I remember the film, sliding doors, where you make a split desicion and you go off in a different direction but eventually you reach the same point - a bit like how a tree branches off but eventually reaches it's peak. What am i rambling on about?, well i was in two minds about whether to leave the base hostel but something made me just go and explore.

So i've been at the excelsior for the past 3 nights, the staff are great, it's small but some great people kicking about and a really nice feel to it, rooms are dinky but it's just a bed and that's all i need. Bizarre thing happened when i checked in, i enquired at reception about the price of a car, "$58 a day" Perry told me (the Kiwi owner, great guy, a bit of a comedian), i said that's a bit more than i wanted to pay. At this time a girl (Nikki) walked in looking for a room, with his humourous side Perry said "maybe this girl will share the car" and so we did, for 2 days (31st and New Years day).

For some reason i tend to get wrapped up in the atmosphere and excitment of a new place, person, activity, i forget time and if there's beer involved i just let it flow..and flow.......And that's pretty much what happened the night before we got the car, Nikki's pretty chilled and a great girl, we hopped over the road to Sol square, there's some fab bars here and excellent live bands, we sat at Fat Eddies over looking the square and had a couple for nice bottles of white. Following this was more beer, more beer and finally lots of Vodka and the only place in town left open. Don't know the name, we've all been there, everyone looked like they had come off the set of 'thriller' but we just danced and had our own silly party until 04.00.

Beep...beep...beep, it's bloody 08.30 and i've got to get the car, i'm still p-ssed, will i ever learn - no it's too much fun. Anyway, get the car, pick up Nikki and get another passenger, Mac, a guy that works at the hostel, a good guy, in fact unique?. Well we head for Kaikoura for the whale watching, taking in a couple of wine bodegas on route. It took an age to get there as we were just p-ssing about, anyway we just got there at 15.00 before the boat left. Then the bizarre thing, well we were really hanging by this stage, we ended up going onto the beach, and somehow missed the bus to the boat. Coupled with this as the waves were so fierce and unpredictable Nikki got here camera washed up - she was nearly in tears. Not to worry, in my overly postitive manner i said it would be fine and i'll sort it all out. We booked on the next boat, we watched a video (did you know that sperm whales have balls that weigh up to half a ton?, that explains a lot!), well i burst out laughing at that point and i think Nikki was about to kill me at this stage. To cap it all off for Nikki they announced that the sea was too choppy and the trip was cancelled for the day. The day was getting sh-ttier........i'm told it gets cancelled a lot, be careful.

Anyway, it all went uphill from here, it couldn't go anywhere else could it. We had the best ever fish n chips (fush n chops as the locals say) by the seaside, went to a seal colony, we were just a few metres from these wild creatures, then stopped off for some crayfish. By this time it was 20.00, New years eve and i had a 3 hour drive. The journey was awesome, the scenery is just incredible, we stopped loads of times just to look at the sky and go "WOW", take photos and take it all in. I must say i was knackered and nearly fell to sleep, we stopped off and got some redbull (and champers to see in the New Year) to keep my eyes open, in a bizarre place with unusual Maori statues that we had a giggle with!?

So New year, got back with 30 minutes to spare and headed off to cathedral square, there was about 15 of us. There were 1000's there and a great live band, we saw in the New Year and danced to the anthems. We ended up in Sol square around 01.00 and just flited from bar to bar, as i said before the bands are just brilliant and it was one of the best New years i've had, good company, fantastic entertainment.........more vodka redbull.......another 04.00 job.......snnnnoozzzeee

New Years day me and Nix headed south to Akaroa, again just an amazing drive, just so picturesque, so green, so much space, sheep everywhere!. We had lunch and then went on a tramp (trek). What more can i say about the scenery without being repetitive, it just blows your mind. On the way back we drove for miles through the winding mountain roads, down to small bays, we never saw another car, so peaceful. We found one beach just before sunset, we walked, admired the mountains and just chilled and chatted. Up in the mountains we found a great spot for the sunset, just us and a few cows, the silence was eerie except for the rampant bull!. Didn't get back till close to midnight again, 2 long tiring days but just so rewarding, great move getting the car.

Note - we did manage to save Nikki's photos onto disc, not sure about the camera but that can be replaced, see POSITIVE thinking.

Yesterday i got the local bus to Lyttleton, tramped my way around the hills, i was on my own just getting in tune with nature, i could only hear the birds n bees from 1000 feet with the sun beating down and a nice chilly wind. I went to the time ball museum, had another bag of fish n chips out of paper and then another day in paradise was drawing to a close.

So that's it, another fab few days, lots of new experiences, new people and memories to last a lifetime. I'm just off this afternoon to watch the cricket, the black caps vs the West Indies in a one day international. Martin arrives tonight with the car so on the 5th we will be on our way South. Would have liked more time in Christchurch, it just feels right. If only it wasn't on the other side of the world..........