It's raining today so I have finally finished uploading some new photos to this blog!
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Friday, 25 March 2011
Auckland and beyond
Tuesday 29 March
Awoke to sun again. Said goodbye to our excellent hostess, Robyn, and the two poodles King Louis and Cleo (host Peter and the two cats being absent), before setting off down to Auckland. We made 
a detour to the Tutukaka coast - thought Sandy Bay and Matipouri beaches were fabulous. Then stopped off at the Whangarei falls - quite unlike the Hurura falls but equally scenic. Afterwards we drove steadily south watching our petrol gauge and comparing it with the dis
tance still to go as shown on the Navman - we did not want to have to top up the petrol! We managed it - including taking a drive along Tamiki Drive which extends from the city some miles eastwards to St Helier all along the southern shore of the harbour. There are some great beaches along this stretch - lots of people were swimming and enjoying relaxing on the sands or walking/cycling along the waterfront. Nice to be back at the De Brett. Have just luxuriated in another deep bathtub and are off to have our complimentary drink in the guests' lounge before eating in 'Kitchen', the De Brett restaurant which has a very good reputation. ... Later, a really exceptional (nouvelle cuisine - our preference) meal at Kitchen - one of the best we've had in quite some time, and with a great Pinot Noir from Amsfield in Central Otago.
Monday 28 March
A m
uch sunnier morning - and not so humid - but the weather was variable throughout the day and the wind made it seem chilly at times. Went by ferry over to Russell where we took the steep walk up to Flagstaff Hill which provides good views over Russell, to Paihia. and outwards towards the other islands in the Bay. There are 144 islands in the Bay of the Islands - only 4 have homes on them and two of the islands are privately owned. They are all protected but can be visited on a daily basis by those who have their 
own boats/kayaks etc. Unfortunately dogs are prohibited because of the native birds which have been reintroduced to the islands, particularly kiwis which are doing very well in this part of New Zealand.
Sunday 27 March
The weather forecast had warned of an approaching cyclone and the threat of heavy rain again so we were surprised to awake to a benign day. We breakfasted (deliciously) in our hosts' conservatory on the next level up - even more spectacular views than ours! And made friends with their two poodles and two Siamese/Red Tortie cats.
Because of our expectation of the arrival of more rough weather, we went to Kerikeri about 14 miles distant, and enjoyed looking around their farmers' market and buying some produce for our planned 'picnic supper'. I also bought a couple of felted items in their craft market. We then went down to the creek to one of NZ's historical sites and took a guided tour at the oldest stone building and oldest wooden building in New Zealand, created by early members of the Christian Missionary Society, and also looked around an early church which was part of the same settlement. Across the creek a Maori fishing village has been re-created which was equally interesting. On our retur
n journey we stopped to take a walk in a reserve beside the Haruru river - and to take photos of the Haruru horseshoe-shaped falls which were particularly impressive following the heavy rains the previous day. Some rain did fall in the early evening but we had already returned to our comfortable apartment and have remained rooted here. (Very co-incidentally the other apartment has just been occupied by a couple of Swiss women whom we met in the guests' lounge at the De Brett - they are also here for 3 nights. What an amazingly small world we live in!)
Saturday 26 March
A horrible 3.5 hr drive for Richard from Auckland to Paihia since it rained heavily, sometimes torrentially, for almost all the time. It kindly let up for a short time around 1pm when we stopped at Whangarei Town Basin for a walk along the river bank, a look at the boats and a quick sandwich lunch. 
Despite the weather it was a very interesting drive because all the rolling hills are green here (unlike most other parts of NZ we have seen in March which tend to be very parched), and we crossed several very wide and full (brown coloured), fast flowing, rivers. We even saw seriously flooded pastures. We arrived at our apartment Allview Lodge at Paihia at about 3pm - and it was immedi
ately obvious we had arrived into a sub-tropical climate. There are beautiful flowering plants and shrubs here including hibiscus and bird of paradise. The apartment's position is spectacular - we cannot stop ourselves taking photos from the wrap-round balcony to the beach below and across part of the bay! We walked along the beach and round the rocky corner to the town of Paihia on the other side where we reconnoitred restaurants for the evening, picked up leaflets about activities locally, browsed around the shops and had a beer at the bar next to the wharf.
One of the best things about 'our beach' (actually Sullivans beach) is that is it entirely dog-friendly. There is a constant flow of dogs and owners, the latter frequently enjoying chasing sticks thrown into the water. Other parts of the town are also much more dog-friendly than we have become accustomed to in NZ. There appears to be a relaxed attitude generally, probably because it is a holiday location. I finally went swimming. The water was quite warm. In the evening rain threatened again so we drove the short distance into the town and ate at 'Alfresco', and sampled wine from Karikari (where the beach scenes from 'The Piano' were filmed). We went to sleep to the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.
Friday 25 March
Sad farewells to Keith and Wendy and the dogs. Flight to Auckland included very large party of Japanese students - fortunately all well behaved. Took bus into the city. It had started raining by the time we arrived in the centre but we only had a short walk to the De Brett - very impressive accommodation with superb customer service. After being shown around the premises we set off for the harbour. It was wet and grey but we decided to take the harbour cruise as it would be our only opportunity. It proved to be very interesting and was, of course, dry and comfortable with complimentary tea and coffee and muffins. Afterwards we had a look around the inner harbour on foot and then browsed around the shops in Queen Street and the High Street - the latter far more interesting and exclusive.
After luxuriating in the wonderfully deep bath in our en suite, we joined other guests in the guests' sitting room for a complimentary drink and chat with other guests and the owner, who sounds like he originally came from the UK. Our harbour trip tickets had included a return trip to Devonport so we went there afterwards for supper and came back after dark to view the lights of the city from across the bay.
a detour to the Tutukaka coast - thought Sandy Bay and Matipouri beaches were fabulous. Then stopped off at the Whangarei falls - quite unlike the Hurura falls but equally scenic. Afterwards we drove steadily south watching our petrol gauge and comparing it with the dis
tance still to go as shown on the Navman - we did not want to have to top up the petrol! We managed it - including taking a drive along Tamiki Drive which extends from the city some miles eastwards to St Helier all along the southern shore of the harbour. There are some great beaches along this stretch - lots of people were swimming and enjoying relaxing on the sands or walking/cycling along the waterfront. Nice to be back at the De Brett. Have just luxuriated in another deep bathtub and are off to have our complimentary drink in the guests' lounge before eating in 'Kitchen', the De Brett restaurant which has a very good reputation. ... Later, a really exceptional (nouvelle cuisine - our preference) meal at Kitchen - one of the best we've had in quite some time, and with a great Pinot Noir from Amsfield in Central Otago.Monday 28 March
uch sunnier morning - and not so humid - but the weather was variable throughout the day and the wind made it seem chilly at times. Went by ferry over to Russell where we took the steep walk up to Flagstaff Hill which provides good views over Russell, to Paihia. and outwards towards the other islands in the Bay. There are 144 islands in the Bay of the Islands - only 4 have homes on them and two of the islands are privately owned. They are all protected but can be visited on a daily basis by those who have their 
own boats/kayaks etc. Unfortunately dogs are prohibited because of the native birds which have been reintroduced to the islands, particularly kiwis which are doing very well in this part of New Zealand.
We visited Pompallier (RC) Mission house in Russell which was established in 1842, and our tour included a very informative demonstration of the processes of a tannery and also of the printing press which was established in the building by the French to print various religious tracts in Maori. On the whole I was not keen on Russell. There are some nice historical houses and the foreshore must look lovely in the height of summer when all the Pohutakawa trees are in flower, but the development has resulted in a mishmash of different architectural styles. I was also unduly influenced by the nasty public toilets - something you rarely come across in NZ.
In the afternoon we took the four hour boat trip from Russell out amongst the islands of the Bay including the
farthest easterly point - to see the Hole in the Rock. Had the weather been less rough the boat would have gone through this hole. We were glad they didn't try it today. We stayed on the outside decks of the boat for the whole trip but it was pretty blowy at times and several people felt the ill-effects of the swell.
farthest easterly point - to see the Hole in the Rock. Had the weather been less rough the boat would have gone through this hole. We were glad they didn't try it today. We stayed on the outside decks of the boat for the whole trip but it was pretty blowy at times and several people felt the ill-effects of the swell.
On returning to Paihia we had an early evening dinner at 35 Degrees South - a restaurant built out over the water before returning to start our packing for the trip back to Auckland tomorrow. Nearly the end of the holiday!
Sunday 27 March
Because of our expectation of the arrival of more rough weather, we went to Kerikeri about 14 miles distant, and enjoyed looking around their farmers' market and buying some produce for our planned 'picnic supper'. I also bought a couple of felted items in their craft market. We then went down to the creek to one of NZ's historical sites and took a guided tour at the oldest stone building and oldest wooden building in New Zealand, created by early members of the Christian Missionary Society, and also looked around an early church which was part of the same settlement. Across the creek a Maori fishing village has been re-created which was equally interesting. On our retur
n journey we stopped to take a walk in a reserve beside the Haruru river - and to take photos of the Haruru horseshoe-shaped falls which were particularly impressive following the heavy rains the previous day. Some rain did fall in the early evening but we had already returned to our comfortable apartment and have remained rooted here. (Very co-incidentally the other apartment has just been occupied by a couple of Swiss women whom we met in the guests' lounge at the De Brett - they are also here for 3 nights. What an amazingly small world we live in!) Saturday 26 March
Despite the weather it was a very interesting drive because all the rolling hills are green here (unlike most other parts of NZ we have seen in March which tend to be very parched), and we crossed several very wide and full (brown coloured), fast flowing, rivers. We even saw seriously flooded pastures. We arrived at our apartment Allview Lodge at Paihia at about 3pm - and it was immedi
ately obvious we had arrived into a sub-tropical climate. There are beautiful flowering plants and shrubs here including hibiscus and bird of paradise. The apartment's position is spectacular - we cannot stop ourselves taking photos from the wrap-round balcony to the beach below and across part of the bay! We walked along the beach and round the rocky corner to the town of Paihia on the other side where we reconnoitred restaurants for the evening, picked up leaflets about activities locally, browsed around the shops and had a beer at the bar next to the wharf. One of the best things about 'our beach' (actually Sullivans beach) is that is it entirely dog-friendly. There is a constant flow of dogs and owners, the latter frequently enjoying chasing sticks thrown into the water. Other parts of the town are also much more dog-friendly than we have become accustomed to in NZ. There appears to be a relaxed attitude generally, probably because it is a holiday location. I finally went swimming. The water was quite warm. In the evening rain threatened again so we drove the short distance into the town and ate at 'Alfresco', and sampled wine from Karikari (where the beach scenes from 'The Piano' were filmed). We went to sleep to the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.
Friday 25 March
After luxuriating in the wonderfully deep bath in our en suite, we joined other guests in the guests' sitting room for a complimentary drink and chat with other guests and the owner, who sounds like he originally came from the UK. Our harbour trip tickets had included a return trip to Devonport so we went there afterwards for supper and came back after dark to view the lights of the city from across the bay.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
The Rains came - and went!
24 March
Really hot, sunny, day again today and we went, with the dogs, to the coast beyond the city on the outer western edges of the harbour. Long walk around Worsen Bay and Karaka Bay to Scorching Bay where we had lunch by the sea. After the return walk we drove further south along the coast where the waves were really crashing onto the rocks and the surfers were out in force on the one beach where it was 'safe' to go into the water.
In the evening we had a particularly good meal at Zibibbo, a Spanish/Italian restaurant in the city, followed by another performance at Circa - this time a spoof on 'Our Man in Havana' with just four actors. Very well acted and great fun.
23 March
Awoke to the wind howling around the house - it is very high here - but we managed to take the dogs walking on Mount KauKau in the morning without getting wet. We went into Wellington in the late morning as Keith had work to do and the rest of us wanted to make a return visit to the Museum of Wellington and the Sea. Beforehand we went to Bordeaux - a French cafe - and had suitably French and delicious baguettes and cakes. We spent a good two hours at the museum - one floor seemed to have changed completely since our last visit. In the evening we went to Siem Reap, a Cambodian restaurant in the city, with Mark (eldest Hale son), wife Nicky and 6 year-old Sam, and Nick and Sarah Fox (Hale daughter) and their two boys, Oliver and Jacob. Great food and good company. We even had time for a final game of Skip Bo when we got home.
22 March
We woke to drizzle and it has rained all day long. Tidied up the cottage and had lunch in Martinborough before driving back to Khandallah where we are enveloped by low cloud - and the rain continues. Heating on this evening, including nice welcoming gas fire.
Really hot, sunny, day again today and we went, with the dogs, to the coast beyond the city on the outer western edges of the harbour. Long walk around Worsen Bay and Karaka Bay to Scorching Bay where we had lunch by the sea. After the return walk we drove further south along the coast where the waves were really crashing onto the rocks and the surfers were out in force on the one beach where it was 'safe' to go into the water.
In the evening we had a particularly good meal at Zibibbo, a Spanish/Italian restaurant in the city, followed by another performance at Circa - this time a spoof on 'Our Man in Havana' with just four actors. Very well acted and great fun.
23 March
Awoke to the wind howling around the house - it is very high here - but we managed to take the dogs walking on Mount KauKau in the morning without getting wet. We went into Wellington in the late morning as Keith had work to do and the rest of us wanted to make a return visit to the Museum of Wellington and the Sea. Beforehand we went to Bordeaux - a French cafe - and had suitably French and delicious baguettes and cakes. We spent a good two hours at the museum - one floor seemed to have changed completely since our last visit. In the evening we went to Siem Reap, a Cambodian restaurant in the city, with Mark (eldest Hale son), wife Nicky and 6 year-old Sam, and Nick and Sarah Fox (Hale daughter) and their two boys, Oliver and Jacob. Great food and good company. We even had time for a final game of Skip Bo when we got home.
22 March
We woke to drizzle and it has rained all day long. Tidied up the cottage and had lunch in Martinborough before driving back to Khandallah where we are enveloped by low cloud - and the rain continues. Heating on this evening, including nice welcoming gas fire.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Martinborough
21 March
Cloudier today. Wendy, Richard and I walked the dogs to the town/village (Martinborough) and had coffee while Keith mowed the grass. Then we went via the country route to Greytown and had delicious baguettes and coffee eclairs in the French Bakery before looking around the shops. Wendy succumbed to a skirt and matching top in a sale. In the evening we had a BBQ - or rather Keith cooked steak and sausages outside, with Richard supporting him with a glass of red wine in his hand - but we actually ate it indoors with salad and saute potatoes because the wind had got up and it was really a bit chilly.
20 March
Bright and sunny day - in fact, a bit too hot for a 10k walk, but we
did the whole thing - with Keith and Wendy and their friends, Colin and Di, who also come from Khandallah and have a weekend home in Martinborough. The charity "Round The Vines" walk/race raises around $NZ30,000 a year for the local school and is terrifically well supported, with lots of competitors wearing fancy dress. We came in not far short of last but we enjoyed the wine tastings and water melon/grapes en route! Afterwards we all went to Coneys vineyard for lunch, where we sat under an awning to shade us from the strong sun, and had an excellent wine tasting with the owner - great Rieslings - look out for them! We then chose a couple of the wines (of course) to have with a delicious, lengthy, lunch. What a great way to spend an afternoon!
19 March
Took both cars up over the Rimutaka mountain range to Martinborough. Quite a few more homes in Cottage Grove than we remembered: and lots more vegetation in Keith and Wendy's cottage grounds - fruit trees and bushes of all sorts around the house, shrubs, and a very productive raised vegetable bed; plus olive trees in the adjacent section which they bought recently. After a bit of a play with them, we left the dogs at home and went to Vynfields - a vineyard producing only organic wine - for lunch. The owners' beautiful colonial style house was originally in Lyall Bay in Wellington but was transported to this site and re-erected, and they have created a very attractive garden and outdoor eating area around it. Luckily we found a table in the shade - it was very hot - and we had a tasting of six different wines - mostly rose or red - with a light lunch. Later in the afternoon we collected produce from the garden - baby tomatoes, raspberries, grapes, garlic and two types of beans. We played with the dogs and took them for a walk. In the evening we had a good meal in Martinborough at Medici.
Cloudier today. Wendy, Richard and I walked the dogs to the town/village (Martinborough) and had coffee while Keith mowed the grass. Then we went via the country route to Greytown and had delicious baguettes and coffee eclairs in the French Bakery before looking around the shops. Wendy succumbed to a skirt and matching top in a sale. In the evening we had a BBQ - or rather Keith cooked steak and sausages outside, with Richard supporting him with a glass of red wine in his hand - but we actually ate it indoors with salad and saute potatoes because the wind had got up and it was really a bit chilly.
20 March
Bright and sunny day - in fact, a bit too hot for a 10k walk, but we
did the whole thing - with Keith and Wendy and their friends, Colin and Di, who also come from Khandallah and have a weekend home in Martinborough. The charity "Round The Vines" walk/race raises around $NZ30,000 a year for the local school and is terrifically well supported, with lots of competitors wearing fancy dress. We came in not far short of last but we enjoyed the wine tastings and water melon/grapes en route! Afterwards we all went to Coneys vineyard for lunch, where we sat under an awning to shade us from the strong sun, and had an excellent wine tasting with the owner - great Rieslings - look out for them! We then chose a couple of the wines (of course) to have with a delicious, lengthy, lunch. What a great way to spend an afternoon!19 March
Took both cars up over the Rimutaka mountain range to Martinborough. Quite a few more homes in Cottage Grove than we remembered: and lots more vegetation in Keith and Wendy's cottage grounds - fruit trees and bushes of all sorts around the house, shrubs, and a very productive raised vegetable bed; plus olive trees in the adjacent section which they bought recently. After a bit of a play with them, we left the dogs at home and went to Vynfields - a vineyard producing only organic wine - for lunch. The owners' beautiful colonial style house was originally in Lyall Bay in Wellington but was transported to this site and re-erected, and they have created a very attractive garden and outdoor eating area around it. Luckily we found a table in the shade - it was very hot - and we had a tasting of six different wines - mostly rose or red - with a light lunch. Later in the afternoon we collected produce from the garden - baby tomatoes, raspberries, grapes, garlic and two types of beans. We played with the dogs and took them for a walk. In the evening we had a good meal in Martinborough at Medici.
Friday, 18 March 2011
South to North Island
18 March
Another beautiful sunny day. Drove down to Rarangi, which is situated on Cloudy Bay. We took a short track to Monkey Bay with good views back over the vast expanse of Cloudy Bay. Another familiar name to UK drinkers of NZ wine, Oyster Bay, lies slightly to the north. We then took a circular route back via Blenheim and the Rapuara Road (again) through Marlborough wine country before returning to Picton to drop off the hire car and take the ferry back through the Cook Straits to Wellington. This was the third time we had
been on the InterIslander Ferry, Kaitaki, but on the first occasion the visibility was poor and on the second it was dark for part of the journey. Today we had the best possible conditions with bright sunshine and good visibility and the 3+ hour journey turned into 4 hours when one of the port engines played up so we have to take a longer route in the Straits. It was blowy but we spent the greater part of the time on deck. Keith met us and we enjoyed G&Ts with cheese and home-grown Martinborough grapes in the garden before dinner indoors. Lovely to be back in Khandallah with Keith and Wendy and the dogs.
Another beautiful sunny day. Drove down to Rarangi, which is situated on Cloudy Bay. We took a short track to Monkey Bay with good views back over the vast expanse of Cloudy Bay. Another familiar name to UK drinkers of NZ wine, Oyster Bay, lies slightly to the north. We then took a circular route back via Blenheim and the Rapuara Road (again) through Marlborough wine country before returning to Picton to drop off the hire car and take the ferry back through the Cook Straits to Wellington. This was the third time we had
been on the InterIslander Ferry, Kaitaki, but on the first occasion the visibility was poor and on the second it was dark for part of the journey. Today we had the best possible conditions with bright sunshine and good visibility and the 3+ hour journey turned into 4 hours when one of the port engines played up so we have to take a longer route in the Straits. It was blowy but we spent the greater part of the time on deck. Keith met us and we enjoyed G&Ts with cheese and home-grown Martinborough grapes in the garden before dinner indoors. Lovely to be back in Khandallah with Keith and Wendy and the dogs.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
In Queen Charlotte Sound and environs
17 March
The day starts a bit dull so we drove south for half an hour to the vineyards around Blenheim. Since we seem to drink a fair amount of their wine when in the UK, we chose to go to Wither Hills for a tasting. We both tried about 5 wines (of a possible 10), and then bought 2 bottles - one of which (a Pinot Gris) I am supping now! We also had a good look around the vineyard's beautiful premises and, naturally, photographed the Wither Hills. 
We chose a different vineyard for lunch, having overheard it being recommended to someone else. We went to Wairau River's restaurant. We sat outside in hot sun and enjoyed a good meal accompanied by a glass of their wine and lots of water, plus coffee. I took over the driving then to complete a circular route back to Picton. We drove north to Havelock on
a road we had not travelled before and then, as we had plenty of time, we drove west for a while to Pelorus Bridge where we took a short walk in the reserve. For the return journey we drove along Queen Charlotte Drive - a tortuously twisty road with incredible glimpses down into the Sounds. We had done this in 2008 but then Richard drove and we travelled east to west in rather overcast conditions. Today I drove west to east in lovely sun, though visibility was still not brilliant. We turned off and went to Anakiwa which is a beautiful bay at the head of one of the inlets to the Queen Charlotte Sound. The New Zealand Outward Bound School is located there and it is the start point for the Queen Charlotte Trail.
We chose a different vineyard for lunch, having overheard it being recommended to someone else. We went to Wairau River's restaurant. We sat outside in hot sun and enjoyed a good meal accompanied by a glass of their wine and lots of water, plus coffee. I took over the driving then to complete a circular route back to Picton. We drove north to Havelock on
a road we had not travelled before and then, as we had plenty of time, we drove west for a while to Pelorus Bridge where we took a short walk in the reserve. For the return journey we drove along Queen Charlotte Drive - a tortuously twisty road with incredible glimpses down into the Sounds. We had done this in 2008 but then Richard drove and we travelled east to west in rather overcast conditions. Today I drove west to east in lovely sun, though visibility was still not brilliant. We turned off and went to Anakiwa which is a beautiful bay at the head of one of the inlets to the Queen Charlotte Sound. The New Zealand Outward Bound School is located there and it is the start point for the Queen Charlotte Trail.
16 March
After a lazy start to the day - it was drizzling - we walked in bright sunshine via Picton marina onto the Victoria Domain and walked on the headland and then on the lower track above the shore for about 1.5 hours.
I
n the afternoon we joined the mail boat on its journey around Queen Charlotte Sound delivering and collecting post/parcels from the households and settlements on the Sound, most of which have no access other than by boat. Naturally most are used as holiday homes but we were very amused to find that the boat was met on almost all occasions by a person/persons accompanied by a dog/dogs! 
n the afternoon we joined the mail boat on its journey around Queen Charlotte Sound delivering and collecting post/parcels from the households and settlements on the Sound, most of which have no access other than by boat. Naturally most are used as holiday homes but we were very amused to find that the boat was met on almost all occasions by a person/persons accompanied by a dog/dogs! 
We were very lucky on the r
eturn leg to come upon killer whales (Orcas, which are actually large dolphins) which have come into the Sound to eat Sting Ray. There was a very large male and about 5 others (females or adolescents). We also saw a King Shag during this trip - it is an endangered species; there are thought to be only about 600 of them.
eturn leg to come upon killer whales (Orcas, which are actually large dolphins) which have come into the Sound to eat Sting Ray. There was a very large male and about 5 others (females or adolescents). We also saw a King Shag during this trip - it is an endangered species; there are thought to be only about 600 of them.
Looking much redder/browner in our faces from the sea breezes, we had an good early evening meal overlooking the harbour and retired to our comfortable room to enjoy a bottle of wine and a DVD.
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
A driving day
15 March
Left Akaroa at about 10.10 am in mist/rain and a much lower temperature. Not a problem for us as we were due to drive to the north of the South Island. We shared the driving; detoured to Gore Bay (see photo) on the way; and lunched at Kaikoura. Eventually arrived at Picton at around 5 pm and booked into Jasmine Court. This is really a very upmarket motel!
We have a luxury room which includes a massive bathroom with spa bath, and washing machine and dryer - there is underfloor heating, air conditioning, a dishwasher and all the other usual things you would expect of a motel! It is very comfortable and, although it stopped raining soon after we left Akaroa, it started again when we arrived here, so after a quick trip to the supermarket opposite, we are enjoying an evening in with a pasta supper, a bottle of wine and a couple of free-to-borrow DVDs. I am about to dry a load of washing and will luxuriate in the spa bath later. What slobs! We decided to come here instead of our planned stay in Nelson because the weather forecast appears to be better for this side of the island. We hope to take a boat trip around the Marlborough Sounds tomorrow but if the weather is against us we could always go south and visit wineries near Blenheim.
Left Akaroa at about 10.10 am in mist/rain and a much lower temperature. Not a problem for us as we were due to drive to the north of the South Island. We shared the driving; detoured to Gore Bay (see photo) on the way; and lunched at Kaikoura. Eventually arrived at Picton at around 5 pm and booked into Jasmine Court. This is really a very upmarket motel!
We have a luxury room which includes a massive bathroom with spa bath, and washing machine and dryer - there is underfloor heating, air conditioning, a dishwasher and all the other usual things you would expect of a motel! It is very comfortable and, although it stopped raining soon after we left Akaroa, it started again when we arrived here, so after a quick trip to the supermarket opposite, we are enjoying an evening in with a pasta supper, a bottle of wine and a couple of free-to-borrow DVDs. I am about to dry a load of washing and will luxuriate in the spa bath later. What slobs! We decided to come here instead of our planned stay in Nelson because the weather forecast appears to be better for this side of the island. We hope to take a boat trip around the Marlborough Sounds tomorrow but if the weather is against us we could always go south and visit wineries near Blenheim.
