Kaikoura - the end was nigh

The last leg of our trip took us to the dolphin, whale and seal capital of New Zealand. Grand designs of swimming with dolphins promptly evaporated, the reason fo this simply being that that had been what my finances had been doing for the past three weeks. Instead, the lovely Fredi and I took to mountain bikes and cycled down to Seal Colony to watch and admire the sea beasts.

It was then a farewell to the South Island as we ferried across the beautiful Marlborough Sounds up to Wellington and the Cambridge Hotel. Stray need to understand that Base Backpackers are of poor quality and evil - stay next door at the Cambridge. Their dorms are much cheaper and a hundred times better!

Monteith's helped in the goodbyes exchanged between myself and Fredi, marking the end to the travelling five that started from Auckland. I already miss you all, but that will be short lived. Not because I don't love you lot, but because we'll be seeing each other again in a few months!

The express bus up to Auckland with Prince was swift and comfortable in the huge Stray juggernaut we were lucky enough to have. As we came into Queen Sreet again, it felt like I had never left. The expedition that started over three weeks ago had come to an end. Looking back, they are definitely up there with the best times I have ever had. And that's thanks to Stray, the bus drivers, the experiences had, and everyone I met.