Hike: 6km

Don't stay in Stewart Island Backpackers.

It's disgusting. If at all possible stay somewhere else. In fact, camping in their garden is a good call if all else fails. We rose for breakfast and didn't want to touch the most disgusting looking chairs I've ever seen so shared a breakfast bar with some German backpackers. They were up early too but didn't know what there plans where (!) - perhaps their room was so grim they couldn't face a minute longer in it!

We spent the whole morning exploring Ulva Island. This lovely little place is a pest free island which is now a bird sanctuary. We had a very pleasant time wandering around watching the robins, weka, red-crested parakeets, tuis, bellbirds, wood pigeons and other birds. Sadly no saddlebacks for us, but a good time nevertheless. I'd definitely recommend a visit if you ever wind up in Stewart Island.

We had a quick blast in the 'Most Southerly Internet Cafe in New Zealand' writing up the Kepler Track log before catching the ferry back to Invercargill. We managed to introduce our friends Kingston Cole and Nathan who had been following each other round the North-West Circuit much to their amusement. We spent a fun hour in the sunshine on the trip back to the mainland enjoying (well I was) the complimentary coffee!

We got the bus back to Invercargill Airport where Tim came and picked us up. We had another fun evening eating fantastic home made pizzas and drinking wine. Kyle, a friend of Tim and Sam's came round too. He was an interesting guy that Tim and his brother had met in Africa - Kyle was their bus driver. He was very well travelled and a big motorcyclist until he had a big crash four years ago whilst racing sidecar speedway. He broke lots and lots of bones and his sidecar mate died. Kyle was a bit of a local celebrity, having been the number two biker gang member in The World's Fastest Indian film!