March 29th we arrived in Akaroa (New Zealand) with a double mission: to see Alpacas and Blue Penguins.

First we met our driver, who took us through single-lane dirt and pebble cliff-side road to the award-winning Pohatu Marine Reserve, the largest Little Penguin (Blue Penguin) colony on mainland New Zealand, where we met Shireen and Francis, who have been protecting White Flippered Penguins (Eudyptula Minor Albosignata) for over 30 years in an idylic and remote place in the Banks Peninsula. We fed New Zealand sheep and were able to see up close a little penguin being fed California anchovies.

After that amazing experience, we were picked up by Frank, the owner of Shamarra Alpacas who took us to his Alpaca farm, where we met the funny creatures, fed them, and run with them through the green hills with incredible ocean views.

What an incredibly amazing day!