Kaikoura

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after shooting up the coast and a night in Christchurch, have ended up in a wee place called Kaikoura.

The plan is to stay 2 nights here, and get some kip! Then off to Wellington and the north Island for the All Blacks vs France game on Saturday night!

This place can get good waves at times, but as usual not when I´m around!

The main attraction here is the seafood, walks and hikes around the coast and cliff tops. Went for a bit of a walk myself to have a look at the colony of seals at the southern end of the beach.

Dont really know too much about seals, other than they eat fish and are known for balancing beach balls on their noses.

What I didnt know was they stink, appear to be lazy and are actually quit agressive when you get close up! While getting a close up shot of when as he/she was blocking my path home, the fecker took a snap at me. Scared the absolute bejesus out of me! Lucky for my ninja like reactions!!!!!

Went out for a few in the local Irish bar, on my second night! I always feel it not until you get pissed with the locals that you can truely get a feel for a place. Hanging out with backpackers, does get a little tedious, as they´re generally skint, drink cheap wine and tell the same stories to each other.

So after doing the above, but hitting the pub after, got chatting to a few girls in the late teens. They proceeded to point out about 12 people in the bar that they were related to and in fact the majority of the town where actually related. Thats a population of about 2000! That definitely explained a few of the rare looking heads about the place. One dude was actually talking to a table for the majority of the night!

Time to move on! Wellington bound!

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Photos

bath2
whats got 2 thumbs and loves doing bugger all. Moi

the crew
left this crew after this night. Been on the bus with them around NZ!

South America is that way
notice the GPS!!!! thats my next stop

smugglers cove
bit like ireland

sheep
first sheep i´ve see. Might have some lamb chops later!

big waves
kina reminds me of Ballycastle

more mountains
if u like mountains and clouds, NZ is ur place!

the crossing from South to North
a strange moment, as if you look from 1 island to the other you notice the huge differences.