We started out at the Antarctic Centre, just by Christchurch airport. Christchurch is the last stopover point for 70% of all expeditions to the Antarctic and South Pole, as it's the most southerly urban centre before you reach the great white continent. Not knowing much at all about Antarctic exploration, we decided to pay a visit. It seems like the Scott Base, where scientists live during months-long expeditions, is a bit like a long-term adult freshers week: copious booze consumption, often in fancy dress, resulting in odd pairings between hot girls and geeky men. At least, that's the impression we got from the photos they send from the Base on a daily basis. The Antarctic Centre was also big on interactive displays. Trapped in what felt like a snow globe, we got to experience what it felt like to be caught in the middle of a snow storm, with a windchill drop from -8 to -18 degrees. As if our first 48 hours in New Zealand hadn't been cold enough already.

But the highlight for me was the penguins – we saw about 40 Little Blue Penguins (actually the name of the species) being fed. The blue penguin is the smallest of the penguins living in the South Island and Antarctica – weighing just 1kg, they are tiny and incredibly cute. Sadly all of the penguins kept here cannot live freely in the wild – a couple were blind and a lot have problems with their feet, the treatment for which was for them to wear little pink and green slippers. That said, they all seemed to lead very happy lives here (one of them ate 34 fish in a day a couple of days before our arrival).

This visit had given us a little insight into penguins, but we wanted to see more. So after a quick stop at Methven, we headed down the coast to Oamaru on the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand's penguin HQ. We began with a trip down to Bushy Beach, home to a small yellow-eyed penguin colony. Bigger than the blue penguins, there are only 1000 or so of them left in the wild, and none in captivity, so we were very lucky to spot a few. And then we headed back up to the Harbour, where there is a much larger Little Blue Penguin colony.

Arriving just before sunset, we saw 70 or so of these little creatures come onshore and settle on land for the night. I have never seen anything quite like it – groups of penguins time their swim inland so they are washed ashore by the waves, and then have to waddle onto the rocks before the next wave can pull them back out again. They spend a good 15 minutes clambering up the rocks, before pausing, checking the coast is clear, and finally making a dash for their homes at the base of the cliffs. Watching them waddle home to their nests, squawking at each other as though to say “see you tomorrow, Bob” “Night then Jim” was just adorable.

We were warned to keep an eye out for wandering penguins on the short drive back to our campsite. We had thought the guides were joking, until we spotted a couple of inquisitive penguins waddling AWAY from the colony, towards the road, in search of adventure. We dodged a couple by the roadside and had to wait for another to cross the road before we could drive home! Fingers crossed they all made it safely home again......