Otago & southland

Hi again!
I write you from the back of a 'Chateau Britz" one of the many campervans that fly through the Southland roads every day. We got picked up by a really nice German couple outside our hostel the "Lazy dolphin Lodge" - we were a little afraid of being stuck out in the middle of nowhere (Curio Bay at the end of a dead end road) because check out time for hostels and the time people head out is 10. But at 9:45 I saw dolphins swimming around in the bay near a group of people so I bee lined it for the beach. It. Was. Incredible! I was 5 feet away from and swimming with the worlds rarest dolphin! Only 20 or 30 of them. I got about 30 or 45 minutes with them before the early stages of hypothermia set in and I had to get out... we are at near the southern most part of new Zealand. The next big land mass is Antartica and in only a bikini my hands and feet started to go numb pretty quickly! But anyway I feel pretty lucky getting the time I did with them :) Between that and getting to watch yellow eyed penguins hopping around on the rocks last night, and the seals at nugget point this afternoon, its been a pretty amazing trip!
Before heading here to the Catlins we spent a few days in Dunedin. by the way yes we did get off that bus in Christchurch. The bus driver took us way out of town and to an absolutely perfect place for hitching. We got picked up near immediately and got all the way to Dunedin that day!
Dunedin was awesome. As we drove in through town I knew it was going to be somewhere I wanted to stay for 3 or 4 days. And it was! The first day we checked out the Cadulburry chocolate factory (they make those disgustigly sweet and delicious cream filled chocolate Easter eggs) I ended up with chocolate all over my face and clothes and a huge belly ache, so of course we headed straight for the Speights brewery tour. And after a 30 minute open bar there we went out with some guys we met from our hostel. Was a really fun time! During our time there we also checked out the beautiful Botanic gardens there (including the amazing aviary there - full of tropical and native NZ birds) also checked out St Kilda, a big surfing beach and walked all the way to the edge of town to see the Sunday market and the steepest street in the world!

Now we are headed for Fjordland, Milford and Doughtfull Sounds, from what I've heard it should be a highlight of our trip. Super stoked!