Kaikoura - Blenheim
Trip Start
Nov 04, 2007
1
5
32
Trip End
Dec 06, 2007
Blenheim,
New Zealand
Thursday, November 8, 2007
We packed up, and drove through town and up to the lookout, which was on top of a water tank. Don't worry; a broken picket fence prevented the children from toppling over the edge. At least the views were pretty.
From Kaikoura, we headed off on SH1 towards Blenhiem. A windy road and it was quite windy too. Buffeting the truck all over the place, but we kept it on the road: what with the curves and the breeze, it was no easy feat.
We stopped for a morning tea at a cafe in Ward
Yasmin through the broken fence
. They had macchiato on the menu, but they didn't know how to make it - it was more like a short white than any macchiato either of us had seen. But their slices were divine. They had a crayfish 'museum' with three live crays that entertained Yamsin and Mckayla. Yasmin regaled Mckayla with tales of 'snipping' crayfish, and this was enough to send Mckayla into a screaming fit. But she got over it when she saw the crayfish boat and the whacky mirrors. Oh what fun!From Ward, it was a short hop, skip and jump to Blenheim, but we took that hop via Montana winery, where we engaged in some much needed imbibing, and the kids engaged in ball play. After driving further through Blenheim and out the other side, we ended up at Fromm's winery, where we received a telephone call from the plumbing supply shop to say that the bathroom supplies would be delivered tomorrow morning at 11:30am and would we be there to take delivery and pay the $40 fee? Of course we would ... or at least our representative could. But I digress.
The Fromms are from Switzerland, and they make their wines in a European style, apparently. I'm not sure how I could tell this from drinking it, but I'm sure it made sense to the sommelier.
From Fromms to the winery formerly known as the Mud House village winery, which is now not a winery at all (as far as we could ascertain) but a cafe, olive shop, quilter, and liqueur creator. We weren't complaining, and tucked into a lunch of olives, cheeses and a glass of sauvignon blanc, or 'SAV'. Fortunately for us, the weather was good, and we spent the lunch hour watching swan (ducks to Mckayla) while the kids played on a miniature slippery dip.
From here, it was all systems go back to Blenheim, where we checked in and the kids checked out. While they slept, we caught up with some much needed R&R.
After dinner, the kids retired upstairs for Monsters Inc, and we relaxed once more.
