Marlborough Hotel Blenheim

Drove to Blenheim after arriving in Christchurch from a spacious plane trip.<br>Pretty much spent most of the time trying not to talk as had the swine flu shot before the trip and started getting laryngitis (wanted to save the voice for the wineries!)<br><br>Next morning... the voice was back! Winneries were great. The first half of the day was just Mum and I and the tour man who was great ...

... off did a good lunch. A great home-made pizza with chorizo, pesto, peppers and a crisp salad was taken (and a glass of the Pinot Noir). Then it was on to the tastings!<br><br>Wairau River Wines &#8211; same place as the restaurant and a nice cellar door.<br><br>2008 Sauvignon Blanc &#8211; Passion fruit nose. Sharp palette.<br><br>2007 Home Block Sauvignon Blanc &#8211; A little flint on the nose. Smooth with a more gooseberry ...

... up shortly!! Having paid in other places with the weather, this was to be one of our payback days. As it was the quiet winter season, we were the only 2 on the half-day tours and had the undivided attention of our wine guide for the afternoon. What an afternoon it was too - barely a cloud in the sky and the autumn leaves of the vineyards stretching off into the gloriously sunny distance. An afternoon of tasting at the wineries which ...

... 1 som man ikke kan spise) ,spotted rog haj (4 men de er meget giftige).  I dag tager vi så færgen til Nordøen, hvor vi skal være nogle dage i Wellington, NZs hovedstad, hvor der kun bor omkring 160.000 mennesker, mens der til sammeligning bor 1,2 mio mennesker i Auckland, hvor vores tur slutter. 

We arrived at Picton and got to the best lodge we've been to till now. There were 3 main things that made it really good - a piano &amp; guitar, a breakfast included every morning and an outdoor hot-tub! We definitely use these benifits :) After a good night sleep we took a taxi-boat to the beginning of the 71km Queen Charlotte track, which goes along the Queen Charlotte sound. Usually people do parts of it or all ...

... we were to catch the ferry accross the Cook Straits to Wellington in the North Island. As I sit here typing this, the news on TV is telling me that Picton has just declared a state of emergency due to the extreme weather conditions. The fire chief (who is at least 85!) is on TV detailing the evacuation procedures.......but I digress. The continuing saga of clive's stomach upsets took an amusing turn during a ...

... converted into a restaurant. I sat on deck and watched the sunset and the rowers out on the water, with easy jazz and chill out music wafting up from the kitchen below along with lovely smells of seafood chowder. Today I've just been for a hike along the headland and in an hour I head off on a wine tour. I really hope we get to go to cloudy bay. I begin a Stray Tour tomorrow morning and head to Abel Tasman National Park for some hiking and kayaking.

... it was also time to get the bikes back as well. After getting back to the B&amp;B in one piece with all the wine, we were returned to the campsite by the lady's husband with all our purchases. I think (can't remember that far back) we actually cooked a meal in the van that night and then afterwards went to the cinema to watch "We Own The Night" which was an okay movie and worth a watch. Then kip in preparation for our drive down to Kaikoura the following day.