I'm not sure if I've written about my hatred of hills before on here? I may sometimes appear fit and intrepid but actually I cry walking up hills and curse going down them, if it wasn't for the views, I'd permanently be 0 metres above sea level. 

Kaikoura is my happy place, I try to visit at least a few times a year as it is also the best place in New Zealand for pelagic birding. Albatross Encounter run regular trips out to where the seabirds fly. If you time it right (or book ahead so they have the numbers) they will also run extended 4 hour trips to ensure maximum birding time. 

This blog will have far more pictures than words, and can be read in conjunction with “Good Heavens Great Barrier Island” to appreciate everything Great Barrier Island has to offer. I just wanted to let all the bird people know what you may see on the island and how easy it was to photograph

Earlier this year Great Barrier Island was awarded Dark Sky Sanctuary status. It is one of only three sanctuaries in the world, and a step up from Lake Tekapo's Dark Sky Reserve status. What this means is that Great Barrier has brilliantly dark skies with little light pollution and super bright stars, making it an astronomers, and astro-photographers dream. I was invited to spend a week on GBI to discover everything the island had to offer. It went a little like this.