Next stop Kaikoura.

December 15th 

Crikey, 8.30 am when I looked at my watch. Talk about sleeping late! A few times the rain woke us during the night but all in all, this was a very quiet place. We attempted to leave an hour later, thinking a track to the left of us would take us back to the road, well it probably would if you had a 4-wheel drive! I didn't want to say to Ian I told you so, but I had reservations about attempting the climb from the start and had told him just that. Anyway, sense prevailed as he got nearer to the top, thankfully he chickened out and reversed back to take the original track.

And isn't that always the way, someone who doesn't read notices!

 

We found that Kiwi camp just outside Blenheim. The showers were clean, and a full 5 minutes of hot water was had for $2.50. I made sure I got my money's worth.

That afternoon Ian visited the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. Planes are his thing but not really mine, although I did enjoy Duxford when we were last there. An hour of peace and quiet, sorting photos and cleaning the fridge.

This wasn't part of the exhibition, but I watched as it came out of the hanger, engine revved several times, it turned and then went back in.

And these few from Ian. He did take a load more, my foot went down though, when he said he would send me them all!

 It was mid-afternoon when he returned, still had 128 km drive to Kaikoura which our sat nav showed would take 96 minutes. I hate to think how much longer it would have taken in the UK, thank god for the roads in NZ. most are near empty. To think we were on State Highway 1 and hardly a car to be seen. The views too were spectacular.

  Kaikoura was almost destroyed in the 2016 earthquake. The sea floor rose up several meters to change the shore line. A must-read is the Kaikoura Earthquake Story We were there in 2017 to witness some of the devastation, the road had only just reopened for transport and tourism. Click on both these links to see the posts. HERE & HERE Back again in 2020 when a massive amount of repair had been completed. Today as we travelled along the new road with the train line restored and freight and passengers now travelling along it, one would never have guessed how much the South Islanders had to deal with. Just goes to show what communities can do when they all rally around together. 

We struggled to find a place to stay overnight. Well past 5 pm all the designated spaces on the seafront were gone. as was those near the lookout. We could have gone into an NZMCA site but no toilets, and although we do have the porta potti, I still prefer to use public loos. One other place to try was a DOC site but that was another 15 km back the way we had just come. We almost tossed a coin to decide but in the end, we unanimously agreed to find the DOC site.

Well what a road. Turning off the SH1 toward Puhi Puhi the tarmac ended and a gravel road appeared. 6 km of that before arriving at the site. Some washouts and sharp bends, it followed the river which I expect would be a sight to behold in flooded conditions. 

Such a way out place that only a few campers and cars already parked. There is just enough space for about 6 vehicles so lucky to have found one vacant. Another of those sites where honesty is the policy and at the small kiosk at the entrance, was the envelope to put your $16 in.

 j

A bush walk leading down to the river looks interesting, we may have a tramp down but not until I cover myself in the 'kill all the buggers' sandfly spray.