dolphins, Kaikoura, NZ

This is in Kaikoura in the South Island, New Zealand where we went to see dolphins. Stunning day.

I will post other bits from the trip, as and when I get to them.

Nelson, NZ

L-R: Clancy, Mary, Sue, Jane &

Me L-R: Same but with Frederique

Frederique and Clancy

Roger & Alannah

Clancy & Father

Father & me at Jesters.

Frederique and I arrived in Nelson last Friday evening after a long trip from Cyprus. But we made it more bearable by drinking champagne every chance we got.

Nelson, at the end of the summer is lovely and the full moon hangs into the morning like a celestial eucharist wafer in the blue sky.

This week is about catching up with the sisters, Alannah & Clancy, and my Father. There is a noticeable difference in his general condition since I was here last year. Although quite well, he is more fragile, forgetful and has much less stamina.

The morning of the Tsunami warnings we were all on high alert. Clancy filled the CRV with essentials for a quick get away - passports, water and chocolate covered Anzac biscuits. But by late morning it was clear that warnings of waves up to 3m had downgraded to 'suges' then down to big tides. So we set off for Jesters Cafe for a spot of lunch.

http://www.jesterhouse.co.nz/jester.html

There Frederique fed the eels but thought they would be better feeding her - on the charcoal and served with a red wine sauce.

On Monday, we were meant to drive into see my father and go with him for coffee, but Clancy & Mary had gone off about their business and we could not find car keys. So we walked the 5 km into town and felt virtuous for the rest of the day.

We are getting ready for the big trip down south - lists of essentials for the first aid box, high energy snacks, water bottles, padded cycling shorts and all the leads & chargers technology demands these days. On Monday Frederique and I cooked for the cycling team so we could have our final pow wow.

Today we will meet Alannah & Roger at the Grape Escape for lunch:

http://www.thegrapeescapecafe.co.nz/INDEX.HTM

Tomorrow, Frederique and I will leave early to drive to Kaikoura for our dolphin watching boat trip. We will continue on down to Christchurch to stay the first of two nights. I will meet up with my Kiwi friends from Cyprus, Rebecca and Karl, to catch up with them, their babies and our lives.

Off to NZ

I'm off to NZ and Nelson in a week's time.
this is the webcam of the 'Cut' or harbour entrance to Nelson:
http://www.waterfrontnelson.co.nz/webcam/

On the 4th of March, Frederique, a friend here in Cyprus who is coming with me, and I will drive down to Kaikoura to do a dolphin watching trip:
http://www.dolphinencounter.co.nz/kaikoura/Dolphin_Tours/

And then on to Christchurch for two nights.
http://www.christchurch.org.nz/
I will visit friends there before my sister and her friends join us for our great biking adventure in Central Otago. We go to Dunedin for one night:
http://www.dunedinnz.com/

The next morning we will take the train to Middlemarch to pick up the bikes and off we go via HYDE, RANFURLY, LAUDER, CLYDE. Then we drive back to Dunedin (Frederique and Meagan are in the support 4WD along the way) to stay overnight.
Then we will drive, me and Frederique in the 4WD and Clancy and Mary on their motorbikes up the West Coast, through LAKE TEKAPO, ARTHUR'S PASS, PUNEKAIKI, HOKITIKA, CAPE FOULWIND, staying overnight for a couple of nights before heading back to Nelson.
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/regions/west-coast/west-coast.cfm
I am very excited. Watch this space!