New Zealand Catch Up

Just a quick update of my time in New Zealand so far.

From Piha, I spent one night in Auckland, taking in the fine Auckland Art Gallery and not much more due to the awful rain that pelted down all day long. Early rising to take a bus to Napier.

Napier is a small resort town on the east coast of the North Island that suffered a horrible earthquake in 1931 and decided to rebuild with an Art Deco theme. They hold two Art Deco weekends each year where people come from all over the country to dress up in period costumes and ride around in vintage cars. There are several stores in town that cater to those looking for unique and authentic garb and accessories. There's also an arts community in Napier and several galleries highlight local artists. I rented a bike and took a long ride along the low roads of the town, as opposed to trying to ride up the steep inclines to the posh neighborhoods with the best seaside views. In the afternoon I rented a towel and parked myself at the local spa that had both cool and heated pools, plus a sauna. Delicious. Why a spa and not the sea? The local beach is far too rocky and there is a sudden drop off that means you are swimming in quite deep water and the guy at my hostel warned of dire consequences.

Next, a long bus ride to Wellington. Here, I was picked up by my couch surfing hosts, Sarah and Guy. After getting acquainted, they mistakenly decided I was super-fit so they took me out for a long, steep climb over the hill and back into the city. We rambled around a used book store and picked up some fresh vegetables and a bottle of wine for dinner. Guy and Sarah are vegan and very into experimenting with raw food recipes so I was treated to two days of wonderful healthy food. We talked into the night about all sorts of subjects and looked forward to the next day of touring. The next morning they drove me up the coast to see more of the beautiful bays around Wellington and then we ventured back into the city to the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa and more fun around the harbor area. More amazing food that night and then I quietly caught a cab to the ferry early next morning.

The ferry between the two major islands of New Zealand takes about three hours, only about half of that is in the open sea. Then you wind into an amazingly beautiful sound with aqua green water and wooded or bare hills on both sides. Since I wasn't staying in Picton, where the ferries come in, I was whisked away to the bus station and awaited my bus to Kaikoura.

Several people told me to drop by Kaikoura for a few days and I'm glad I took their advice. It's laid back, small, and has incredible shoreline views. Many people take whale watches or swim with the dolphins in Kaikoura. I chilled out and enjoyed the gorgeous weather, rented a bike again to get around and had my first fish dinner in New Zealand. Yum! I don't even remember the name of the fish but it was flaky and had a tangy coriander ginger sauce. Accompanied by a kiwi white wine and a starter of calamari, which looked nothing like you'd get in Boston. Even having to do the mundane task of laundry in Kaikoura was a delight with such a view off the patio of the hostel.