The strong winds continued all night and kept me awake for part of it. By morning there was no power but I still managed to have a hot shower and a cup of tea before I left the B&B. I arrived in Hammer Springs after a 2 hour drive. A quick lunch. Then a visit to the thermal pools. It's a very big place with lots of different area's and pools at different temperatures, some for adults only. The only ones I didn't like were the sulphur pools , which were green,...

It's a lovely hot sunny day, I start off wearing 3 layers and end up walking in a T-shirt. There is a seal colony within walking distance of where I'm staying then the path carries onto a circular cliff walk which lasts 4 hours. I walk for 10 minutes through the streets and then down through a field full of sheep. Another 5 minutes and I'm on the sea front. After 30 minutes the path becomes a wooden broad walk. Just around the corner there are lots of seals just...

Pineapple Lumps - something else made in NZ that someone said to try. Chocolate coated, bright yellow, soft nougar, with the flavour of pineapple. Not sure how many E numbers in it to make the yellow so vivid? I think it's an acquired taste.

My journey to Kaikoura started with a long detour my mistake. I was wearing my down jacket and I started to get very hot, I also had a big 4x4 sitting on my bumper. I saw a tourist sign on the left which said to Cable Bay so took it quickly. After 30 minutes I was being marshalled into a car park. There were loads of people taking part in a sponsored walk in aid of the local fire service. It's the Queen's Birthday weekend so everyone has a 3 day weekend, with Mo...

I was reluctant to leave my lovely beach retreat this morning. It would have been very tempting to stay another couple of days but then it would have been even harder to leave. I spent most of the day driving to Nelson. I stopped for lunch in Motaeka and drove onto Rabbit Island for a break. I drove through prisine forest on to a sandy beach with very big waves. I didn't get a very good view as there is lots of low cloud.