Beautiful Kaikoura, surrounded by snowy mountains called me back for a few days for one last chance to swim with Dusky dolphins...and despite weather warnings I was priviledged to witness a pod of 50 Dusky dolphins gleefully charging towards the boat, a sight I will never forget!

Once I was in the water (freezing but I soon forgot about that!), they were so playful and gentle and came up really close. We played by spinning round in a circle underwater with the dolphin racing me round, both of us smiling all the time! (the dolphins always won but I'll let them off) Back on the boat, we were treated to a display of the dolphins flipping in the air, very acrobatic and impressive, and as they swam alongside the boat on the way back with the backdrop of sea and mountains, it was a very moving and powerful expereince.

Also moving was the helipcopter trip to see the Sperm whales, though in a more litteral way- I nearly lost my breakfast during the swoop down to get closer! Helicopters look cool, but they are not for me- with thier glass everywhere and flimsy-ness, not the mention the hair-raising plunges earthwards....and the only whale we saw I thought was a log!