Day 23 - Seals, Kaikoura, and other things on the East Coast

06.01.2015

I wake up around 7 o'clock to the sound of airplane and car noises, but I don't get up until 8:00. It's after 9:00 by the time I get ready. I'm still not sure where I want to stay tonight. I would like to go whale watching in Kaikoura, but the 2.5-hour tour costs 140 dollars and you only get to see 1 or 2 sperm whales if you're lucky. Although they are sperm whales and therefore much larger than the humpback whales I have seen before, the weather also has to be good. After yesterday's 27 degrees, it's only 17 degrees in the morning. I have half a yogurt and an instant coffee for breakfast, and then I start driving to get out of this motel before I break out in a rash. My trunk is filled because in addition to the luggage that keeps getting messy, I have set up a kind of water bar.

I want to take a few more turns in Blenheim and look for some wineries. They all have nice signs, and the wine regions seem to be rather small.

But none of them are open at this time, and what would I have done there anyway? A wine tasting at 10:00 in the morning before I have to drive another 150km? The sky is rather cloudy and I hope it gets better.

Highway 1 leads through the typical uncultivated mountain landscape of the East Coast. Brown hills and green meadows with sheep and dairy cows are the landscape that accompanies me until the highway takes a turn towards the Pacific coast.

Crabmeat in Waipapa Bay

If the sun were shining now, it would be unbearable, because the view of the sweeping bays, often with almost black sand and a long surf, is breathtaking.

I drive to a campsite that is more like a better parking lot, and I'm thrilled to see some fur seals lying on the rocks. They don't mind if you get close to them and take pictures. One of them is even snoring. The seals often go fishing for up to 30 days and need rest afterwards.

I drive a few meters further and can see lots of fur seals on the rocks from a parking bay next to the road. The Ohau Point Lookout is located above the Seal Colony. There are many young seals trying to climb the rocks or calling shrilly for their mothers. Great photo opportunities! Shortly afterwards, I reach the Ohau Point Seal Colony.

Even more seals and even more photos and videos. Very nice! The weather has now settled at a maximum temperature of 18 degrees and drizzle. The rain is quickly gone, but the clouds hang low and the great backdrop behind Kaikoura, which can be seen even better from the water during whale watching, is invisible. I now head to a motel, but it wants 135 dollars and considering that I'm not sure if I want to stay in Kaikoura, I settle in the café of a dolphin and albatross sightseeing provider. I read some brochures and travel guides, look at the weather, and decide: I'll keep driving.

Kaikoura

I make a detour to the providers of whale watching, who start the whole thing with a half-hour film screening (probably not a bad idea to give people some information beforehand), then the bus takes you to the boat and then it starts. Well then. The tours are booked up for today anyway, and if the weather is the same tomorrow as it is today, I don't want to do it either. I leave Kaikoura at 3:50 p.m. and head towards Christchurch, but I want to find a motel somewhere before that.

The towns I pass through don't have motels, hotels, or anything else, so about 25km north of Christchurch, I turn onto Highway 72 and drive to Rangiora, a town with 15,000 inhabitants, where I hope to find a density of motels. I check two locations and they are fully booked. Nice one. Then I find a motel that wants 139 dollars and claims to have 4.5 stars and air conditioning. I don't need either of those at a maximum temperature of 18 degrees. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., I finally have a motel that rents me a pretty big room for 105 dollars, where I will sleep well. However, Rangiora once again has nothing where I can eat, except for a very small Chinese restaurant diagonally across from me, with furniture that would rather belong in a 70s kitchen. Well, Chinese yesterday, Chinese today - whatever. I just bought some pita bread to toast for breakfast so I don't have to go to the Chinese for breakfast tomorrow :-).

Secure the pictures, upload them, and it's already 11:15 p.m.

Daily distance: 338km