Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand.

We cheated in Christchurch and stayed with my dad's oldest friend, Tom, for our two night stay. 

That does mean that in terms of recommendations etc, this blog is pretty light. That said, we did spent a day in the city and were able to take a look at the massive amount of rebuilding work that has taken place since the earthquake in 2012, and the work that is still to be done.

So many people told us we wouldn't like Christchurch. They said it was a soul-less building site. It can't be denied that parts of it did feel eerie; rubble still lines the roads and everywhere restart and rebuild projects are underway. Souvenirs relating to the quake are readily available, museums and exhibitions are open to peruse. 

Re:start mall sits right by the memorial bridge in the centre of town. It's made up of a group of old industrial crates housing boutique clothing shops, souvenir vendors, book stores and independent coffee shops. Go, it's a very cool place. 

Up the road is C1 coffee shop, which backs onto the cinema (you walk through a sliding bookcase.) The coffee is great the brunch looked incredible and you can order a 'burger pod' which is delivered to your table via old pharmaceutical tubing that snakes across the ceiling. 

Akaroa is about 90minutes out is Christchurch by car and takes you over the beautiful Darles Pass. On the way back, take the less scenic route and stop in at the local vineyards along the road. 

We visited The Farm, which boasts, along with an award-winning Pinot, the second oldest building in New Zealand (which closely resembles a cowshed...) 

Our final day in New Zealand was spent at Addington Races in the sunshine. We drank bubbles, snuck in gin and all lost money on horses with silly names. 

It's been an amazing month, full of the highest highs at 15,000ft and the lowest lows in Nelson Hostpital. The country's beauty is unrivalled. It is clean, calm, spacious and there to be explored.

Sun, sea, sand and cocktails are calling though... Fiji here we come. 

Whangerai and the Bay of Islands.

We were completely spoilt during our stay in Whangerai, which is 3 hours north of Auckland. Alice's aunty and uncle, Lynda and Pat, put us up in our own little Bach, complete with 2 double beds, a bathtub and a kitchen. 

Home sweet home 

They live in Pataua South, which is right on the water and feels like it is surrounded by sea on each side. It's beautiful, peaceful, and the little town feels as though it's stuck in the 80's. We stayed with Lynda and Pat for four nights and three days and the two of them made sure we were well fed and watered, and kept busy during our stay. Here's how we spent our days:

Day one

We had a slow day, mainly due to jetlag and awaiting the arrival of our bags. But the sun was up so we headed into Whangerai town for lunch and for a little explore. It's tiny, no more than a few streets with the harbour at it's heart. We went to Camels for an Israeli lunch finished off nicely with a Turkish coffee and Turkish delight. 

Whangerai tavern is right on the water, just a few minutes out of town, so we took advantage of the weather and had a g&t in the sunshine. The fish and chip shop opposite is great too, if you're peckish post-pints. 

That evening we went for a run along the nearby beaches to get our bearings and shake out the seemingly incurable effects of 24hours in a plane. 

Running club 

Day 2

The weather wasn't on our side on Saturday, but we didn't let that stop us and drove towards the Bay of Islands  regardless. 

The Waitomo caves weren't a part of our itinerary so, to ensure we still got the chance to see glowworms, pat took us to the Kawiti caves in Waiomio. A 40minute tour cost $20 per person (roughly £10) and was pretty fascinating. 

A coffee stop at the Trainspotters café in allowed us to visit the most famous toilets on north island, designed by 

Hunderwasser. 

Famous toilets!

The weather remained miserable so we took the passenger boat over the bay from Russell and went wine tasting at a recently opened brewery. The tasting was free, and although it wasn't obligatory, Lynda bought a bottle of the Chardonnay which was one of the best white wines I've tasted. 

After a simple lunch in Russell we decided to head home. It was a shame to have missed the stunning views of the Bay of Islands, and the 90mile beach which you can drive along, but we'd had the chance to explore. 

Rain won't stop the tourists 

Alice and I cooked up a storm that evening, trying out the cooking skills we picked up in Goa. I'm not wanting to blow my own trumpet here, but dinner was bloody great.

Day 3

The sun came out for our final day! 

We got up early and headed to ocean beach, a popular surf spot in Pataua South, to try and catch some fish for lunch. Sure, we failed, but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves all the same.

A hike up to the viewpoint over Pataua revealed stunning views of the surrounding countryside and in the sunshine we were able to see the real beauty of New Zealand for the first time.

We took Pat's boat out that afternoon to explore the water around their bach. No waterski meant we weren't able to take advantage of the flat water, but it was great to get out in the sea.

A quick kayak around the bay concluded our final day. Lou and I attempted to pilot a tandem boat and epically failed; Alice had to rescue us. 

New Zealand lamb for dinner, accompanied by Cloudy bay Pinot Noir finished off our tour of the north. 

Lynda and Pat were the most amazing hosts and really showed off the North island. Now we're heading out on our own, boarding a bus down south.

Until Rotorua,

L, A & L. X