No dolphin swimming today, boooooooooooooooo. The weather cheered up in Christchurch, but it was still too blowy out in Akaroa where the dolphin swimming boat goes from. Didn't have a happy face at all for a little while. However, I realised there was no point mooching about it and so had a look at other things to do. Got excited about hot air ballloon trips over Canterbury and Christchurch, so I might book one of those for my last day here. The balloon flights leave really early in the morning - 5:30am or so - and so I have enough time before my afternoon flight on Friday to do that.
I have also re-booked my dolphin cruise for Thursday as that's my last full day in Christchurch. I just hope that I get to do it then, though the weather forecast still looks a bit dodgy!

So even though I didn't get to swim with dolphins, I still had a really nice day.
The sun came out in Christchurch so I thought it was a good opportunity to go and have a waltz around the botanical gardens. Best thing to do on a sunny day, and they were really gorgeous. I had also read in my book that there's a little market near the art gallery and the gardens on Sunday's, so I thought I'd see what they had to offer. There were some rubbish stalls (as in all markets) but I found a nice guy selling gorgeous silver earrings, so of course I had to buy a pair. They're really lovely though, and quite unique, so I was happy!

Went to Canterbury Museum afterwards for a bit of a look around. It didn't seem that big at first, but it was 3 floors of exhibits and it packed in quite a lot of stuff for a fairly small museum! It wasn't all that interesting and had lots of things in it that you can see anywhere (but it was free) like oriental pottery and costumes from day's gone by, but it was a cute museum. I should have made a donation to the museum, but I spent a fair bit of money in their shop, so I think I did enough!!

I was also terribly english and had leek and potato soup for lunch! Even though it was actually quite a warm day, I suddenly just really fancied this soup! The lady who's stand it was (and she was english), said that she'd made it yesterday when the weather was awful. She didn't think she'd get many takers today, but along came I! She also said that it's normally young and female english girls that she gets at her stand when she does her soups! Hahhahahah - glad I conformed to the sterotype that day.
I had a very Spanish desert though, as there was a churros stand in the market square - mmmmmmmm!

Caught a little Maori singing and dancing demonstration by some teenagers from a local school as well. It was quite good and they were trying to raise some money to go on a school trip somewhere, I didn't catch where though! Of course I gave a few coins and I wanted to ask about that tattooing. Maori women are tattooed only on their chin and apparently that's just to show which tribe they belong to. Men have tattoos all over their faces which shows manliness apparently, and the more tattooed on their faces they are means they're more chiefly. The amount of lines above the eyes and on the forehead show how high up they are in their tribe and that sort of thing. I have been wanting to ask someone for ages about it, so now I finally know!!

As I was walking back to the centre of town, I heard bagpipes, which wasn't actually that surprising. They seem to be quite Scottish in the South Island, as I'd heard them in Nelson and did also originally want to go to Dunedin as it is the Scottish town in NZ. So, walking through to the main square, I see a whole lot of people in kilts and with bagpipes and drums!! I didn't have a clue what was going on, but it was great! As much as people say that bagpipes sound like a cat being squeezed, I love them! I saw a guy in a kilt sitting down and so I thought I'd ask him what was happening. It couldn't just be a coincidence that there were about 7 or 8 different scottish bagpipe groups there in the square, all practising!! Anyways, he told me that they were indeed practising but for a big contest that's happening next weekend. They have a warm-up the weekend before, and this was it!! It went on for several hours, so I obviously didn't need to go to Dunedin at all - yay!

After that, I had a wander through the main square and then spent far too much money on souvenirs. I bought my mum some gloves, my dad some socks, my friend April some socks, and all sorts of other bits and bobs. I really don't need to do ANY more souvenir shopping at all!! Not even anymore in Australia as I think I have enough pressies for people! I really would like to get a nice t-shirt from New Zealand, but I can't seem to find any that fit properly. No one seems to do extra small, and size 8 is too wide for me. It doesn't help that I've lost weight since being away....and some of the clothes I brought from home don't fit that well either!!
I would buy kids t-shirts but the designs aren't so great, and also the t-shirt neck is usually too small. Oh well, I guess I save more money that way! I have seen a nice top in an expensive NZ shop....so I may be coming home with that.....it's highly likely in fact :D

Got back to the hostel, and got through to the Maori tour people. No space on the afternoon tour on Wednesday, dang. Oh well, I think I was more looking forward to whale watching and seal swimming. However, seeing as both of those are weather dependent, they could both be called off and that leaves me with nothing to do in Kaikoura except get annoyed!! I was told by the jewellery stall guy that there is a little waterfall place just north of Kaikoura, where seal clubs go to play and splash about. I have no car, so maybe if both my trips get called off then I can just jump in a taxi and get taken there instead! Who knows what'll happen. There are some nice walks to do in Kaikoura too, so that's a possibility. I have learnt the hard way that you always need a backup plan in New Zealand!

Also went to the cinema by myself this evening. I was actually looking forward to it as well! Saw Gran Torino by and starring Clint Eastwood, and I got a student discount using my ISIC card - yay! Film was really, really good and I highly recommend it. If you've seen it, then you'll know why I can't get 'Get off my lawn' out of my head. If you haven't seen it, then you won't know what on earth I'm talking about, but it's very funny!

Off to Kaikoura tomorrow afternoon, so have the morning free to get myself to the Post Office again (my other two parcels have already arrived at home, cool. I thought the first one was meant to take 2-3 months, so I obviously heard wrong) and also take my stuff over to the other hostel that I'm staying at. I wish I was booked in at Vagabonds again, as it's such a laid back place and the people who run it are really nice. Some of the people staying there aren't so friendly, but never mind! They also have computers to use the internet that you don't have to shovel coins into - blimey!! You pay for what you use, on an honesty basis, and it's only $3 an hour!! Cheapest internet I've found in all of New Zealand!
I'm staying at Dorset House for my final two days in Christchurch and New Zealand. I did want to stay there for these two nights too, but they were fully booked. I didn't know what Vagabonds was like before I got here, so I booked two nights here and then two nights there. Oh well, Dorset House looks equally lovely and they don't have bunk beds either - yay!
I think that Gaynor (the lady I met in Greymouth) also said she might try and stay there, so maybe I'll see her there. She's flying back to Newcastle on the 6th, and so we thought we'd bump into each other at the aiport too! However, my flight isn't until much later so obviously we won't but it would be nice to see a friendly face before going back to Oz. Oh well, if she's there then that's cool but if she's not then I'm sure I can find enough to do with myself!!