Kia ora (that means hello in Maori) I am
So bloody cultured these days!

After #theday I was feeling a bit flat. Luckily Milly (Auckland Milly, not Milly Milly) was in Wellington, so we arranged to meet up and catch a ferry over to Somme island. We had both enjoyed our separate trips of the North Island and I was jealous that she’d be starting her South tour that evening.

The ferry ride was short and once we got off, we were ushered into a hut. They had us check our bags for plants, ants and mice which has now made me question humanity as who the hell is smuggling mice around in their bag with them? I pointlessly checked my bag incase Stuart Little had used my bag as a way to traffic himself around New Zealand but I was in the clear. I had been told on my tour that the only native mammal was the bat and that other animals had been brought over by westerners. I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to pack the rats and mice but they also thought Brexit was a good idea so I guess the English are just a bit dense at times!

The island was beautiful with blue sea wrapped around it, birds sang merrily in the predator free trees and lizards scrambled between rocks and plants. We hiked up to the lighthouse point and looked over. Big rocks poked out from the water like the 12 apostle’s underdeveloped, scrawny cousins and the waves lapped into them. I thought I would impress the mouse hunter lady by recognising the albatross but when I showed her my photo she basically told me I had seen a giant seagull called a black back (original name for a creature with a back that is black) but not an albatross! Pity!

I grilled Milly about her geography knowledge keen to learn about the planet and we discussed climate change and all the annoying ways humans are ruining the environment. Smuggling mice onto islands didn’t come up but I assume it’s one of them!

Once back in Wellington we said our goodbyes. The wave of loneliness hit me as I went back to my new hostel. I opened the door to find the loveliest Spanish girl in my room called Felicidad, we chatted doing the usual obligatory questions -name, length of travel, future travel, etc! The week’s adventure had well and truly caught up with me and I don’t even remember falling asleep!

The next day was a bit dull. I went into town and walked aimlessly around the shops too poor to afford anything. In the evening Felicidad and I decided to head into town to go to the night markets. The atmosphere was great with just a small street decked out with paper lanterns and street food stalls. I bought an enormous wrap from a Moroccan stall and devoured it while watching her friend playing Arabic music on the makeshift stage. We had one drink and then we headed to our hostel.