It was strange and a bit depressing to think we'd only got 3 nights left in our vans. Time certainly had flown and it only felt like the other day when we picked them up in Auckland. But hey, that was over 5000km and 30 nights ago...

From Murchison and our white water trip we continued across to Hamner Springs, an alpine town just off the east coast. On arrival we felt like we were up in the alps as the place had heaps of log cabins, huge fern trees and had that winters chill about it. Therefore when we spotted the heated pools and spa, it was a must do! We spent the day unwinding in pools of 35-40 degrees before checking ourselves into the luxury of a holiday park and planned a night on the town. The night out turned out to be a slight disappointment as all the bars we'd been recommended were full of happy families and/or the local lads on the lash... So much for a Friday night out on the town eh?

The next day we chilled out before hitting something truly crazy... Mini golf! New Zealand reminds me of a beachside town in England in places. It's got a real old school feel about the place with plenty of 'family fun' activities and character about the place. Once we'd finished our round (which George and Beans co-won) we took in a hot chocolate under the winters sun before trekking on towards our final destination. On the way through we stopped back in the town of Kaikoura to kill a little time and find ourselves a spot to freedom camp for the night.

The last full day in Betsy the beautiful van. And to be fair it was really anti-climatic compared to our overall adventure. We spent the day cruising down an all to familiar state highway returning to Christchurch for the second time. We spent the day sorting through our vans and making sure we'd not lost anything before cooking up whatever we had left and going out for a drink or two on the evening.

A subdued way to end our time in the vans but our experiences will never be forgotten. From getting a chipped windscreen on the way to Taupo,
being stuck in the mud next to Lake Tekapo to cruising through unforgettable scenery and having random people point and admire the artwork, it's certainly been an amazing 5 weeks despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements! It was only the other day I was saying to George that I wouldn't have wanted to travel NZ any other way. The vans gave us the freedom to do what we wanted when we wanted and see every part of this wonderful country in such huge detail. It's safe to say I won't miss the cold nights we spent by the side of roads, but I will certainly miss the independence it has brought me.

We're back on the hostel circuit once more now. Well, first port of call is a couple more days back up in Blenheim! Christabelle has been kind enough to drive us up there and give us the guided tour for a couple of days, should be fun!