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Woke up in my trendy chic (and cheap) hotel this morning because something was buzzing in my room - there were so many lights and gizmos that it took me ages to realise that the phone wasn't properly on the hook. Which concerned me slightly, as several hours earlier, I'd called my nan to wish her a (belated) happy birthday. So, with some trepidation, I called reception to ask how much my call to England had cost - $1.72, phew. I went back to sleep and later rang my mum and dad and then Louise to celebrate.
It was absolutely p*ssing down in Christchurch - and cold, after the Cook Islands. Just like home in October, in fact. I walked through the horizontal rain and found a car rental place. I asked if they had satnav, but they said that the car was so cheap it would have added 50% to the price. Besides, they were going to give me 2 maps, and all I had to do was "follow my nose". In the pioneering spirit, and fully aware of my satnav misadventures in the States, I set off with my two free maps, and me navigating.
So, apparently I don't smell so good (leave it). Following my nose was rubbish - yes, patnav really is as bad as satnav. Thank f*ck I'm not driving in China - I'm bad enough when all the signs are in English...
Anyway, the obligatory half hour and 20 miles later, I was finally heading north. And the driving was glorious - the sun had come out, and the scenery was fantastic. At one point, there was a river winding down a valley between two moutains on one side of the road, and the sea on the other. It was almost - erm - Tolkienesque...?
Unfortunately, I didn't really have time to take it all in, let alone take any photos, so you'll just have to take my word for it that I enjoyed it as much as driving Big Sur. And yes Louise, it might be like Scotland - I'll find out one day! Buy me a Rough Guide to Scotland and I'll start to make a list and tick places off ;-)
Anyway, I had to hurry for a date with three of the largest-headed mammals in the world. No, not Joe Royle, Sam Allardyce and that bloke off Facebook whose heed looks like a thumb - these were Tutu, Tono and Nehore, three sperm whales off the North east coast at Kaikoura. Whale-watching was so much better than I was expecting - seeing these graceful, huge creatures making their dives was amazing. This time I got lots of photos, but I don't think they'll do it justice. For the twitchers, we also saw some wandering albatrosses, some kind of brown and white pigeon (nicer than it sounds) and another type of albatross with a fancy name - might have had molly in it somewhere?
After the boat trip, there was still time to get back in the car and drive through wine country, watching the sun set over the mountains, and find somewhere to spend the night. If all of that is making anyone jealous, it's making me jealous too. I can't quite believe this is all happening, even when I read it back.
Anyway, light was running out when I arrived in Blenheim in the Marlborough wine country - and I arrived back on earth with a bump. The motel recommended by the Rough Guide lives up to the "rough" part, and the town is a bit of a sh*thole - it's like Stevenage. And did I mention that it's cold on this side of the international dateline?
So that's me up to date - I was wandering around looking for a restaurant when I spotted this internet caff, full of people who looked like there was nothing better to do in Blenheim than pay to sit at a PC. They may be right. I'm off to get some food now - then back to my luxurious digs at the Bing Motel (no, really).
Night all
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