Well we got back from Kaikoura on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately we couldn't do the seal swim due to rough seas but we're on a waiting list to try and do a dolphin swim before we go to Oz - fingers crossed! Christmas day was a fairly relaxed affair and a game of Trivial Pursuit - Girls (Linda, Kate and Mel) vs Boys (Zak and Pete). You'll be pleased to know the girls won! Ha, ha!! Rematch on the way. The day after Boxing Day we went out on a jet boat. One of P...

Happy Christmas to everyone! Not sure if you will get this before Christmas day but just in case some of you are still online!! We finished the Abel Tasman walk on Tues but not without a few dramas! Monday night (after we wrote last) we decided to go back to the lovely restaurant in Awaroa. It was a bit of a treat and we had also met up with a couple of people (Claire from Surrey! and Frederico from Milan). They were travelling together and were good fun, s...

Hi everyone! Sorry its been a while since we put another update on the site! We\'ve come away very prepared (not!). Mobile phone with no charger (and no reception) and two cameras with no chargers!! Nice one! And we\'ve also been staying in a National Park for the past 2 nights (we have one more to go) where obviously there is no internet. I can\'t believe I have found a place this morning on the walk!!! Anyway Zak is having a beer at the mo while I update ...

So we left Christchurch on Sunday afternoon heading north through Waipara up to Hanmer Springs. We stayed here for 2 nights and enjoyed the sulphur pools (some of which were 40c!!) Did a couple of walks and checked out the mountain biking but it was a bit tame (in Zak's opinion not Mel's!!!) so didn't bother. Then we headed off on Tues to Moana (on Lake Brunner) via Mauria Springs for some more thermal bathing and Reefton - which is an old gold mining town full...

Arrived in Christchurch on 4th Dec and all is going very well here. Staying with Zak's mum and family for a week or so and then we are going off in a car for a couple of weeks to explore the northern part of the south island. We've been for a drive around Christchurch, the Port Hills and surrounding areas. The scenery is beautiful, although we hear it just gets better and better. We're going to Akaroa on Weds for the day which is about a 90 min drive away fro...