The East Coast from Kaikoura to Waikawa

With drains being repaired at home and my lovely front garden being wrecked to achieve this, and with building next door too, it was definitely the right moment to have a trip away and to fall in love with New Zealand once again. It certainly did not take long to do this!

Just two hours from Christchurch you get the first dramatic views up the coastline towards Kaikoura. It is pure magic. Rocky beaches which have been changed dramatically by the 2016 earthquake, but with large numbers of fur seals basking on the rocks in the sunshine or frolicking in the gentle waves amongst the kelp. It is an idyllic sight.

Kaikoura is patiently awaiting the massive tourist influx once the season gets underway. We could thoroughly enjoy the long , empty beaches with expansive views out to sea and over towards the mountains around Mount Fyfe. They looked breathtakingly beautiful with their snowy peaks,

Two years on, the road north is open 24/7 and is an engineering masterpiece considering the number of landslides which covered the road and railway tracks less than two years back. It was an absolute joy to travel northwards once again.

Abseilers have been hard at work, through many aftershocks, securing the steep rocky cliffs which descend to the track and road. It was, and still is, a massive undertaking.

There are four or five major works still underway, so there are some moments to pause and take in this wonderful road and of course the newly formed beaches.

If you are lucky, you have enough time to get out of the car and really marvel at the spectacular coastal scenery. I so love the coast, the colours and the gentle sounds of the waves.

Five hours from Christchurch we arrived at Shirley's holiday home, batch, in Waikawa, just outside Picton. It must be 30 years since I was last in this region. I had really forgotten how absolutely fabulous  this area is, especially out of season! Heaven on earth! And, to top it off, the weather was brilliant. After days with temperatures in single figures. We arrived here to 18 plus. As I write this, it is 23!

No wonder that the oranges, grapefruit and lemon bushes are laden with fruit. Looking forward to making some marmalade when I get home.

A girls' trip, so of course a first night pre- dinner drink of aperol spritz was just the perfect way to start the holiday with Shirley and Ali.

Just down the road is Waikawa Bay. It is an idyllic spot giving us the first magnificent views of The Sounds. It is simply awesome..

Can you imagine having your postal boxes in such an incredible place?

I popped down to the bay just as the sun was setting. I found it hard to drag myself away from this view out through the Sounds. The sun had sunk behind the bush and native tree clad hills and the tide was slowly heading out, meaning soft ripples splashing gently onto the beach. This regular sound was broken intermittently by the dulcet sound of the bellbirds, no doubt voicing their joy at such a serene and perfect evening.

Next day we took a lovely hill path from Waikawa through to Picton. Five kilometres of gently undulating track around the hills to Picton harbour, such a picturesque starting point for the Interisland ferry to the North Island. What an amazing introduction to the South Island for those arriving from the North. Of course, the weather is not always so idyllic. The crossing can be ghastly!

Picton is a sleepy little town with lots of cafes and souvenir shops, all bracing themselves for the first cruise ships in October. This is the perfect time to be there. I will certainly do it again next year!

Not only is this area one of the most picturesque places imagineable, you are only a short drive away from vineyard after vineyard in the wine- growing area of Matlborough. Blenheim, its hub, was our destination. We had a fantastic day.

First stop, Brancott Estate, previously known as Montana. It is a huge vineyard and has a magnificent winetasting room and restaurant, perched on the top of a small hill with an unbelievable view. I want to come back in autumn when the vines are clad in their autumnal cloaks of red, orange and yellow.

The wine is pretty good, as is most Marlborough wine, and I loved the variety of coloured labels they now have. They looked stunning.

Lunch was at Giesen's, another of the original vineyards here. Goodness knows how many different vineyards there are! We had an incredible platter of meats, cheese and seafood, plus local mussels, in a very sheltered and pretty little courtyard reminiscent of Tuscany.

The meal was topped off with some wine- tasting. Perfect.

It was time to walk off the food and wine with Shirley's lovely dog Annie. She is such good company to have around and she loves being here too. I wonder who she was looking for?
Today has been another truly memorable day with a walk up the hill beside the house. I opted to walk along the ridge, with the most breathtaking views over this enormous area of bush clad hills, split up from one another by what is known as The Queen Charlotte Sound. I so enjoyed the undulating pathway through bush and beside the cliffs , with occasional clearings with such spectacular views.

On I went towards the Snout, a viewpoint which offers some of the best views of the Sounds. Wow, i was simply speechless at the spectacular surroundings, and I was totally alone to enjoy it. Wilderness pure. Heaven on earth. 

And there was yet another ferry. It must have been a perfect crossing today. I could imagine how much the travellers would have enjoyed this wonderful, pristine, unspoilt wonderland of New Zealand.
 
I am so thankful to be able to see, hear, feel, and walk in this marvelous place.