WOW WHALES (not Wales)

hello folks,
lucky you lot, a blog so soon after my previous efforts. We are now out of the mountain passes and down in Kaikoura - a kooky little town where sandflies are not cool enough to be in attendance. thanks for your comments and news - and sorry for being so demanding (even from this distance) - i was just getting chomped on for the millionth (is that a word) time.

well, after venturing up Arthur's Pass (thanks Marina!), we moved on to this little town for the sole purpose of going whale watching and we were not disappointed!

They don't take your money straightaway, it depends on the level of sea sickness you are prepared to put up with - minor or seriously pukey. Our trip was going to be 'jobbly' - their words and not much help to make a decision - but we went for it. And besides feeling REALLY sick - the main event did not disappoint - 5 spermwhales (which are huge and apparently named because first people to discover them thought the 2.5 tonnes of oil in their heads was sperm - funny sex education classes in those days!). Anyway, awesome, beaut (NZ words) cannot describe how humbling these creatures make you feel and how minor your little human existence is (not yours - the human race). Very emotional - we were both blubbing!

Will send pix when i know how.

One more interesting thing - they have loads of info about the settlers that came here, told that NZ would be the promised land which would bear fruit and bring happiness. Each info board tells how a few families dragged themselves over from Europe and set up in the harshest conditions and then gave up or died in the process. You could argue, well they shouldn't have been trying to colonize the place at all, whcih I agree, but these poor souls seemed to be the working classes told/made to come on a promise. I am sure I need to learn more, but it is a holiday!

Fidelma xxx