MY FAVOURITE ADVENTURE

THIS TRAVEL STORY IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE ADVENTURES: SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS IN KAIKOURA.

 I WOKE AT 4am TO A PITCH-BLACK HOSTEL ROOM, MY EIGHT ROOMMATES ALL SOUND ASLEEP AT THE EARLY HOUR. ISNUCK OUT ON TIPTOES TO CHANGE, CRAMMED A HEESE ROLL IN MY MOUTH, AND DRAGGES THE SUITCASE HOLDING A YEAR OF MY LIFE TO THE KAIKOURA DOLPHIN-WATCHING TOUR OFFICE. WITH JUST A FEW HOURS OF SLEEP IN MY SYSTEM AND MORE ADRENALIE THAN I HAD JUMPING OUT OF A PLAN I TUGGED ON MY INSULATED WETSUIT IN BLUR.

THE MOMENT WE DOVE OFF THE WATER, I WAS SHOCKED AWAKE. NO AMOUNT OF COFFEE, TEA, OR SUGAR HAS EVER GIVEN ME SUCH AN INTENSE WAKE-UP. IT TURN OUT , THE OCEAN IS FREEZING AT 5am IS WHEN THE DOLPHINS ARE MOST PLAYFUL.

A MOMENT LATER, I WAS FACE TO FACE WITH A WILD DOLPHIN, ONE OF THE SMALLEST SPECIES OF DOLPHIN IN THE WORLD, SWIMMING WITH IT THE WHOLE DAY HAVING FUN TOGETHERE .

THE SUN ROSE, WARMING MY BACK ASI CONTINUED FLOUNDER AMONGST THE MOST ELEGANT ANIMALS IN THE OCEAN. IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT, WACHINGAS THE DARK BLUE OF THE OCEAN TURNED A SUNNY TURQUOISE, BRITHTENING OUR SWIMMINGCOMPANIONS FOR THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF DAWN