Pre-script: We’ve been meaning to get some of these posts up for awhile now, but internet access isn’t always constant in NZ, you know how it is. For more details of our trip with Don and Linda, click here . On Thursday morning, after months of planning and back-and-forth emails and calls confirming various travel details, we welcomed Becky’s mom Linda and her dance partner/friend/(someone think of a good term to describe middle-aged boyfriend), Don into NZ at the Christchurch airport. After about 26 hours of flying from the east coast of the States, they were happy to finally arrive at their destination, though they looked no worse for the wear. Having picked up and dropped off people on five trips so far, we’re getting to be old pros at the Chch airport, though that doesn’t mean I managed to park in the best lot. However, I am getting closer, so if anyone else wants to visit, I promise to park in the most favorable lot next time, in case that might sway your opinion.
Linda and Don are all smiles as they arrive in Chch
Luckily for L&D the weather over the South Island cleared up in time for their arrival, affording them great views of the Southern Alps from the sky as they flew in to Chch. We’re getting to think we should’ve flown out of Chch at some point to get such a view of the South Island, as it sounds lovely. Our lot is so tough… Anyway, congrats to Don, as this is his first time out of the country, and he had to finally get his passport to make this trip. I guess if you’re going to wait this long to come overseas, it’s good to do it in style and fly all away around the world. Good on ya, Don.
Also fortunate for our visitors is that they weren’t very jet-lagged, having slept a good portion of the LA-Auckland leg of their flight, as we had a good drive planned for the day of their arrival. Since they’ve come to visit while we we’re still on the South Island and we’ve frankly driven around the southern circuit enough by this point, we’ve planned an itinerary to take them around the northern part of the South Island. And so on the first of their 12 days in NZ, we had a drive along the east coast planned, up to Kaikoura, just a few hours north of Chch.
Along the way to Kaikoura, we made a few stops, dropping by Kieran at the Brew Moon as he was brewing up a batch of his black beer, and then out to Gore Bay, a prototypical NZ beach – secluded, empty, full of cliffs, and largely undeveloped. Out in Kaikoura, the weather was again cloudy for us. We’ve driven through Kaikoura 4 or 5 times now, and all but one time it was cloudy, which is really too bad because the town is really something when the weather is favorable. Unfortunately, we can’t believe that that happens much of the time there. Still, we managed to take in a walk and see a few seals (mostly sleeping, but still) along the way before dinner. All in all, a pretty full first day for our new arrivals.
Don is king of the world at Gore Bay
On the next day we headed out of Kaikoura since there wasn’t much we wanted to do there. To wit, most of the activities in Kaikoura revolve around whale-watching (which is expensive here, causes Becky and Linda sea-sickness, and which they’ve done back home), or lobster eating (which is also quite pricey and which Don doesn’t enjoy at all). So heading north towards Blenheim really made the most sense.
On the way out of Kaikoura the weather really improved, allowing us to see the snow-covered mountains to the west and the sea stretching forever on the eastern horizon. This gave Don an opportunity to make good use of his new video camera. He has since filmed heaps of tape; hopefully he gets a good editing program or his friends and family are in for a long evening at some point in the near future, hehe. After a few hours on the road, twisting and turning through the mountains we made it into Blenheim.
With a good afternoon to kill in Blenheim we went and did the Wairau Lagoon walk, recommended by Becky’s 202 Great Day Walks in New Zealand book. It was a nice little walk which lived up to its billing of “elegant flatness”, though I don’t believe the book mentioned the charming sewage treatment plant on either side of the park’s carpark. Still nice overall, though. After the walk we stopped by to see the guys at Renaissance, where Brian showed us his new flash bottling and labeling machines and insisted we take a box of beer along, which I agreed to only so that we could show Linda the beer we’ve been selling. Yeah, that’s the ticket, for Linda.
Andrew and Becky enjoy the elegant flatness at Wairau Lagoon
A few weeks ago when Becky was planning the itinerary she emailed Chris and Martin, the couple we Couchsurfed with in Blenheim in late June, and asked them if they’d like to get together for a coffee when we were in town. They replied by saying why didn’t we all just come to stay the night? Eager to show L&D the wonders of CSing, we took them up on the offer, and arrived late in the afternoon. In yet another gracious turn Chris prepared a proper Kiwi dinner for all of us with a lamb roast followed by pavlova for dessert. Just heavenly.
Chris puts the finishing touches on a delicious pavlova
A good part of the reason that we headed towards Blenheim with L&D so quickly was that they’d wanted to see a rugby match while they were in the country, and that Friday’s Tasman-Canterbury match in the Air New Zealand Cup series was the only one that really worked with the itinerary that Becky was working on. After our huge meal we headed to the match, and it was a real cracker. Since the teams are rival clubs (both feed the Crusaders, Chch’s professional team), Lansdowne Park was just about packed, and the local Makos (“Go the Makos!”) came out really firing against a much bigger and talented Canterbury side, even taking a lead into halftime. Unfortunately for the locals Canterbury exercised its muscle in the second half and took home an unconvincing win. Still, a great night for rugby, and we were glad to get to a provincial match out in the country, far from the glamour stadiums and more antiseptic atmosphere of the bigger cities. After another full day, we started the drive back to Chris and Martin’s, where everyone passed out nearly as soon as we were home. I foresee a busy 10 more days ahead.
Go The Makos!
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