Setting off from Christchurch, we're heading North West through Arthur's passage. This takes us over the Southern Alps and some top notch scenery. Around every bend, over every hill is another view with the wow factor. Its a long way up to Motueka on the North coast, but its a very satisfying journey. We arrive to discover that Friday night is steak night at a local restaurant, so rather than another risotto, we're in for a treat.
We've been looking forward to the sea kayaking at the Abel Tasman for some time as its been highly recommended by more than one person. And it doesnt disappoint. Although outdoor pursuits are not usually high on our wishlist, the weather is glorious, and the sea is calm helping to make the three hour trip much fun. We've even time to get up close to a seal basking unsuspectingly in the sun on a rock, and disturb some starfish. One of the sites on our kayak is Split Apple Rock, where we beach up for a while to climb to the rock. Great fun, and food for thought when we get back home, could this be a new hobby? Probably more suited to the South of France rather than London though.
That afternoon, we drive up to Farewell Spit, the far NW point of the South Island Its a protected area so we cant get along the spit, but get some great views from climbing up a nearby hill - time is pressing on otherwise we would have completed our day of outdoor pursuits with a great cliff top walk, but its 4.5 hrs long. A good reason to come back. Back in our hostel in Motueka, we finish off risotto week in style with some added sausages!
Back on the road through more stunning forest and mountain scenery, we're headed down the West coast through unforgettable towns of Westpost and Greymouth, but stop for a good explore around Pancake Rocks - another geological formation that is on a windswept point, but has great blowholes and bridges that have been eroded by the sea over years and years.
We reach Franz Josef glacier in the middle of a seemingly endless storm. It started raining about 3 hrs into our journey from Motueka once we got further south, and shows little sign of stopping as we check into our hostel They're booked up in all of the doubles, but do have a converted caravan out the back. Its got a heater so we check in to our kitsch little two berth, which actually has more space than most of the hostel rooms that we have stayed in. It only has a video though, so we tuck ourselves in, with the heating on and some beers in while the rain thunders down on the roof and watch some old school vids.
There's a break in the clouds first thing, but by the time we drag ourselves from the surprisingly comfy caravan and get half way along the glacier walk, the rain starts, and I quit. Luce perseveres though, and has a lovely look at the clouds whilst getting damp. Its a bit clearer back in the town, so we head off to look at some lakes that we passed yesterday, but by the time we get there, the rain is coming down too, so we return to our hostel, and retire to the hot tub with beers in hand and decide that actually a hot tub would work pretty well on the terrace in Cannes.
There's no busload of 17 yr old gap year students arriving today so its a lot less crowded in Chateau Franz, and fewer people to admire the roast chicken dinner that we knock up in one pot. Its bloomin tasty though, and sets us up nicely for getting back to our caravan and downloading catch up episodes of The Biggest Loser!
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