With our vans gone it was back to using the trustworthy public transport... Damn! But before that we still had unfinished business up in Blenheim. Christabelle was kind enough to offer us a couple of nights in her hometown to show us the sights.

It was safe to say that 4 gents 4 huge bags and all the borrowed blankets weighed the car down a wee bit but we were soon on our way back up the east coast! On the way we stopped off at the in incredible ohua waterfall which was home to a colony of seals. What made it incredible was the fact that you were in arms reach of the seals as they swam and splashed around in the waterfalls pool. They even started chasing us around the pools trying to nibble away at the bottom of your trainers, unreal! We then settled in for the night ready for our crazy adventure the next day.

It started with a drive out to Havelock where we picked up a few fishing hand lines and squid bait before settling next to the lake and trying our luck at a spot of fishing. After about an hour of failure we continued to move around the Queen Charlotte road where we came across a lookout point which offered breathtaking views. I cannot stress enough how beautiful New Zealand is. Wherever you are you have a view to sit and be amazed at - it really is as picturesque as you see on TV. We then tried fishing at another spot at the end of the Queen Charlotte tramping track. No luck once more though so we headed home with promise of a little adventure in our day... Adventure wasn't the word for it. Cold would have been more apt. Or perhaps hypothermia!? At the bottom of Christabelle's garden is a river that promised a rafting experience we'd get no where else. So on came the togs (kiwi word for swimsuits) and we all picked up a floatation device - me being stuck with a small rubber ring :-/ - and into the freezing depths we went. I have never been as cold as that in my life but the river was pretty sweet as. Onlookers just confirmed what we were all thinking, the idea was completely nuts, but also so much fun! That evening, after defrosting the toes, we headed into the ghost town they call Blenheim for a few drinks before messing about with an awesomely lit fountain - yes, it really was as strange as it sounds.

The next day we spent some time walking the amazingly packed streets of Blenheim (oh wait sarcasm doesn't come across well on the Internet). So as I was saying, we walked around Blenheim and decided to spend some time making a bracelet (not as gay as it sounds) whilst Christabelle's dad gave her car the once over before our return trip. Unfortunately the car was a little worse for wear so we spent some time in the afternoon making picklets (small pancakes) and chilling out before saying our goodbyes. The family were even amazingly kind enough to buy us lads a leaving gift each which was a china flipflop with New Zealand's Christmas tree upon it. It apparently only blossoms at this time of the year and will encourage us to revisit the country - somehow I don't think they'll need to worry about that!

However our tour had come to an end and we were soon back on the all to familiar stretch of road back down to the big city. I'd just like to take this moment to thank Christabelle and her family for such a wonderful time. The hospitality they have shown us on two separate occasions has just been phenomenal and I can't stress enough how appreciative we all are. In Christabelle we have truly met a special friend who has given us all a crazy adventure which has been heaps of fun.

And so onto Christchurch, the south islands largest province. It was refreshing to be back in a city where you could walk the streets and pick up cheap drink and food so easily. It was also wonderful to be back in a hostel with our own beds, warm showers and all the other facilities. We were really fortunate to pick a cracking place by the name of 'around the world backpackers' which was minutes away from the centre and had 4 bed dorms which was basically a private room form us. On our first day exploring the city we took in the busy(ish) streets in and around the cathedral square followed by the art museum. The museum is apparently world renowned and although the art was very contemporary some of the exhibits were fascinating. My personal favourite had to be photographs of people, groups and things you never knew existed. For example, their was a picture of a beach house in Florida which looked completely ordinary. However, the story behind it was that it was a NASA beach house which has been used by every astronaut prior to launch, some of it was fascinating. That evening prepared ourselves for a night we'd been craving for a long time - a curry night! It's been a relatively easy couple of months food wise, but one pot pasta and rice dishes had got really old, hence the treat. We followed up a gorgeous meal with a night out where we sampled some of Christchurch's finest bars, including one where you sampled their self-brewed beers (including a raspberry and chocolate concoction).

And then came our final day in New Zealand. We were all a bit tired/hungover and spent most of the day relaxing around Christchurch. The city itself reminded me a lot of Bristol. It's character and style is very British whilst the central space is similar to our harbour side. What also made it really enjoyable was the fact that you weren't being hustled and bustled down busy shopping infested streets. It was a relaxed city with a great vibe. We also paid visit to the Canterbury museum which housed some more really interesting exhibits on antarctic expeditions, ye olde Christchurch and more on the Maori culture. To top off our stay we pulled an all nighter at Gina's sisters birthday before emotional goodbyes at the airport with Christabelle.

And so came an end to our Kiwi experience. It certainly has been an adrenaline fuelled, action packed tour across both islands. We've taken in some breathtaking scenery amongst some of the worlds craziest activities and it has certainly left it's mark on me. Overall the winter weather has been very kind to us and we have enjoyed travelling the luscious landscape in our camper vans. The highlight of it all for me had to be either the rush of the skydive or the sheer magnitude of the Franz Josef glacier. Both were unbelievable and unforgettable. To top everything else off we've even been fortunate to revisit friends and meet even more along the way.