12/7
We treated ourselves to a long awaited lie in this morning- it was so nice! We then enojoyed the 2hr drive up to Milford. There was some really nice scenery along the way. We stopped a few times to take some pics and generally enjoy the views. The cruise itself was really nice, fiords and waterfalls and we were lucky enough to see some seals. The journey back was nice as we got to see the mountains in twilight. Had some really nice chocolate mousse for dessert and sat and watched new Family Guy- all in all not a bad day!
13/7
Shame to have to leave the retro hotel. We had been in a room that was yet to be refurbished but we all thought it was really neat! On the way to Invercargill we stopped at Gemstone Beach and Monkey Island. Not sure why it is called that though. When we walked to it the tide was out but on the way back it had started coming in making it a tricky maze through/over the rocks back to land. We had lunch by the beach and played some cards. For being so far south it wasn't cold which was a lovely surprise.
14/7
Left our apartment and headed for Dunedin. We had free laundry so we all did that before we left. Long 3 hr drive to the next stop. We took the less scenic inland route to save an extra 2 hrs in K9. Nice central hostel-yep back to reality! Went on the Speights Brewery Tour. That was cool, informative and tons of free beer at the end and we even got ot pour it for ourselves. The manager of the hostel had guitar hero out in the evening so we got to play on that for a bit which was fun.
15/7
We were supposed to be going on a wildlife cruise but when we realised that you don't see penguins on the one we had chosen, we decided against it. Didn't seem much point in paying to see albatross' and seals when we have already seems them. So we just drove around the Otago Peninsula. The boys went off to go on a driving range while Emma and I went shopping. We met them for the Dunedin haunted tour we were doing only it turned out the golf was shut and they had been in the pub all afternoon. The tour wasn't that scary, spent most of the time walking around the city and there were people and cars at most locations. We all ended up in the pub afterwards. Ell and Si had both had a lot to drink and were loud and there was some word slurring going on too, very amusing!
16/7
Today was Si's birthday. We went on the Cadburys factory tour in the afternoon. We saw them make/box/wrapping easter eggs for next year already. Got some free chocolate a saw a load of melted chocolate in a waterfall. Also saw some of the old delivery cars. At one point there was a chocolate emergency as the ladies at the conveyerbelt started shouting and running down to a machine. Our guide had some anger issues, the poor children! In the evening we went out for a curry and surprised Si with a cake, even though we were all completely stuffed from dinner.
17/7
Somehow Si and Emma managed to be 1/2 hr late this morning meaning that we had to stand in the street with all our stuff, and there is a lot of stuff! We then went over to the steepest residential street in the world. We managed to climb it and got a free certificate. It was hard work. We then got ourselves a spot for the Jaffa Race. Typically we didn't win. The jaffa race is where Cadburys make some bigger than normal jaffas (chocolate orange covered in an orange shell) and let them go down the street and the first down wins. Lots of the jaffas didn't even make it down the hill. If that doesn't make much sense go to www.odt.co.nz and you can watch the race. On then to our next port of call via some giant boulders on a beach. They were really round and no one know how they got there. We then went and saw a colony of blue penguins come ashore for the night. That was really net if a little noisy!
So I am now back in Christchurch but will update that part of the blog in Auckland. I fly back up to Auckland tomorrow and then on 25th I fly to Sydney for a new adventure. Last country before I come home though, look out for October 25th!
xxx
