Christchurch to Kaikoura

We headed off to Christchurch to meet yet another friend / free accommodation!!! This time with Paul, our mate we'd met on the sailing boat from Panama to Columbia (also from Hokitika Food Festival). We spent a couple of days exploring Christchurch, as well as a fleeting visit to a rather wet & windy Akaroa (supposedly very nice french settlement about 1hrs drive away, but I'm afraid the weather rather spoilt it!). Unfortunately though Paul heads off to the UK in 10 days time so was having to vacate his shared house, and as we were still staying there we got roped into helping him move! We'd happily volunteered the day before, but thoroughly regretted it the next morning when we woke still drunk / very hungover following a rather impressive night on the town....much helped by the rather hideous cocktails we'd made to help empty the spirits cabinet! 'Mo' came into her own when she turned 'removals van' for the day, with some rather hilarious results!














Once our chores were done we avoided the worst of it (the cleaning!) by heading off to Kaikoura, a 3hr drive away and thanks to a rather unproductive morning we were late leaving so ended up camping at Gore Bay, about 70km South of our destination. The next morning we were up early, a) because we'd gone to bed at 7pm, and b) to avoid paying camp fees for what was just a glorified field! We got to Kaikoura all ready to book straight onto the Whale watching trip, but after finding out the prices we opted to just walk around the peninsula in the hope one might have beached itself! No such luck!

After this walk we were still left with no plans for rest of the day so after a quick read of the guide book we opted to do the 1400m climb up to Mt Fyffe (we’re just gluttons for punishment!). However there was the option of breaking the journey up and staying in a mountain (DOC) hut, seeing as we had yet to experience a night in one of these huts (NZ has hundreds of them!) we thought we’d take the opportunity! This did however make the climb harder as we now had to carry all our camping gear! Luckily it only took about 2hrs to climb up, thanks largely to the fact it was an extremely steep gradient the whole way, no pussy footing around on the flat stuff! We made ourselves at home in the hut, pot bellied stove all fired up (took over an hour to get hot enough to boil the kettle though!) but once it got going boy did it chuck out some heat! We spent the afternoon/evening admiring the incredible views over Kaikoura Peninsula, before retiring to the hut to read our books. With only one other German girl to share the hut with it was a very peaceful / snore free night, although we certainly weren’t alone (some very strange noises from outside)! We woke at sunrise to complete the hike to the summit, another 1hrs walk, this time through snow – such a nice feeling to be so high & isolated, with such incredible views! We really are getting into our wilderness experiences!

After this little adventure we headed back to Christchurch, where Paul’s Mum had kindly said that we could come and stay with her (Paul had also moved back home ready for his up coming departure to the UK). We spent the next 4 days busying ourselves around Christchurch….going for walks, playing tennis, squash, catching up on internet stuff and trying unsuccessfully to sell the van! Turns out everyone wants to sell their vehicles at this time of year and as yet we have only had one phone call! But we’re not worried she has easily paid for herself…we’ve only spent 46 pounds each on accommodation during our whole stay in NZ!!! And if Paul hasn’t sold her before he leaves we have lined up a good home for her with another of Chris’s ex-Antarctica mates who arrives back from Antarctica at start of May!

So that’s all Folks! 2 months and 20 days later we leave NZ, we have had an amazing time….and yet again for all those who think they can’t afford to do what we’ve done…it all came in at 1,700 pounds each (and we still own a van!)….and that includes bungy jumping, skydiving, rafting, kayaking, jet boating, and eating tonnes of pies!!!

Chris is shipping bute this back to the UK...so Dave & Mike better watch out!