Welcome KIWI III

After the laundry was brought back to order, we left Franz Josef Glacier and headed north to Hokitika. Due to a divine foreknowledge, we decided to switch back to the west side via Arthur Pass. On a beautiful drive, we took a longer break at an old hotel from the time of 1860, when true pioneering spirit prevailed here. Coal was mined here - relics from this time can be admired in this museum-like hotel.

On the east side, Christchurch awaited us. A city where 97% of the buildings were destroyed or uninhabitable in 2011 and 2012 due to severe earthquakes. As a result, this city is actually one big construction site. A waiter said it would take at least 40 years for the city to be completely rebuilt. During our tour, we stopped by an Indian restaurant while feeling a bit hungry and treated ourselves to a little something. To our surprise, Prince William was a guest at this restaurant after the earthquakes. Surely his moral support left a lasting impression. He definitely has a good chance of witnessing the finished reconstruction.

In Kaikoura, we planned to watch whales. But a tropical storm put a damper on our plans here. It swept over the island at about 37 degrees Celsius. Our camper was shaking, making us feel like we were on a ship. Due to the storm and the resulting waves, a boat tour was out of the question. Even the next day. As we have now learned, many vacationers on the west side had a much worse time. They were stranded due to fallen trees, closed roads, and even floods. So, despite missing out on seeing whales, we are glad we made it to the east side in time, even though we hadn't originally planned to.

Now we will transfer to the North Island by ferry on Sunday. In Picton, a beautifully situated harbor town, we will attend to our appearance, with fresh 14 degrees Celsius and still a stiff breeze, so that we don't attract negative attention right from the start in the more upscale part of New Zealand.