At the Jucy Rental desk I return The Silver Streak in exchange for a relocation deal which allows me five days to deliver the car to Auckland. All signed, I drive away in a Suzuki Swift – a little aqua bubble of a car. The wind is fierce and The Bubble and I bounce perilously along the road up to Kaikoura. I consider trying to find some weighty stones to anchor us down but in the end we arrive without incident.
I meet up with newly made friends Laura and Cat as we check in at Dolphin Lodge. Staying in hostels can open up a whole world of like-minded people. They have given up their jobs to travel for a year and, it turns out, are doing pretty much the same trip as me – in reverse!
Kaikoura is not about the beaches, although the sea is pretty, the coves are dark pebbled beaches. It is about the whales, dolphins and seals that frequent this area. Despite my long walk on the beach I am disappointed to leave having seen none of them, but on a whistle-stop tour this was always going to be a possibility. That my friends happen to see whales as they drove in, only a short time before me….! Unfortunately the whale watching tour is 3 hours and I need to press on to get to my final destination on the South Island.
Driving to Blenheim the road runs mainly along the coast and it is difficult not to want to keep stopping to admire the view, particularly when the sun is shining making the water appear almost turquoise. There are many large rocks that protrude from the sea and on more than one occasion you wonder whether it could just be … but no, it’s another rock. The rolling hills and autumn coloured vines signal Marlborough country and I arrive with time to take a detour up to Picton and along the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive before heading down to Renwick. I had read about the Marlborough Sounds near Picton and, despite the winding road, the views were - in true New Zealand style - amazing.
Watson’s Way Lodge feels more like an hotel than a backpackers. The sight of fresh white towels on the warm towel rail and I could as well have been shown to a suite at the Ritz. My little travel towel does the job, but this, this is pure luxury! The hostel is absolutely spotless. My room is a good sized twin complete with a desk and TV/DVD player – and I have it all to myself! Later I will watch a DVD, but for now I sit at the desk writing, armed with a cup of tea and a packet of Tim Tam biscuits. The trick (as I was taught in Queenstown) with these is to bite off each end and then use the biscuit as a straw. You will need to eat the biscuit fairly immediately or risk it disintegrating into your cup.
I have one more trip I need to make to complete my whirlwind tour and that, of course, is to Spy Valley winery. I first tasted their Sauvignon Blanc back in the UK some years ago and it has been my absolute favourite ever since. That it was almost impossible to find, only increased its allure. I am curious about the history of this small vineyard that wins prizes for its wines and beckons to me from half way around the world to visit it! Nicola kindly gives me a private tour so that I can better understand about what it is about their wines that make them so special. It is a fascinating tour and I will endeavour to do justice to them and write an article separately.
If at this point I simply disappear, then I may eventually be found seeking fugitive status somewhere on this beautiful island. My trip has been truly unforgettable. South Island is made to be explored and whether you choose to plan your route or let the roads open up ahead of you, I have not met anyone who has been disappointed. The huge variety of vistas has, at times, felt like a sensory explosion. I wasn’t prepared to be bowled over like this. Outside of the cities, the traffic is pretty quiet, and I’m told that as the only country in the world to run entirely on wind and solar energy, the air is fresh and pure. New Zealand has no native mammals, only birds, but I cannot imagine these verdant hills without the cows and sheep. The autumn colours and first snows have probably amplified the intense beauty of the landscape and I think I may have chosen the best time of year to visit.
Tomorrow is the ferry crossing to Wellington and the start of the 3 day hike up to Auckland. Once the hire car goes back, I hope to do a few tours by bus - North Island in nutshell.
