September 19 Kaikoura - Hamner Springs

Drive to Hamner Springs. Along the way we forget to put petrol into the car. We decided to take the scenic route so there are no petrol stations. The warning light comes on and we all begin to panick. Bloody mountains!! Finally find an inhabited farm and find some farmer. We explain we are stupid tourists who stupidly forgot to fill our car up. We ask where the nearest petrol station is. It's a 10 mins drive away. Phew. Panick over. Get to the petrol station and it's a tiny little town, but the guy who works there is hot!! Us girls find it amusing to find a hot guy in a dinky little town.

Continue to HS. HS is the main thermal resort on the South Island. Right in the mountains it has hot pools and lots of outdoor activities such as forest walks, horse treks, fishing, bungee, etc.We check into our hostel, Kakapo Lodge. Net and I go to the thermal pools. Local lengend has it that the thermal springs are a piece of the fires of Tamatea that dropped from the sky after an eruption of Mt Ngauruhoe on the North Island. Maoris call the Srings Waitapu (Sacred Waters).

Water is great and Water temps vary. We find a pool that is 40 degrees. It is very very hot and very very smelly.

After we finish is rains, but it eventually stops and we go for a really nice walk.

Net and I go back to the pools in the evening for a spot of night swimming.

DAYLIGHT SWIMMING

NIGHT SWIMMING