I just finished posting photos and videos of my weekend in Kaikoura. Without question the best weekend I have had in New Zealand. Five kids total packed into a white Toyota Camry and made the trip six hours up the east coast of NZ.

Matthew, my roommate from Poland and I are planning to travel together every weekend until we leave. I am really looking forward to all the adventures ahead of us.

We left Dunedin at about 1 and arrived in Kaikoura after dark about 815 Friday night. Matthew and I slept in a tent and the other three crashed in the car (budget accommodation at its finest). We literally slept off a bridge on the side of the road.

Dustin, another kid on the trip, and I, woke up early so we could swim with dolphins. There were between 500-1000 wild dolphins just off the peninsula. It felt like a dream come true. I cannot remember ever enjoying myself constantly for a three hour period as much as I did. I probably won't again until I see Lebron in the NBA Finals or the 2012 Olympics in London.

I was completely surrounded by these mystical mammals and didn't even care that the water was freezing. We finished swimming at around noon with a full day ahead of us.

The rest of the group picked us up, and we went on a hike about 20 minutes outside of Kaikoura north along the coastline. At the end of the hike there were at least 30 baby seals in a pool of fresh water under a waterfall. Apparently a mother had made the journey from the ocean to find an area where predators would not get the babies. They were so cute, friendly and fascinating to watch.

We went to a bar and got drinks and pizza and burgers for dinner. Because it is winter now in NZ, days are short and night falls around 530. It was raining so we packed everyone in the car and got a terrible nights sleep. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves so much none of it mattered.

We woke up around 645 this morning to a beautiful sunny day. We ate breakfast (leftover pizza, peanutbutter and banana sandwiches) and headed toward the ocean. The group went on a 3 hour hike along the coast on top of some cliffs. At the tail end, we were walking along the road to get back to the car, and I stuck my thumb out as a joke to hitch hike. It would have only been another 45 min walk. Literally ten seconds later, a van pulled over. The chances of ANYONE picking up five hitch hikers is slim. But for the very first car that passes to pull over within ten seconds is impossible. It happened.

The rest of the day was spent driving home and stopping at rest stops.

I am hoping to go to the Fiordlands next weekend and Mt Cook the following, I will let everyone know what happens.

I apologize in advance for brief blogs that lack description. I don't have time to be as detailed as I'd like