Stray

(Rich) Sorry for not posting for a while. We've been travelling down the West Coast for a week, nearly 300 miles down with a total population of 40,000.

We're with a tour company called Stray who provide the bus but leave you to decide where to stay and what to do. I think it's the best way of getting around when time is short - good way of meeting people too.

We went with Magic Bus in the North Island who are the cheapest, but tend to only go to the most touristy spots. Stray specialise in getting off the beaten track and staying places in the middle of nowhere. Our first night in the South Island was spent at Old Macdonald's farm, just outside Abel Tasman national park, which is gorgeous.

The following day we went sailing in the sea and saw lots of birds, including some very funky penguins (!) and seals.