Tour groups have never really been my thing. Whenever I'm at a beach or attraction and a tour bus turns up I generally roll my eyes and curse the oncoming camera-wielding crowd. Well, today's tour was nothing like those other tours. For a start, we weren't in a bus, we were in the back of a kitted out truck- so much cooler! We started this trip thinking that today was just going to be about dune boarding, after all, that's what's on the brochure, but today w...

Today we got to swim with the dolphins. Not dolphins at a wildlife park or aquarium, real wild ocean-dwelling dolphins. We caught the explore NZ boat from the Paihia dock early this morning and spent a good hour cruising through the Bay of Islands in search of sea-life. The day was crisp and clear; we were able to sit at the front of the boat in the early-morning sunshine taking in the view of passing islands. Stell was the keen-eyed person who first spotte...

You've just got to love the first full day of your holiday. You wake up that morning and think 'I'm here, and it's all just beginning- I've got however many weeks off, and work is as far away as it's going to get'. You can sleep in, chill out, relax and enjoy the serenity that is that first day of holidays. Unless, that is, you want to go and have some fun. W started our day early but as it turns out Stell should have just stayed in bed. First day- first ho...