Lower levels:

Navigation:

From Mount Cook we head for Christchurch. En route, we find the "most photographed point in the country" - the Church of the Lost Shepherd. Nestled beside a turquoise glacial lake and surrounded by large indigenous tour buses, this tiny church must have one of the most enviable views in Christendom.

As to whether the Shepherd ever found the place is a mystery, but if he's reading this, a few pointers - look out for the big brown signs and hordes of Japanese tourist coaches on highway 60... you can't miss it mate.

We lament our return to Christchurch - which has not won any awards in our book... and decide to head out to a neighbouring peninsula - and the small fishing village of Akaroa. An eighty kilometre detour, but we're hopeful of finding a town worth visiting off the beaten track.

Reaching Akaroa via a very windy and hilly road, we find the town is well appointed for tourists, but fortunately devoid of them. We find a fantastic places to stay for around £20 just across from the esplanade where we sit a while to enjoy another great sunset.

 We dine, drink and sleep well this evening.

Early next morning when we head for the Dolphin Experience company, Akaroa's unique (and award winning) claim to fame is the opportunity to swim with the Worlds smallest dolphins - the Hector Dolphin.

Our guide awaits us. We're lucky - the trip is solely for us this morning. We rapidly don wetsuits and board a converted dive boat and head out into the bay.

Akaroa is nestled in a valley formed by lava fingers from a huge pre-historic volcano - this accounts for the windy and hilly road. We pass by huge granite cliffs and explore a few caves - watching for fairy penguins and seals. We spy only an unfortunately named cormorant - the Shag as its known here.

Then we see our quarry - a pod of metre long dolphins off the starboard side... excitedly, we slip on our masks and fins and pile off the back of the boat into the bloody freezing water...

The dolphins are totally uninterested in us, and swim off towards the shore. Bugger.  I'm waved back to the boat where our guide hands me a pair of pliers, bemused I wonder if I'm to repair the propellers or attempt to remove some dolphins teeth. Rather, I'm informed that by clicking the pliers underwater, I will attract the inquisitive beasts - and singing through the snorkel will help too as they are attracted to vibrations.

So, with a muffled rendition of 'swing low, sweet chariot', timed to match the clack of the pliers, I sheepishly fin away from the boat. Isobel joins in.

And sure enough, we find ourselves in the midst of the action. Nine or ten dolphins swirl around us in the murky waters, one jumping clean over my head.

We sing and clack on... They seem to enjoy snorkel karaoke.

I swear the little buggers were laughing at us...

Navigation: