wedged between the mountains and the ocean. The sea bed drops away rapidly to the kilometre deep canyon bringing lots of sea mammals to the region. The place is named in Maori after crayfish; kai (food) koura (crayfish). I begin my cycle along the coast so I can do the peninsula walk. I go by Fyffe House which is made completely from whalebones and began life as part of the original whaling station. Interesting. I get to the seal colony and am immediately up close and personal with a shit load of seals. Man, they are cool. Some are sleeping, some are waddling around, even in the carpark, others are paddling. Never in my life have I seen sea mammals just hanging out in an open place like this. It’s awesome! I get a bit too close to one of them who must have just awoken, to get a picture, and he makes a leap for me causing me to scream quite loudly and send some other eager tourists into convulsions of laughter. Hahahaha, screw you tourists! Laughing at myself also, I begin my ascent up the peninsula while listening to awful New Zealand radio on my phone. The views are gorgeous and bring me over the grassy cliffs to South Bay. I come across more seal colonies and rush by a bird nesting area (where heron, shags and red-billed gulls are rife) in fear of being attacked. (I had a near death situation in Paihia..well..sort of!) I get back to my bike after a couple of hours and begin to cycle back. My friend Sarah (also my personal New Zealand Isite) has told me my other friend Sarah might be still wwoofing at the Albatross hostel so I pop by hoping to find her. As I walk in she’s walking out! Woop. We have a coffee and catch up in the awesome surroundings of the Albatross Hostel (defo a must stay if in Kaikoura).

I head back to my hostel, drop off my bike and start hitching again to a waterfall 20 minutes out of town. The reason being: BABY SEALS! I’m soon picked up by Steve, in a 30 metre long truck carrying about 15 cars – first time for everything! He drops me right where I need to be and I make my way up the pathway ten minutes to the Waterfall to be greeted by CUTE OVERLOAD. Oh my God. This is amazing. There must be 100 seal pups jumping and diving under the waterfall, prancing around the rocks and wait for it....kissing each other. It really is beyond cute if that’s possible. The waterfall is pretty cool as well. I hitch back and am picked up pretty soon. I end up wedged between two men from Samoa in an old, filthy van with food and building equipment everywhere. Their English isn’t great and as they babble away in another language I realise the driving skills leave a lot to be desired. I text Gini telling her to call me if I don’t text her again in 20 minutes. As it turns out the two men were lovely, fascinated when I told them about the seals, and dropped me right to my door. Sarah has invited me to the pub quiz with her crew tonight but I am pretty shattered so have another boring night in. It’s been a good day!