We decided that after a week of doing exactly as we pleased (it can really take it out of you, honestly!) that we should head towards the thermal pools in Hamner springs before hitting Kiakoura for the Seafest. We took a slow and scenic drive to Hamner which is about 200km North of Christchurch. On the way we stopped in the perfect spot to enjoy a lunch.We arrived mid afternoon and after searching for a good free camping spot and being denied on all attempts we booked into the local holiday park and headed out to the spa baths. The baths (all man made) are all fed with naturally heated thermal water. They range in temperature from the hottest at 42C to 23C and depending on which order you get in and out of them they can seem skin scorching hot or freezing cold. There are about 15 or so different pools of differing temperatures and a large rectangular lap pool in the middle if you fancy swimming. We managed a few lengths before the danger of being bombed in the spine by a small brat became too frequent so it was off to the hot pools. Katie took straight to the hottest pools which incidentally smelt the most of egg. After a few minutes I had to get out as I was starting to pass out and I headed to the cooler pools.We soaked our carcasses for a good few hours before heading back to the van.The next morning, before heading off to meet Chris and Becky in Kiakoura, we went to the local "pitch and putt" course where Katie even surprised herself with her golfing skills. The setting for this little par three course was beautiful with the snowcapped mountains in the background. After 18 holes followed by a pie we headed to the Seafest.Having met our hosts for the weekend (Kane and Lou) and all of Kanes extremely drunk mates from the west coast we had an immense BBQ before heading to the Seafest site. On the Friday evening there are a couple of bands and lots of alcohol in the big top. This is a strictly a ticketed event and everyone apart from myself and Katie had tickets. We tried to buy some on the gate but to not joy. Its times like these that you need the cheeky scouser tout that you get outside every gig in the UK but again… No joy.I suggested that we investigate the perimeter fence which seemed to run past the back of peoples gardens and through public open areas. It was either inaccessible or well guarded until we spotted one guard busily yapping on his phone so we managed to get to the fence undetected. I held the barb wire top of the fence apart whilst Katie climbed over. I squeezed through after and we were in. Just the small problem of getting in the back of the tent. We spotted a gap and legged it from the shadows. In seconds we were surrounded by security asking to see our wrist bands. I thought there is no point in lying and simply told them that we did not have wristbands as we had just climbed over the fence whilst their security guy was chatting on his phone! Needless to say we were frogmarched out.Eventually we managed to get in by giving a couple of people that were leaving some money for their wristbands and in we went. Inside the beer was average but expensive the music was average but after a few warm expensive beers it was good to sit back with friends and take the mickey out of the people more drunk than us!The Saturday morning came round fast after a short sleep in the van. We started with an immense cooked breakfast on the BBQ and then it was back to the same venue as the previous nights for the Seafest. We hadn't been there long, and bear in mind it was only lunchtime when we started to think it would me more appropriately called Drinkfest! There were many stalls selling various beverages and a few even had seafood. There was also music and half the people there were in fancy dress. (I don't think they get out much…)We had a few drinks and Katie sampled a whitebait pattie which was disappointing but apparently wasn't a very good one anyway. The other bit of seafood sampled were some freshly cooked huge local green mussels, which were lush. The Seafest finished at 5pm so we wandered back to Kane and Lou's place. They were pretty tired and so were Chris and Becky so they stayed in the rest of the evening. Ourselves, Tom and Rachel weren't done however so we walk into town, got some drinks as well as some fish and chips, then stepped onto the beach to make a driftwood fire. We soon had a blaze to out do the others dotted along the beach and it wasn't until we ran out of fuel that the fire died down and we left.The morning came and some of us were feeling a little worse for wear, particularly Tom who was a nice shade of "Apple White" and put in an order for Coke and fizzy sweets when we went to the shops. We did joined Tom and Rachel in a quick visit to the nearby seal colony before they headed back to Christchurch. We admired the seals, the rock pools and Tom keeping his breakfast down. They headed straight off and we stayed for another day before driving back to the city on Monday. We had decided to take a room that we had looked at in a house on the outskirts of the city so had arranged to move straight in on our return Monday afternoon. The owners are Garry and Nicki and they are a couple in their late 30's - early 40's. Garry has three boys from his previous marriage who are at the house every other weekend. We've got a nice, furnished room and sole use of the downstairs bathroom (and it has a spa bath!). We're really close to the beach (which is miles long) and a forest covered in mountain biking tracks. We're getting a couple of bike and both be cycling the 10 km in to the city for work.