North-East coast and Hanmer Springs

From Nelson we drove through the pretty Marlborough region, where there seemed to be a lot of wineries. We had just drunk a bottle (the previous evening) that had been produced in the area and it was really nice. We carried on driving to along the east coast where the road follows the coast so the views of the South Pacific Ocean were beautiful. We stopped at a seal colony which was right on the road side and the whole length of coastal rocky shore line as far as we could see was seals.

That is the most we have seen here so far and the girls loved watching them swim, play, sleep and fall off the rocks (I know a bit mean but they were so funny)!

We stopped at Kaikoura for night in another top10 campsite where the girls enjoyed some time in the pool for a change (Until now, the pools here at our campsites have been the Ocean or the lakes…and they are freezing)! so having a heated pool was a bit of luxury for us.

In kaikoura you could have gone for a whale watch but again that would have involved a boat ride for few hours… I instead tried to look from the beach if I could spot a tale of whale, but that is something for the future…to spot a whale.

Now I am happy we have seen close by seals, sea lions, penguins and kiwis.

Before we were returning to Christchurch for our last night, we decided to drive to Hamner Springs for its known thermal pools for our last treat on the south island. The road there wasn’t very nice, the roads were in terrible condition and you could see there wasn’t any money spend in the regions on way there. That was probably most dull drive on our trip from Kaikoura to Hamner Springs, but when you get there it is a very pretty village. The thermal pools where great, even very commercial but we all enjoyed them and there were plenty of water play areas for the children. Me and Steve took turns in adult only pools to enjoy few minute own time which you have started to appreciate more on this trip! On following day on our way out of Hamner Spring we stopped at the Thrill Seekers Canyon. A lovely old bridge known for its bungee jumping.

We even found another beautiful beach just before Christchurch where we had to stop for look more shells for Miia’s necklace stalls!!!