Alex

Friday 15 Jan - Sunday 17 Jan: We flew from Christchurch to Auckland, spending a great weekend in the big city. This is a pic of the city skyline from K Road.

Wednesday 13 Jan & Thursday 14 Jan: A fantastic experience was had in Kaikoura , where we went on a whale-spotting boat. We were lucky enough to see a Sperm Whale and Dusky Dolphins!

Monday 11 Jan & Tuesday 12 Jan: We had a fantastic trip over two days on the TranzAlpine Express railway, going from Christchurch > Greymouth > Christchurch. The views throughout were stunning as we creeped across the Southern Alps mountain range from east to west, and then back again.

Sunday 10 January: We drove up the east coast from Dunedin to Christchurch. I spent Sunday evening wandering the city, finding myself somewhat awestruck by the city's architecture. Christchurch is being rebuilt after the earthquakes of 2011 and it is an arty, creative and positive place.

Saturday 9 Jan & Sunday 10 Jan: The weekend was spent in the city of Dunedin. It was nice to see the city at a slow pace and I also went on the Speights brewery tour on Saturday evening, before going out to watch a live band.

Friday 8th January: We got the early boat from Oban to Bluff, and it was incredibly choppy on the seas! Upon arrival back on the main South Island we road-tripped to Dunedin, via Otara lighthouse and the Catlins peninsula on the south coast. It was a beautiful coastal drive.

Thursday 7th January: We hiked and boated back to Stewart Island's biggest town, Oban, where we spent Thursday night. There was live music on and we went to a great gig with the locals and fellow sightseers.

Wednesday 6th Jan: We got the boat from Bluff to Stewart Island. Stewart Island is New Zealand’s most southerly point and it was great to explore it. After a boat trip up the river we walked 16km from Fresh Water Hut to Mason Bay Hut on the east coast of the island. A dead whale had washed up on Mason Bay, which was fascinating to see. A wonderful part of the world.

Tuesday 5 January: The views from the lookout point in Bluff, looking out towards Stewart Island and the surrounding areas.

Tuesday 5 January: We had a nice breakfast in Arrowtown - an old, quaint & historic mining town. The afternoon was then spent driving south to Bluff, at the southern-most tip of New Zealand's South Island.

Hiking around New Zealand is made very accessible by being able to stay in DOC (Department Of Conservation) huts. We stayed in 3 on the Greenstone Trail, all of which were in beautiful settings and very reasonably-priced.

Friday 1 January - Monday 4 January: 5 of us walked the Greenstone Trail in a group, sleeping in DOC huts that were dotted around the 66km track. It was a great experience and good fun. The views were fantastic throughout.

Friday 1st January 2016: Woke up feeling very fresh at the start of 2016. After watching some bungee jumping we drive towards the car park near Kinloch where the Greenstone Trail begins. The above photo was a view encountered on the way to the beginning of the walk, by the side of Lake Wakatipu.

Wednesday 30 December: Milford Sound! My mind was blown by the sheer magnitude of Milford Sound. We enjoyed a fantastic boat trip through the fjord, before heading underwater to the sea life observatory. The whole experience was a real trip highlight.

Tuesday 29 December: We went on a 10km riverside walk near Te Anau, that finished over a very nice swing bridge.

Tuesday 29 December: Ran past a bird sanctuary in Te Anau, catching sight of the very rare Takahe bird.