1 month in South Island and a rapidly dwindling bank account aren't a good combination. Time to shamelessly try and get anything for nothing. Although not the cheapest option, I came up with 101 excuses as to why renting a car was definitely worth the money, and won the debate with myself. I've taken to doing this a lot, travelling alone, setting up debates in my head when trying to make decisions, sometimes they spill out of my mouth in the form of random word...

The 13.30 Wellington to Picton ferry left today, and took me with it. I stayed outside on the deck for the entire 4 hour trip, partly because it was a glorious day, and partly because I haven't been able to wash the smell of stale lamb milk and cattle dung from my clothes (because, admitedly, I haven't tried...) I've come to love the indelible smells of livestock that have been such a vital part of my farm girl uniform for the past 3 weeks. The uniform didn't ...

"Christ they're good looking b******s this year eh?" Says Andy, nudging me in the ribs and jumping out of the pick up. "C'mon then! We got a thousand of these b******s to shift." So, for the third time that long day, I slide out of the pick up and jump some fences to follow him into the sea of year old lambs in the stock yards. Charlie, his slightly malcoordinated young sheepdog, comes flying over the fence behind me, whining and barking and taking immense pleas...

I feel like the coolest person in the world. I'm staying upright, and not only that but staying upright at quite a speed. I turn to the left, change my leading foot in a move so smooth that I feel like I've been doing it forever, and continue whooshing down the snowy side of the active volcano that overlooks the log cabin town and glittering lake of Pucon. What fresh air, what beautiful views, what brilliant sunshine reflecting off the brilliant snow... And it's...

Downtown Medellin, Friday night. In the entrance of an unassuming street corner shop, encased in burglar bars, sits an old man in a wheelchair. I'm with B, an Aussie girl, and a Swiss guy, and we all hesitate before approaching the doorway. The man in the wheelchair nods us through, and we decend a narrow staircase. Halfway down, the sticky air, thick with sweat, starts to crawl up my body, as my eyes struggle to adjust to the dim light in the small room. The lou...