Kaikoura

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(Guys, Dave has managed to add some glow worm pics to the Waitomo caves entry if you want to go back and have a look).

Wednesday 27th October:

Beautiful drive from Omarama to Kaikoura (about 500 km but in the sunshine it didn't seem to take so long). We had a quick stop at Lake Pukaki with its backdrop of snow-capped mountains and arrived in Kaikouri at about 4pm. Guess what....we're staying at a backpacking lodge for 2 nights!!! It's actually really nice and has a hot tub and sauna (just concerned that one fellow dreadlocked resident might not have had a shower before jumping in the communal hot tub!!
Grabbed take away fish and chips and an early night.

Thursday 28th October: Up early to go swimming with dolphins. We are soooo lucky - it's the warmest day and the sea is crystal clear and like a millpond. Apparently, the tours usually see pods of about 6-10 dolphins who may or may not take an interest in the swimmers around them. It's mating season so we were informed that the dolphins will probably be far more interested in each other than in us. However, we learnt that dolphin mating only lasts a few seconds, so perhaps that explains why the females were far more interested in us than in their menfolk! We found a pod of about 100 dolphins who stayed with us for the entire trip. We jumped into the water with snorkels and masks and the dolphins were literally touching us. They swam within inches of your face and we spent about 30 minutes in the water with them. When we got out onto the boat, the dolphins remained swimming along side the boat (see the bit of video attached) and doing acrobatics for the entire trip. Amazing. The boat crew said we were really lucky as this is the most interactive encounter they have witnessed.

Off to the Banks Peninsular and Cristchurch for a couple days before leaving NZ for Bangkok. Speak soon xxx

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Comments

[Rosi]

W o W!!
Woweee!! You guys are so lucky and are having the trip quite literally of a lifetime! Of two lifetimes in fact! What also amazes me is that I'm reading this at midday on Thursday 28 October and that is when you were actually doing this. Aren't time zones just incredible eh :) xxx

[Sue]

Dolphins
Hey Guys..... just a little note to say how I've enjoyed following you on your travels and hearing about your adventures. A truly amazing trip. I have to say though this video clip and your blog about the dolpins has got to be my favourite! It's amazing to watch - I can only imagine how brilliant it would have been in person. Take care, stay safe, enjoy, and Hannah I look forward to meeting you one day! Sue

[The ancient One]

Glaciers and Dolphins.
I'm with Dario on Glacier climbing. Fantasic, although we did it the senior way. Helicopter onto Franz Joseph glacier and straight into it. The hugh walk you undertook to get to the smaller Fox glacier designed for the younger explorer, would have killed me.Dolphin video was brilliant. Typical isn't it Han-you wait ages to see a dolphin then 100 come along all at once. Bit worried about comment that you have lost four stone. With 6weeks to go you will become the invisible woman unless this trend is reversed. Maybe this has already occurred following your transmutation into Darryl. Dario and Darryl has a certain ring to it.

[Lucy]

Dolphin video
Absolutely amazing. Very unusual to see such a sight. Well done guys. Obviously in the right place at the right time. x x x