Hello!

Hope you're all very well. We're soon to be returning back to blighty so I'm a bit sad to say that this update will be one of our last.....but I'm very happy to say that we've just had an amazing few weeks! I think we've covered an excess of 4000 km since we left work at the beginning of the month which is pretty impressive - Pamela Van Diesel has been very busy indeed. After finishing work we had a week to ourselves before Tom's parents arrived, so we decided to travel westwards along the northern coast and camp by the sea for a few days...making fires, drinking wine and generally max relaxing. We also managed to fit in some time to soak our muscles at a beautiful Japanese-style spa high up in the mountains, delicious. Tom's parents were due on the 15th so we gradually made our way down to Christchurch. As everyone knows there was a major earthquake down there only a few weeks ago, though thankfully we didn't feel anything up in Marlborough. We were surprised that there actually wasn't much obvious damage in the city centre with just a few buildings being held up with scaffolding and the odd chimney and spire toppling. But we soon learned that it was much more the West of the city that was badly hit with many homes 'unlivable' and businesses being seriously affected. Luckily for us and the Woods the airport was ok and so was their hotel, so they arrived on schedule, tired but relieved to be off the plane. It was so nice to see them after all this time!

So we started our journey together, us in Pamela and Brian and Lindy in their 4 berth Maui camper, very nice it was too with all mod cons. We heard that there was a big storm heading for NZ bringing all weathers, so we prepared ourselves....Lake Tekapo in the the Alps was our first stop where we saw snow for the first time in a long while, it couldn't jave been a prettier setting for it. Thankfully we were able to borrow Bri and Lindy's heater from their van so we didn't freeze at night. The scenery was beautiful and got us all the more revved up for the drives to come. Heading southwards we stopped at Moeraki to look at the random boulders there and thanks to a lovely lady at the camp, visited a yellow-eyed penguin colony just up the road where we spent a while just watching the little fellas bopping about the place. We also found a quirky little gem of a restaurant down by the sea that served fish caught by locals and prepared right there on the shore - the blue cod and muscles were particularly yummy. The weather was calm at this point, but as soon as we headed further south the wind and rain started lashing, none more than where we stayed on the south coast. We were all drenched within a few seconds of the rain torrenting down and both the vans were being bashed about by the wind, but it was exciting and probably the wildest place we'd seen on the trip. If you travelled 2000 km further south you would arrive at Antarctica. The rain didn't stop much over the next couple of days, so the views heading back towards the mountains were clouded in mist making it all look very moody. Lindy, Tom and I took a trip out one evening to a glow worm cave which was great and I have to say very educational. Glow worms are quite clever little b*****s it turns out. Queenstown was the next stop which also was drenched in rain and cloud, but we managed to find a cosy little pub to pass the time. The next day however was glorious so the four of us booked ourselves on a jetboat ride, 85 kmph through rocky canyons and white waters. The driver was a great laugh and really skilled at getting almost too close the the rocks and cliffs, proper fun.

After this we went up the westcoast which was just rainy then across to Hamner springs for more hot pool action and then over to Kaikoura. Kaikoura is a unique place on the east coast where there is a huge trough in the sea just off shore which sucks up loads of nutrient rich water. This means it's a haven for lots of different types of sea mammals. There are hundreds of seals lying by the roads and on the rocky outcrops that couldn't care less if you're there or not so you can get really close. We were also told of a place where you can watch baby seals playing in a waterfall so we took mum and dad there and the place was amazing. About 40-50 seal pups all jumping, swimming and generally mucking about right there in front of us in a really pretty little waterfall. Seals...check! Next we went on a whale watch to look for sperm whales. The tour was excellent from start to finish and we saw 4 huge whales, a couple of fur seals, albatross and a pod of around 800 dusky dolphins...beautiful. So much so that we decided it would be a good idea to get in the water with them. We said goodbye to mum and dad at Christchurch and went back up to Kaikoura where we signed up for the 'Dolphin Encounter'. What an amazing experience, We took a boat a couple of kms off shore where we found a pod of 450 dolphins then they pretty much just told us to jump in. Dolphins were EVERWHERE and they were not shy about getting close. We were told to make as much noise as we could through our snorkels, dive down and splash about to entertain them and get them closer. They loved to swim around you in circles so it was good fun to try and race them around and try to keep eye contact with them. It was really special to be in their environment and a privelage to spend time with such beautiful animals and I know it's something we will both never forget.

Now we are both heading to the North island for the final leg of our trip which will include selling the beloved Pamela and also jumping out of a plane so wish us luck with both of those and we will see you all in a month or so. x x x