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    2

    Turtles, Iguanas and a Ssssssnake

    1. juni, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Luckily, my hotel provided me with another short-notice tour option for the day.
    The first stop was a kind of turtle sanctuary—with iguanas. And, in theory, coconut crabs, but they were off exploring for the day—nowhere to be seen. A shame, really—they’re supposed to be huge.

    Instead, we got a surprise snake in the large iguana cage. Apparently, it was “cuddling” with one of the iguanas. When the tour guide saw this, she started to panic a bit and asked someone to gently guide the snake outside—caressing it like a long-lost love. Not her exact words, but that’s basically what the other tour guide did.
    Kind of like what happens when I see a spider and ask my favorite spider-disposer for his services. (Cheers, slpy!)

    The highlight of the visit was definitely the chance to swim with turtles. They have a bay netted off with two turtles inside, along with plenty of fish and a few corals.

    I did accidentally record the video in slow motion, but after about three hours, I figured out how to speed it up again—maybe a bit too much.
    Still, there were so many great turtle moments in there, it didn’t feel right to keep them to myself. 😄    Les mer

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    A Change of Scenery

    31. mai, Vanuatu ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    It was time. Time to move on from New Zealand and my three-week-long Auckland-based confinement (after four weeks of being stuck in Kaitaia—with plenty of kumara).
    Eventually, I did manage to sell my car—after a lot of desperation and the trials and tribulations that come with mercurial potential buyers. (Anyone who’s ever tried to sell something online will know what I mean.) It wasn’t a fair price, but in the end, the need to move on was too pressing.

    And so, I moved on—to a place I hadn’t even known existed a month ago. Originally, I had planned to go to Fiji, but then I was informed of a Dengue Fever outbreak in the region. After checking the symptoms, I decided to avoid it.
    So, I ended up in Vanuatu. First stop: Port Vila on Efate Island.
    First of all: it’s warm! Finally! And it smells so much better than Auckland.
    I couldn’t help but be reminded of Bali—but it’s still very different. It’s not nearly as touristy. (The quality of the roads is similar, though slightly better here—so far.)
    That also means Port Vila doesn’t have much to offer in terms of transportation or shopping. The shops are pretty limited—catering more to daily needs than to tourists.
    When I step out of the hotel and want to explore, I have to hike for a while. Realistically, you need a car or scooter here. In Bali, everything to entertain you was just outside your door. A mix of both would be ideal.

    But after getting a first look around, I’m definitely enjoying the change of scenery and the tropical vibes. I had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the sunset over the harbour—and for the first time in weeks, I felt truly relaxed.

    Until I noticed I’d kind of been ripped off by an unofficial tour guide who was trying to lure hotel guests in in the lobby of my hotel. He insisted on a larger deposit for a tour the next day and was quite relentless about it.
    Too late, I realized something was off. The hotel staff are now doing their best to help and possibly reimburse me, since what he did wasn’t exactly legal—pretending to be from a legitimate company, flashing what looked like real credentials, and agreeing on a price only to later claim there were about 20,000 VT (around 150 EUR) in additional entrance fees—which wasn’t true.
    By then, unfortunately, the deposit had already been made.

    The good thing about situations like these? They come with a steep learning curve. 😄    Les mer

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    Waiheke Island

    20. mai, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    It’s been a while! Let me catch you up:

    I’ve finished working at the kumara farm in Kaitaia (a few days earlier than intended—my hands were a bit worse for wear) and am now staying in Auckland, where I’m trying to sell my car. The word “trying” is key here. The market is saturated, and there’s not much interest from buyers…

    Not a whole lot has been happening in Auckland. Last Friday, I went to a sensory deprivation tank. For those who don’t know, you float in knee-high water that’s been loaded with over 550 kg of magnesium-rich Epsom salt—which keeps you effortlessly buoyant. The tank is pitch-black, so you feel like you’re suspended in outer space. It’s amazing for meditation and deep relaxation. (See last picture.)

    But today was going to be awesome. I met up with Scott from Scotland (we know each other from the kumara farm) to go to the amusement park here in Auckland. On the way there, we realized it was closed. Well, oops. So much for planning ahead.

    Luckily, we both also really wanted to visit Waiheke Island. (Waiheke is known for its beautiful vineyards, stunning beaches, and laid-back artsy vibe—it’s like a mini Mediterranean escape just 40 minutes from Auckland.)

    We took the ferry across and started hiking to explore the area, heading to our first stop: Mudbrick—a beautiful restaurant and vineyard. We picked the perfect day for it. The weather was incredible. At Mudbrick, we enjoyed an absolutely superb tiramisu and panna cotta. Honestly, the best I’ve ever had.

    Toward the end of the day, we went for a stroll along Onetangi Beach and had dinner at 372. We couldn’t remember the number for the life of us and got it wrong every single time—even when calling a taxi to pick us up. (To be fair, we told the taxi lady “375,” which was close enough… she really could have guessed.)

    372 turned out to be one of those places where the food is just on another level—easily one of my top five dining experiences ever (creamed pāua, pork belly and frybread + pizzetta bianca with oyster mushrooms, braised leek, Annabelle’s truffle, black garlic crèmeux, and mozzarella).

    All of this while watching the sun set over the water.

    Even though the amusement park was a flop (I’ll accept 7% of the blame—they really should be open every day), this definitely won’t be our last attempt to go!    Les mer

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    Rain and Sunset

    29. april, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Tonight marks nearly a full week without a single day of work due to the constant rain. There won’t be any work on Wednesday or Thursday either — maybe Friday. It’s not great.
    At least I caught a beautiful sunset at the end of the day, along with a rainbow (pic 2). When I raced back to grab my camera, the rainbow had already faded almost completely. You can still spot a faint bit of colour in the middle of the photo.
    Another day without much excitement, and later: more rain.    Les mer

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    Coopers Beach and Cable Bay

    28. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After days and days of rain and no work on the kumara farm, today finally brought a little bit of sunshine (before the rain returned later). I seized the opportunity to explore Coopers Bay and the adjacent Cable Bay.
    Not much to say here: it was nice to look at, great for a little stroll, and a welcome change of scenery from the crowded hostel, which is bordering on unhygienic.
    I’ve worked 5 out of 11 possible days so far. Presumably, work can start again on Thursday…    Les mer

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    Surfing on Giant Sand Dunes

    20. april, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I went surfing today — on sand! I never knew how much fun that could be. I also didn’t anticipate just how much sand would end up in my mouth. Crunchy!

    I actually met two Kiwis there who were kind enough to film my descent. I’m really glad I ran into them, especially after being somewhat stuck at the hostel due to the rain. We had a lovely chat, and that little adventure was exactly what I needed.

    I want to say it was free… and it almost was — just $15 for the board rental.

    While the surfing was really cool, I also watched a handful of people fall off their boards, unintentionally showing off some impressive acrobatic skills as they somersaulted through the air. They seemed to be OK afterward, though — that must have hurt...    Les mer

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    Cape Reinga

    20. april, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Happy Easter!
    A great opportunity to visit Cape Reinga — with two hitchhikers in the back of my car (alive!) — the northernmost point of New Zealand and where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean (pic 3). Awesome, eh? It was the first nice day after ages of bad weather (although it did rain again in the afternoon…). Still, because it was Easter and finally sunny, a lot of people came out to enjoy the view.

    P.S. Early in the morning, I found a cute green bird that didn’t quite look alright, so I gave him some water and a few seeds. I like to think he appreciated it. Also, two girls at the hostel were so kind — they actually hid a few chocolate eggs around the premises. I was SO! eager to find them and relocate them to a safe place with a lock: my car. And I had to eat them fast — otherwise they would have melted.    Les mer

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    Rain, Work and Nothing Much to Do

    19. april, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    After sending out countless applications, someone finally got back to me. I now work on a kumara farm in Kaitaia (after Tauranga, I stayed in Auckland and Whangarei before I made it to Kaitaia to split up the drive). I earn minimum wage and can’t work most days because of the rain. Averaging about three days a week seems realistic. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really help with the money I’ve already spent — or the costs still to come.

    As we found out, there are two worker groups staying at my hostel. We both work on kumara farms, just for different companies. The job is identical: standing on a harvester, separating the kumara from the plant, picking it off one conveyor belt, and placing it onto another. It’s repetitive and physically demanding.

    At least the other group earns more per hour, gets more consistent work, and even received holiday pay for Easter. So… one week down, three to go. There’s not much to do around here — it’s not the most exciting place. But if opportunity knocks, I’ll open the door.

    Due to the heavy rain brought to the North Island by ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam, there hasn’t just been a lack of work — there’s been no real chance to move around or do anything. Between showers, I tried to explore Ahipara for a bit, but only lasted five minutes outside before the rain forced me back into my car.    Les mer

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    Tauranga

    9. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Tauranga is surprisingly beautiful—especially the area around Mt. Maunganui! I loved the beach and could’ve spent forever collecting seashells, but I also wanted to climb the mountain. There were several paths, and for whatever reason, I kept choosing the more challenging ones. I had a ball!
    As a reward—and with a clear conscience—I got a watermelon, lemon, and liquorice-flavoured ice cream when I made it back to the beach in just one hour (instead of the 1.5 hours I’d read it would take). The lemon flavour was especially delicious!
    (Slpy, if you’re reading this: ice cream is code for carrots, and that’s all you need to know…)

    By the way… I found more of the stickers. 😄    Les mer

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    2

    A Prison Cell in Hamilton

    8. april, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    I’m not sure how I feel about Hamilton. The best-rated hostel there looked truly like a prison. I even had my own cell. Everything was sterile—white bricks, white, run-down furniture—and it looked anything but inviting. There were no proper common areas, and everything there seemed designed to make sure you’d never commit a crime, just to avoid being sent to a real prison (which might be more comfortable, depending on the country).

    After about a week and a half of traveling together, Shuan and I parted ways the next morning.

    I went to see the lake in Hamilton—Lake Rotoroa (not to be confused with the island Rotoroa I’ve been to before). Apart from having some fun with ducks, it was not at all spectacular. I was looking forward to visiting the gardens in Hamilton, though. However, the 10-minute walk back to the car from the lake was enough for the weather to switch from "partly cloudy with sunshine" to "torrential rain for miles," making it difficult to even see the car in front of me on the highway. I decided it was in the best interest of both me and my cheap teddy bear umbrella from Bali to stay in the car and drive on to Tauranga.

    In short, I’m sure Hamilton might have more to offer, but I just didn’t get the chance to see it.    Les mer

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    Black Water Rafting

    7. april, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I was really looking forward to this—Black Water Rafting in one of the Waitomo Caves, a 3-hour fun experience! After all the formalities (getting our gear, squeezing into some painfully tight wetsuits, and a few instructions on what to expect), we hopped into a van to be driven to a river. There, we practiced jumping into the water with our tubes since one part of the experience involved jumping backwards off a 1.5 meter waterfall, tube around your butt. Fun, huh? I certainly thought so!

    With a successful practice session under our belts, we arrived at the cave. And in we went! The first cool part was a little extra loop that let us circle back to where we’d already passed through. The loop was elevated, and you had to climb into it. There wasn’t much space, so you had to crawl and remember the directions: left, left, right, left. We were told, "This is optional. Do not do this if you have claustrophobia." I just thought "Tuwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitu" (Feel the fear and do it anyway) and did it. Awesome!

    Next came a narrow tunnel where you couldn’t walk or crawl—you had to lie flat in your tube and glide through the water. So awesome! After that, we slid down two smaller waterfalls (no biggie, pretty easy) and either walked or tubed through the cave. At one point, we all linked up in a line by sitting/lying in our tubes and holding onto the feet of the person behind us. The guide led us through this section in complete darkness so we could enjoy the glowworms on the cave ceiling.

    Then came the waterfall jump. Really awesome—and definitely my favorite part! Not knowing where you’re jumping, surrounded by darkness and stalactites, made it even more thrilling. Yes, it was only 1.5 meters, but still, nothing short of awesome. (Let’s play a drinking game: re-read this post, and every time you see the word "awesome," take a drink of your choice. :D)

    At the end, we were all in our tubes, paddling through the freezing cave river to the exit—again in complete darkness to see the glowworms. All in all, it was a fantastic experience! (For those of you who were gearing up to drink, here you go: awesome!)

    The only thing that took away from the fun a little was my attempt to stay overly hydrated before the adventure. I was determined not to defile the wetsuit. We were told that if the need arose, we could let the guides know, and they’d show us to a secluded part of the cave. I did let them know of my need for some privacy, and they assured me that the next part of the cave would allow for this. I kept waiting… and waiting. So, what was "the next part of the cave"? Well, apparently, it never came. They forgot. So, that 3-hour moment of agony was, wait for it—not awesome.

    For those wondering: I stuck to my mission and returned a perfectly fine wetsuit. You’re welcome. Awesome, right?

    After braving the cold, we were welcomed back at the reception with a hot shower and some hot tomato soup while getting a chance to peek at the pictures taken.

    P.S.: I feel weird ending this post without this: Awesome!    Les mer

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    Cavernous Sojourn

    6. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    I had another cool thing planned for later – a tour through one of the glowworm caves of the vast Waitomo cave system. (‘Waitomo’ comes from the Māori words wai (water) and tomo (hole or shaft), roughly translating to ‘water passing through a hole.’) What is usually described as glowworms in the cave, isn‘t actually glowworms. Let ChatGPT tell you why:

     “New Zealand’s famous glowworms, Arachnocampa luminosa, are actually the larvae of a fungus gnat, not true glowworms. These bioluminescent larvae light up the dark caves to attract prey, creating a stunning natural light show. The glowing larvae use sticky silk threads to trap small insects. Once they mature, they become non-glowing adult flies with a short lifespan, focused only on mating.“

    Even though I’d seen glowworms before, I wanted another look – and the chance to get better photos this time. The tour advertised that photography is allowed, though tripods aren’t (too risky in the dark). They did mention that there would be mounts you can use… but failed to say these are only meant for smartphones. So yeah – enjoy my attempts at glowworm photography, in descending order of success. 😅

    It was a shame, really. The boat ride through the glowworm-lit cave is stunning. At first, it’s pitch black with just a few glowing dots, but once your eyes adjust, it actually looks surprisingly bright – the reflections on the still water are almost surreal. Too bad I couldn’t capture it.

    To make up for that little fail, here’s a photo of the ‘Bambi’ I met that evening – a 23-year-old deer from the farmland next to our hostel for the night.    Les mer

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    Three Sisters and the Elephant Rock

    6. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The good thing about staying at a place you don’t like is the lifting feeling when you leave it. Leave it we did—and much earlier than we had to. The Three Sisters and Elephant Rock were waiting for us.

    We should have researched the place properly before we got there, though. You can only see it at low tide. But! We got lucky—it was indeed low tide when we arrived. Just as we got out of the car, we saw a lady slip and fall in the muddy, slippery sand, so we proceeded with caution, intent on not slipping ourselves. Well, I almost made it to the end… when I did.
    It was about time I washed my clothes anyway. It had only been a few hours since I last did, after all...

    Needless to say, the 1.5 km it took to hike through the estuary to reach the rocks was incredibly slippery. Every step had to be taken with caution. I often got stuck in the mud, needing extra time, strength, and effort to free my shoes (cleaning them afterwards was quite the task too!). But the view was worth it—as it almost always is here.

    Though… I did fail to see the resemblance to the namesake elephant. I’m not even sure it’s in one of my pics. I just couldn’t figure out which one it was. 😄    Les mer

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    Mount Taranaki

    5. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    The main reason we wanted to check out the east coast of NZ was Mount Taranaki. If you look at it on a map, the area surrounding the mountain is almost perfectly circular.

    When we arrived (it had been raining for the past few days and was going to rain again in the coming days, but today was a bit of a reprieve), it was sunny enough, though still partly cloudy—unfortunately to the extent that the mountaintop was almost constantly hidden behind clouds.

    In the evening, we checked into our Airbnb for the night. A house that could have been charming, but our noses and eyes thought otherwise…    Les mer

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    Whanganui

    5. april, New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    The first proper stop after Wellington was Whanganui.

    We visited the Durie Hill Elevator, one of the few earth-bound public elevators in the world, and the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Built in 1919, it still operates using the original electric winch system.

    To reach the elevator, you walk through a 213-meter-long tunnel, lined with moving, color-shifting LED lights that create a hypnotic, almost psychedelic effect. It’s definitely a cool experience—though I admit, it gave me a touch of motion sickness. 😄

    Once the elevator takes you to the top of Durie Hill, you're free to climb the 176 spiral steps of the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower. From the top, you get sweeping views over Whanganui, the Whanganui River, and even as far as Mount Ruapehu on a clear day.

    I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked the town! We were lucky to arrive on a Saturday, which meant we could check out the River Traders Market—a lively market that only runs on Saturdays.

    There, I tried strawberry matcha (interesting, but nothing beats pure matcha, and by pure I mean with vanilla ice-cream), Dutchies (deep-fried balls of joy—highly recommend), and a Japanese pancake (I had one in Bali once that was slightly better, but this one was still fantastic).

    I keep telling myself “tomorrow is the day I stick to my diet.” And then the other voice kicks in: “Seize the day!” 😄    Les mer

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    Wellington again!

    4. april, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    After one more night in Nelson (more matcha and sushi! 😋), and with a hitchhiker in the back, we all drove to Picton. There, Sylvain hitchhiked on to Blenheim, while Shuan and I took the ferry back to Wellington. We went to the same gelato place I had been to with Maddie a few weeks earlier — and that’s when I saw it: they had an 8-flavour special! So, the next morning after breakfast, I rewarded myself with way too much ice cream, because my stomach had triumphed over its urge to defy gravity on the ferry. And to celebrate having had healthy food the past few days. (I'd be very much obliged if you didn't ask any further questions. 😅)Les mer

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    Cape Farewell and Wharariki Beach

    1. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    For me, Cape Farewell was undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking sights in New Zealand—despite the relentless rain (at this point, it feels like it just won’t stop pouring). If the Earth were flat, Cape Farewell would be the perfect place to mark the edge of the world (the picture fails to get across just how amazing this place is). Now we just need equally awe-inspiring spots to complete the circle. 😁

    Wharariki Beach might as well be part of that mix. We arrived just in time for sunset, but the clouds had other plans. Still, the beauty of the place was undeniable—the vast, mirror-like beach stretching endlessly, followed by rolling sand dunes. A little sunshine would have made it even more magical.    Les mer

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    Te Waikoropupu Springs

    1. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After receiving a treasured recommendation, we drove to Te Waikoropupū Springs and marveled at the iridescent colors of the water—some of the clearest freshwater in the world, with visibility reaching up to 76 meters.Les mer

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    Labyrinth Rocks

    1. april, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This stop was rather coincidental, but a great one. It’s amazing what nature creates without human intervention—plenty of uniquely shaped rocks, small tunnels, adorable birds, and a truly maze-like structure. I had so much fun exploring all the hidden paths!Les mer

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    Second Time in Abel Tasman

    31. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    My second time in Abel Tasman—though this time on foot, not by kayak. A 14 km hike from Totaranui to Awaroa, with plenty of nature to enjoy along the way.

    My favorite moment happened right at the start of the hike when a seagull suddenly spotted something in the water near the shore, picked it up, and dropped it onto the beach. A starfish! And such a pretty one. It was still alive, so I took the liberty of throwing it back into the water. Hopefully, it landed out of seagull sight.

    We didn’t quite make it to Awaroa. The tide was still too high, and we would have had to wait another hour. We gave it a shot and got about halfway before deciding that was good enough. It was only about 500m that were missing to complete the journey anyway. ^^

    P.S.: We got a new tent! Properly sized, with plenty of space. Okay, maybe I’m overselling it—it’s still a cheap tent, but definitely an upgrade. This one is almost (!) waterproof!

    We also splurged on $9 air mattresses. My back was very grateful!    Les mer

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    Not Much to See in Blenheim

    29. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    In Kaikōura, I met up with Shuan, my new travel buddy. Together, we made our way to Blenheim—but the town seemed rather uneventful, so we headed straight to our campsite.

    While setting up the tent, we noticed that mold had formed on it. So, we drove back into Blenheim to buy a new one. Lucky us—we managed to get the last four-person tent they had!

    Back at the campsite, we got to work. Only… something seemed off. The tent was much smaller than expected—about half the size of a proper four-person tent. Somehow, the tents must have gotten mixed up. For us, that meant cozying up uncomfortably close and getting splashed in the face by condensation from the tent walls every time the wind blew.

    Before we could sleep, however, two other guys at the campsite needed our help—or rather, our phones.

    It took us a moment to understand the situation. Apparently, a man had just reached the beach with his kayak—it was pitch black outside, and the sun had set more than an hour and a half ago. He had been kayaking with his wife but had decided to paddle off alone to fish and explore, thinking it wouldn’t take long. Then dusk fell, and darkness caught him off guard. Realizing he was in trouble, he paddled to the nearest beach—about an hour away from where his wife and young child were waiting.

    The two guys at our campsite had encountered him, but for some reason, their phones weren’t able to make a call. Eventually, we found a way to contact his wife, who was already scouting nearby beaches, looking for him. Fortunately, she was only 20 minutes away and was able to pick him up.

    Once he was safely reunited with his family, we all headed back to our tents—but not before making sure he knew never to pull a stunt like that again.    Les mer

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    Playdate with Dolphins 2

    28. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Lucky for me, my lack of singing was apparently appreciated by at least one dolphin, who interacted with me by continuously spinning around me. They like eye contact, so it’s good to try and keep up with them. It felt like a competition. The dolphin won. I got dizzy.

    This was definitely one of my favourite travel experiences so far!    Les mer

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    Playdate with Dolphins

    28. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    This activity was definitely something I’ve always wanted to do—swimming with dolphins! And in perfect conditions… well, not the weather, that kinda sucked. But the dolphins here are wild and free, choosing to interact with you (or not) on their own terms.

    Equipped with our gear and after watching a short instruction video, we were driven to the marina, where we set off on a boat ride that lasted about 25 minutes. Unlike yesterday, though, being on the boat wasn’t as much fun. I struggled to keep from feeling sick, and the ride back was even worse.

    We were supposed to swim with dusky dolphins, but on our way there, we actually spotted the rare Hector’s dolphins! These small, shy dolphins are found only in New Zealand, and while they usually keep their distance, today they interacted with our boat.

    We were given two important instructions before getting in the water. First: to get the dolphins’ attention, sing! Apparently, they find it intriguing and are more likely to come closer. Honestly, though, if I were a dolphin and had to endure that cacophonous underwater assault, I’d have swum in the other direction. :D (To be fair, try singing underwater with a mask over your nose and a snorkel mouthpiece in your mouth - it doesn‘t come naturally to most of us…)

    The second rule: Don’t smile. Even if seeing the dolphins makes you happy! Smiling lets water into your mask, which is… not fun. That said, I’m not sorry to report that I did, in fact, get water in my mask. Worth it.

    Of course, there were other important rules too, like “Don’t jump off the boat unless instructed” and “Don’t pee in your wetsuit.”

    (I’ll split this post in two since this app only allows a max of two videos per post.)    Les mer

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    Dolphin Watching in Kaikoura 2

    27. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I hope you love dolphins as much as I do. Then these pictures are for you. Those are the Dusky Dolphins. Very playful in nature and evidently so happy they jump around a lot. Like I did in the trampoline park in Wellington. Yes, with equal amounts of grace, before you ask. (Maddie, in case you read this: I‘m gonna have to ask you to lie if you‘re called as a witness… :D)Les mer

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    Whale Watching in Kaikoura 1

    27. mars, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Even though I had initially had strongly mixed feelings about Christchurch, I was sad to leave. That hostel was awesome with its modern style and top-notch amenities. I shall miss my spot on the bar sofa.

    I left Christchurch for whale watching in Kaikōura, a small coastal town famous for its abundant marine life. Kaikōura is one of the best places in the world for whale watching due to the deep-sea Kaikōura Canyon, which creates nutrient-rich waters that attract a variety of marine species. The area is home to resident sperm whales (one of which we saw twice), as well as visiting humpback whales, blue whales, orcas, and even the occasional pilot whale.

    The sperm whale we got to see is called Manu. His name comes from the Māori word for "bird," referring to the distinct shape of his tail fluke, which resembles a bird in flight. Whales are identified by the unique shape and markings of their tail fins, which makes Manu easily recognizable.

    All we could actually see was about one-third of the whale above water, occasionally blowing off steam… :D And finally, when he re-emerged into the water, we watched him sink gracefully, his tail lifting into the air before disappearing beneath the surface. Apparently, that’s not always the case—sometimes, the tail stays submerged and they just disappear without pomp and circumstance.

    Sperm whales get their name from the waxy substance called spermaceti found in their large heads. Early whalers mistakenly believed it was whale sperm, but it is actually used by the whale to help with buoyancy and echolocation. A single sperm whale can carry up to 1.5 tons of spermaceti in its head!

    Once a sperm whale dives, it can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes before surfacing again. In our case, we had about 30 minutes to look for another whale before Manu would resurface. Unfortunately, we didn’t find another one in that short amount of time.

    After our second encounter with Manu and after spotting some albatross on the water, we had a little time to spare—and ended up having a get-together with a bunch of dolphins!    Les mer

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