My flight to Christchurch was easy, although I did learn one thing: New Zealand Air will not allow you to put your bag under the seat in front of you if you are in an exit row. I was told after I was seated, which meant I didn’t have access to iPad or headphones since I was also in the window seat. I entertained myself by using their headphones and watching a movie.
To make my life easier, I took SuperShuttle to the hotel rather than deal with luggage and a bus just to save a few dollars. I was at the Christchurch City Hotel, which is a new hotel in the center of the city. It was a great location, since the tourist trolley was right around the corner, along with a wide variety of shopping and restaurants. And the staff was great. Their top floor bar and restaurant is a hidden gem-good food and drink in a gorgeous setting.
Christchurch is a city in transition, still recovering from the devastating series of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The central business district is a combination of older historic buildings, new construction to replace destroyed buildings, and more than a few empty lots where buildings once stood. The “cardboard cathedral” is the church that was badly damaged in the quakes-it’s truly a cardboard cathedral, since the front of it is a temporary façade painted to look like the original cathedral.
I took the Kiwi Rail train trip to Greymouth and back to see more of that area of the South Island. It wasn’t what I hoped for. I was advised their premier seating wasn’t really necessary, so I booked the regular class. Big mistake. On the way West I was seated in front of a family of ten who were apparently unaware that there were other passengers on the train. They spent the entire trip chattering loudly, so I couldn’t hear the narration, or even the PA announcements. Fortunately, they were staying in Greymouth, so the ride back to Christchurch was much quieter. To make the trip even more pleasant, it stopped raining so I could see the scenery! If I return, this is one excursion I wouldn’t do again.
Because I brought clothing for the wedding and festivities in Australia, I thought I might ship some things home, along with some gifts I wanted to buy. Don’t plan on doing that! When I checked I learned that the cost to ship to the US for a small package of about 5 pounds was nearly $200. I decided to just suck it up and stuff my suitcase.
From Christchurch I flew to Nelson, at the far North of the South Island. This was a commuter flight, and I found that Kiwis are not at all as fussy as the American TSA. Once I presented my passport to check my bag, I did not have to provide my ID again, and there was NO security check. The flight was a quick hour, and it gave me an opportunity to see the landscape from the air.
Then it was time to learn to drive on the left side of the road. This was a first for me, and I’ve been fretting about it for months. I picked up my Avis car at the Nelson airport, and took some time to get familiar with it before I roared off into infinity and beyond. I used my phone to navigate, and for my next trip I’m going to make sure I have some sort of holder so I don’t lose it on the floor. Driving on the left really wasn’t all that difficult, as long as I paid attention to what I was doing at the corners and the traffic circles. I did have a tendency to signal a turn with my windshield wipers, however.
I drove to Kaikura, a 3 ½ hour drive. I could have just driven from Christchurch in less time than flying and driving, but I added the Kaikura stop late in the game. The first part of the trip was on narrow mountain roads, so I wouldn’t recommend it to a nervous driver. I love those kinds of roads, and really enjoyed the drive. The latter part of the trip was along the coast, which gave me a look at some stunning scenery.
In Kaikura I stayed at The White Morph, very close to my excursion for the next day, and with a stunning view of a wall. In the morning I went to the Dolphin Encounter and checked in early. They have a nice café there, so I was able to get breakfast before I was called to get my wetsuit and gear needed for my swim with the dolphins. They transported us to the dock, and after a 20-minute ride out to the area where we found the dolphins, we were ready to get in the water. I can only say that this was an experience I’ll never forget. I did swim with sting rays in the Carribbean, and there were maybe ten or fifteen sting rays in the area. With the dolphins, there was something like 600 animals, all curious and ready to play. As soon as we entered the water they headed right for us, swimming around us and jumping out of the water. We stayed in the area about an hour, with the dolphins moving away, coming back, jumping and somersaulting, and generally having a good time.
Next was the Marlborough wine area, staying at the Cork and Keg in Blenheim. This is a small pub with just three little motel rooms, but the staff was wonderful and the room was just what I needed. It was nice to just walk across the parking lot for dinner, being able to have a drink since I didn’t have to drive. The pub also has their own cast of characters, so I had a nice chat both nights with the locals.
Wine tasting was on the agenda, although I had to limit what I actually drank since I drove. I visited the No.1 sparkling wine tasting room, since they are recommended for how they ferment their wines. I had a little extra time before my appointment, so I also stopped at the Gin Shack. They were very friendly also, and gave me an overview of their distilling methods and the botanicals they use. Then I had an appointment at Fromm vineyard. I had met the vintner at a wine tasting back in the states, and he invited me to visit. They did a very nice personal tour and wine tasting for me, which made me feel pretty special. The entire Marlborough wine country is beautiful, and the array of vineyards is impressive. There are almost 70,000 acres of vineyards, by far the largest growing region in the country.
I finished my tour of the South Island with a drive to Picton, where I caught the ferry to the North Island. Finding the rental car return was a challenge, since the ferry landing is being upgraded. Note: you can take a rental car from one island to the other. I dropped my car and picked up another in Wellington. It would have been much easier to just keep the car, although I’m not sure what the extra cost would be.
Travels with Billie 