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I got the early morning train from Christchurch to Kaikoura and met Hiske at the Hostel. We'd both booked on the same Whale watching and Dolphin swimming trips and the sun was shining so I was really excited!
We went Whale watching that afternoon and there was a 'high' alert for sea sickness. I've never had sea sickness but I took a tablet just in case. Hiske however sails and has been literally brought up on boats and never suffered in her life........until today. It was like a rollercoaster. Louise - you would have thrown yourself off the boat I think. Hiske had to join the ever growing group of people at the back with sick bags while the rest of us made lots of arghhh noises everytime we hit another wave. I didn't get ill but even I was really glad when the boat stopped. Not nice. Anyway - we managed to spot 3 different Sperm Whales and see all of them dive (the famous tail shot!) which was amazing. They look huge but they show you a video of what part of the whale you are looking at and it's probably double the size of what it appears under water - huge!
We then went off to the supermarket and we founf $20 on the floor. Now this is only about 8 pounds but it's a massive deal when you're on a budget (well trying to be on a budget!). So we splashed out on loads of food for dinner, dessert, sides etc etc. We made so much food that we couldn't get off the sofas. Was the best meal I've had here so far yum yum yum!
The dolphin swim was at 5.30am the next morning so we hired a couple of bikes from the Hostel so we could have an extra 15 mins in bed (still getting up at 4.30am though!). We arrived at the place and got fitted into our wetsuits. OK. Now I have put on weight out here. Only half a stone but I can tell (and so can others, mentioning no names David Gates!) and it's a bit of a joke that we're doing so much exercise and putting on weight. So anyway (there is a relevance to this story) the man gives me a size 10 wetsuit. Now I know size 10 is small but I'm used to people looking at me, going hmmmmm and heading for the kids section! I said to him - I'm a 6/8 - wont this be too big. The response? "A 6/8 - REALLY??!". I managed to bargain him down to giving me an 8 but even that was a hassle! Hiske found this highly amusing as only half an hour before I'd had my photo taken under a "Pot Belly" sign....
Now Sharks. I've always known I was scared of them but I'll go in the sea to waist height and that's it - not yet at your stage Ali! Knowing I was about to get into the middle of the sea with a 600m canyon underneath and knowing there are sharks in NZ - I was terrified. So I asked the tour guide about the possibility of sharks and her reply was "Well it is the open ocean but you should be OK where there are dolphins there aren't usually sharks". Nerves completely settled then! She obviously knew she'd put her foot in it so she came back over and asked why I was scared - "was it because I'd read the papers?" No I had not. You literally saw her squirm and try to get out of it by saying it was way up north and was probably not true anyway. Even more nervous than I was before there was nothing going to stop me getting in the water with the dolphins so when we found a pod they pulled up and we all got in. There were around 100 dolphins and My god. There's nothing like it. Trying not to sound corny but knowing you're in their world and having them swim all around you and follow you when you swim in circles is just the best experience. I couldn't stay in the water as long as the others because of this stupid breathing thing but I then had all the ones by the boat to myself which was really cool. To attract them you have to make noises through your snorkle but hearing Hiske making Dolphin noises (which we'd practised the night before) and singing Jingle Bell rock (song of the day thanks to my new anklet which sounds like the song everytime I walk) through her snorkle nearly made me drown. So I learnt today I cannot laugh and swim at the same time!!
We bought an underwater camera so looking forward to seeing how the photos came out! Probably just 27 blue rectangles!!
Later on I also looked up the Shark story - when she said way up north we assumed she meant north New Zealand. Oh no. North Kaikoura! Oh well!
Val - both of these trips are thanks to you so hugs and kisses for 2 of the highlights of NZ xxx
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