6.30am wake up call and a 6.45am wake up call - it was not a great feeling. I was very much in a deep sleep and quite enjoying it in fact.

Up and out for the ferry to the South Island, thankfully it was sunny again and now clouds just freezing cold! There were just 10 of us on a huge coach going to the ferry and then a few more on the other side. Still not enough for even a half full bus.

The ferry was three hours long and left at 8.45am, I haven’t been on a big big boat like this in years! It even had a cinema on it! It was bloody freezing in there though even with 3 thermal layers on! The views were incredible towards the last hour of the trip going into the Marlborough sound islands and through them. I keep saying it but honestly it’s like looking at a photograph this country is the most picturesque place I have ever been to; it’s incredible! (Granted the sun made it look even more special) but the water is so clear and not one river, lake, sea or stream has had one piece of rubbish in it or petrol trail it’s beautiful!! The mountains were full of different shades of green trees and bushes. Oh my! I’m in love. You can’t help but stare at the scenery and smile. The kiwis are so proud of their country aswell, they all take pride in recycling everywhere and signs about taking your rubbish with you if you don’t see a bin, their toilet paper is recycled paper, no plastic bags for bagging fresh fruit or for your shopping in any store in the country. Plastic straws are banned, only paper, bamboo or metal straws are used. I know that the UK have things like this in place but they still very much behind in terms or recycling and reusable energy and materials.

Anyways.... it was beautiful and the bus journey over to Kaiteriteri was beautiful aswell! We travelled through the wine country and through the vineyards and the mountains had snow on their peaks, pretty much nobody on the roads either which is even better.

To put it in to perspective, the north island is the 14th biggest island in the world with a 3 million population and 1 million of those live in Auckland. The South Island is the 12th biggest island in the world with a 1 million population in it. I think the both islands stretch out to be the length of the west coast of Europe. It’s bloody massive and has nobody living in it, that’s why it’s kept so beautiful because there aren’t enough humans to ruin it.

We got the clipboard of activities around the bus, and much to Ellies surprise the skydive in Abel Tasman was okay to do today because the weather was good. Haha, shuttling herself now she had to put her name down!
We got picked up from Nelson and taken to Motueka airport which was pretty much occupied by just the skydive company and a mini plane flight training team (those planes wobbled a lot going up and down, learner pilots - no thanks!)

Ellie chose to do the 13,000ft jump instead of the 16,500ft jump, difference being she will free fall for 45 seconds and not 70seconds before the parachute opens. Ahhh, I think this should be my next venture... train to throw myself out of a plane! I’m so excited and jealous, I loved my jump! Typical there was a man working there from Blackwood, nice enough guy but he definitely put a stronger welsh accent on once we got talking with him and everyone was his mate that owned something or played for the welsh team. Got on my nerves a little bit but I smiled through it. Ellie got in the plane and headed up, ah I’m so excited for her!

Only to be told at 10,000ft by the pilot that they had to return to the ground because the gusts and wind speed was too high and not safe for them to jump with a parachute. Sometimes they wait for half an hour apparently but today was a right off so lucky us... we had another early morning tomorrow for her 7am jump, at least the plane ride warmed her up for the real deal. I couldn’t wait to have another car journey and wait for her to jump with ‘everyone’s my mate’ man early in the morning.

He took us back to our hostel where we checked in at Kaiteri lodge in Kaiteriteri and had some dinner and kiwi experience bus happy hour wine in the little pub next door before an early night ready for the early rise.