Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you.
Below is a short outline of my whereabouts during the last days.

18 December:
On Sunday 16 December I left Wellington on the ferry to Picton. The weather was great and the crossing of Cook Strait went very smoothly. From Picton I cycled with a tail wind to Blenheim; as easy as it could be a mere 30 km that passed by very fast. The sun came out and sunblock was needed straight away. Although there were cars and trucks on the road, the difference with traffic on the North Island was enormous and soon I was in a very laidback holiday mood - wooow!


The first week of my stay on the South Island was not spent on the bicycle a lot, because I was staying in Blenheim to relax a bit and to soak in the atmosphere here (explanation to follow later). On Monday the weather was gorgeous and I was able to explore this little town, that is far bigger than I had remembered it. Unfortunately, on Tuesday it rained in the morning and it still rained on Wednesday afternoon (that's why I am at the internet cafe to write a small story). Luckily I have some nice books with me, so I could unwind a bit although I rather have the sun. The locals here however are very happy with the rain, since everything started to dry out and the risk of fires had become huge. So, I just need to survive this weather in the tent on the campground and hopefully soon it will improve.


21 December:
The weather has improved and I have been exploring the town a little bit more. It seems not too dull - there even is a real cinema around here! where I have been twice already. Only a handful of other people at the movie - how relaxed. Since I had a broken tooth, I also visited a dentist; yes, also that was available here, however, less luxurious than the one in Wellington but also far less expensive. A lot of things seem to be cheaper here, but food and coffees are about the same price as in Wellington and house prices seem to be on going upwards still as well.

The temperature is still not great, but over the weekend it looks promising. Today and tomorrow I want to explore a bit more of the surroundings on the bicycle until Marco arrives on Sunday afternoon from Wellington.

25 December:
On Sunday Marco arrived in Blenheim from Wellington and the day after we started our cycling trip (Marco will be joining me for the first two weeks during his Xmas Holiday). We went to Ward with a great tail wind and some clouds, around 20 degrees, so perfect cycling weather. We stayed on a large farm with the sheep around the tent (pictures will follow as soon as I have another internet/computer). Today we arrived in Kaikoura via an amazing road along the Ocean. We saw heaps of fur seals, ate crayfish, made a lot of stops to enjoy to scenery. Luckily two shops were open in Kaikoura on this day, so we could buy some extra food and even have a beer on a terrace. So, this was another perfect day.

We will be heading to Hanmer Springs in two days from tomorrow onwards. The weather prediction is quite bad, but that is all in the game. I will try to keep this up to date - so get back to you soon!

Anita (and Marco)