Kerry from Derry

Apologies - I've become a bit of an expert at procrastinating.....must be this fast pace of life that's doing it to me!

So on to Kaikoura - a mere 3 hour drive from Christchurch up the East Coast. Once again a very scenic drive along the coast with all kinds of wildlife spotted along the way, in particular seals but more about them later.

Kaikoura is renowned the world over for whale watching and swimming with dolphins, particularly the latter - apparently you could be out there swimming with up to 1000 of them at a time!

Anyway - the plan was to stay in Kaikoura for a week with a couple of good friends made along the way, Nik from Wales who I met on my first day in kiwi land and Anita, a londoner from Brum. And stay for a week we did! Was good to stop in one place for a little bit longer and actually unpack the bags - also gave us an opportunity to work on the tans (Can safely say I was the whitest one there....Anita being of Indian origin and Nik being a slave to the rays - and neither of them with god damn Irish skin!!!)

The week went by in a haze of lazy days by the pool, free vegetable soup in the kitchen, several evenings in the pub, the occasional dinner out and the most memorable - swimming with the seals. We tried on a couple of occasions to go out on this trip....the first time it pissed it down and the winds were up pretty high which made it a little hairy getting out to the colony but out we went anyway, donned in our 7mm wetsuits (pretty much the thickest you can wear - the sea temperature was a balmy 15 degrees.....) on one of those blow up boats - took about half an hour in the boat and we were skipping along through 1-2 metre surges which left a few people a little green - anyhoo we got out to the colony, hopped in the water, swum over and waited......and waited......and waited......and waited - wisely the seals had decided to stay on their rocks! They were probably looking at us thinking, 'nutters - mad crazy nutters'. Pretty much meant that it was a bit chilly for them to be in the water and here we were freezing our asses of expecting them to jump in and frolick around for our amusement - I don't think so! So swim back to the boat, shiver uncontrollably and clatter teeth for the half hour trip back - leg it back to the centre and thaw out under the hot showers for the next 4 hours....well maybe 4 minutes.

The story was the same the next day - hammered it down all day so that day's attempt at seal clubbing was put on hold until lo and behold.....da daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa - the skies cleared, the sun came out and the water temperature increased by.....ooooh let me see now - maybe 2 degrees or so - just like swimming in a bath (if you add ice). We donned the wetsuits again and made like eel over to where the seals were - this time they humoured us and swam under, over and around us. And they're sooooooo cute and extremely graceful - makes us humans look like clumsy eejits. They're also pretty big and very territorial, so spent a lot of time trying not to look upright otherwise there may have been some fisticuffs at 10 paces.

Without doubt a great experience and one I'd love to repeat! And compared to everything else an absolute bargain at only $65.

I also got to pilot an aeroplane while I was there, basically the pilot takes off and lands for you; you're in control the rest of the time - pretty cool experience and fabulous views around the coast and then over the snow capped peaks behind the town. Who knows maybe I'll take up flying as a hobby some time in the future.....

So that was Kaikoura - truly the aquatic playground of New Zealand.

Onwards and upwards then - making the journey northwards once again we make our way across the Canterbury Plains towards Christchurch.

The only real point of interest on this journey is the famed and unusual Moeraki boulders - once again in my attempt to educate you all here's the facts:

The Moeraki Boulders are a number of huge spherical stones, found strewn along a stretch of Koekohe Beach near Moeraki, a small settlement just south of Hampden on New Zealand's Otago coast. These boulders are grey-coloured septarian concretions which have been exposed through shoreline erosion from black mudstone coastal cliffs that back the beach. They originally formed in ancient sea floor sediments during the early Paleocene some 60 million years ago.

The boulders weigh several tonnes and are up to three metres in diametre.

Maori legend tells that the boulders are remains of calabashes, kumaras and eel baskets that washed ashore after the legendary canoe, the Araiteuru was wrecked at nearby Shag Point (Matakaea).

To give yourself a mental picture just imagine big round boulders and you've got it. Look them up and you'll see for yourself - or better still make a little trip and see them in person.

The Canterbury Plains on the way through to Christchurch are probably the flattest land across New Zealand and for this reason it is one of the most farmed areas - think of the Land of Rohan from Lord of the Rings and you'll have it right - that bit was actually filmed there.

Nothing else of interest to report until we reached Christchurch - the largest city in the South Island where 2 nights was on the cards so time to rest up and see some of the city.

The night we arrived was a Saturday - the first place since Auckland where you could have a big night out on the weekend along with the locals! So a few hours of primping later (the others - not me......) it was time to put on those dancing shoes and go out and pester the local talent for the evening! And pester we did.... Several hours later (about 8 or 9 hours I think) we made it home and did not rise again until very late morning where a hasty beat was made to the Botanical Gardens and the shade of a tree where the recovery began.

The Botanical Gardens in Christchurch are beautiful - they're absolutely huge and have a river running through the middle of them, if you feel particularly energetic you can hire a boat and paddle yourself down it - then back - then down it again....I think you've got the idea now. There is also a beautiful Rose Garden where yep you've guessed it, roses as far as the eye can see....or at least until the hedge. Amongst the fountains and huge old trees you'll also find a tropical greenhouse with all manner of wild and wonderful tropical plants. And of course to cap it all off you see lots of semi naked men running around in just their shorts trying to catch footballs or frisbees and the like - so pleasant viewing all around.

Christchurch has a lot to offer and the people seem much friendlier than they do in Auckland - also seems to be more happening in terms of the arts and culture scene (ie: there is a scene as opposed to Auckland's lack of one). Again one to recommend.

Early the next morning.....and I mean early, we dragged our sorry bodies out of bed, hauled ourselves back over to the ferry and slept soundly for the 1 hr crossing back to Bluff (the sea was a bit bigger this time but I don't think anyone really noticed due to the sleep deprivation.....) where we made our way back to Invercargill to pick up the others - Mike our genius driver came up with the idea of ringing in a breakfast order to the hostel cafe and lo and behold - bacon and egg sandwiches on arrival! Now that's what you call service!

So feeling much more human we jumped back on the bus to make our way along the southern coast to the remote Catlin's wilderness area where we would take in a petrified forest (yep I really did say that - a really scared forest!). OK, so let me explain that a bit more: Curio Bay (where the petrified forest is) is a 'natural and historical highlight of the Catlins'. The bay's petrified forest is composed of subtropical kauri (the type of tree, almost extinct now because us Europeans, ie: the English, Dutch & French mainly when we arrived cut down most of it to build boats with) which fell around 150 million years ago, and is now entombed in the rock. The bark of some trees is amazingly still visible. You can see the occasional log lying on its side although it is now rock but the main thing is that it looks like the trees have been felled and its just the fossilised stumps left - very bizarre. And all this on the shoreline with waves crashing in making quite a spectacle of themselves - if I was in a more pensive mood I would suggest this as a good place to go and have a think if you're in a bad mood - the waves crashing onto the rocks has an almost hypnotic effect, but then I've always loved the sea and watching waves crash onto the rocks as my friends from home can attest to!

The next stop along this beautiful wilderness was I believe a little place called Nugget Point which according to the tourist literature is one of the unequivocal highlights of the Catlins Coast. So rather than me wax lyrical here's what they say, 'An easy 15-minute stroll from the road leads you up towards the lighthouse which adorns the point - built in 1869, it is now unused.

Below you are the pebbly, rocky coasts skirted by thick seaweed and an ideal playground for some of Southland's seals. The seals bask in rock pools and can play on the rugged outcrops unbothered - some are obviously very young and as small as kittens. The point also plays host to sea lions and occasionally hoiho, New Zealand's endangered yellow eyed penguin, throughout the year.

The view from this vantage point is spectacular, topped off by the startlingly azure colour of the water, which runs around much of the Catlins coastline. The vivid tones of green and blue sea which run the length of this region could easily have you mistaking Southland's shoreline for the Pacific or Mediterranean.'

Sounds pretty cool eh? Well, yes it was, although with the sky looking a bit ominous and the wind whipping up a frenzy I can't really identify with the comparison to the Med. I can however agree with the bevvy of wildlife, in particular sea lions and seals - could have stayed there for hours watching them but alas the clock was ticking and it was time to head on again.

Next stop was Tautuku Bay which is a complete comparison to the rugged coast we had seen so far - shaped like a horse shoe the bay is apparently common with hector dolphins who like to play in the waves, the sand is of the soft, golden variety and the surrounding views arn't too shabby either - apparently its really popular for swimming but due to the weather no-one was volunteering to get wet, still, a nice place to stop off for lunch and get the sand between the toes.

Back on the bus again and on to Dunedin through the vast farmlands of Southland - sheep aplenty and a few ideas for that nights dinner! We were supposed to arrive in Dunedin in time for a tour of New Zealands most famous brewery - Speights, but alas time conspired to mess up that particular plan and left us about an hour late.....so no free beer - BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Anyway Dunedin (just like Invercargill) was settled by the Scottish and its literal translation is the same as Edinburgh - think its something like town on the hill but I'm sure the Scots amongst you will correct me if I got that wrong. It even has a statue of Robbie Burns in the centre of the town or Octagen - apparently poeple in Dunedin and Invercargill have different accents from the rest of the kiwis in that they they slightly roll theirs or elongate them or something which is a kickback to the Scottish heritage - can't say I really noticed myself...ho hum. Anyhoo - the town or city is definitely worth a visit, very relaxing vibe to it, people are friendly, no big high rises, lots of little cafes, shops/boutiques & not a carbon copy of every other city/town in the world full of American chain stores.

Our accomodation that night was pretty unusual too - apparently the oldest hotel in Dunedin (and you could tell) but at least it wasn't dorm rooms again, this was a twin share with an en-suite - moving upmarket you see!

By now you'll have seen a slight pattern emerging.......yes you've guessed it - the sun had gone done and it was time to retire to the bar where a few hours were pleasantly passed chatting to complete strangers met at the bar swopping stories of travel in far flung places - well basically it was me sitting there listening to some old boy telling stories of when he used to work in Ireland & England - well I had to let him didn't I?? Apparently keeps the mind sharp at a certain age!

Dunedin is also home to New Zealand's steepest street, Baldwin Street, it is reputed by the Guinness Book of Records as being the steepest street in the world. 38% gradient = 1 in 1.266 and god did I feel it! But it had to be done didn't it.....

So that was Dunedin - definitely worth the visit and if I was considering living in New Zealand it would be up there as somewhere to hang my hat for a little while.