Beautiful Banks Peninsula

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We left Kaikoura just as their annual Seafest began, and tourists started flooding into the city. We drove about two and a half hours to the beautiful city of Christchurch, and spent a few hours wandering around the city center. We explored the botanic garden, and punted down the Avon River in this very English inspired city. It was a very different (and welcome) boating experience from the day before. Calm, quiet, no swells, and no buckets needed.

From Christchurch, we took the summit road over the mountains surrounding the city, all the way out to Banks Peninsula. Brian's knuckles were white as a sheet when we arrived at the Le Bons Bay Backpackers, our accomodations for the next two days. The roads were full of amazing, "absurdly beautiful" vistas, hairpin turns and steep climbs and decents. The term "windy roads" takes on a whole new meaning in New Zealand.

We arrived for dinner at the backpackers (about 30 minutes late due to the terrifying nature of our drive there), which was home cooked by Garry, half of the couple that owns the hostel. We were seated around a large table in their cosy kitchen with guests from Israel, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland. The meal was fresh fish and crayfish (lobster) - both of which Brian sampled, caught by Garry himself earlier that day, pumpkin and feta salad, kumara (NZ sweet potatoes), baked potatoes with garlic butter, and a broccoli and mushroom pie. Dessert was a rhubarb crumble (that Geri admits was even better than her own) with Hokey Pokey ice cream. (Hokey Pokey is the de facto New Zealand National Ice Cream, very sweet with butterscotchy pieces). Garry is a self-taught gourmet chef and prepares dinner every night for the guests. Some might call staying in a hostel with a shared bathroom "roughing it," but this meal proves otherwise.

After dinner we chatted more with the other guests, enjoyed reading by the fire, and turned in fairly early. (The clock moved an hour forward this morning, so we had to make up that hour of sleep.) We are staying in the Blue Room, with a large east-facing window, and spectacular views. We made sure to wake up early this morning to take in the sunrise, awash in pinks and oranges.

After a quick breakfast, we drove down to the shore with Garry and the Israeli and Irish guests for a tour around Le Bons Bay in Garry's small fishing boat. We saw many seals and sea birds, including the yellow-eyed penguin, which is the most rare penguin in the world. We also saw white-flippered penquins. As we came closer to the shore, among some steep rocky pasture land, we took in the exotic beef cows and native sheep just meters from the sea.

Garry being a jack of all trades, had some work to do while we were out on the tour, so we watched as he checked his craypots (lobster traps). He hauled up three pots from the depths, one of which contained a decent sized crayfish. The others held fish, seaweed, starfish and crabs. The best part was when he restocked each pot with bait - the carcases of last night's fish dinner.

Now we're visiting the little town of Akaroa, settled by the French. The sun appears to be coming out, so we'll try to get in a hike around the area before it's time for dinner again. Tomorrow we're off to Wanaka, halfway to Te Anau, near Milford Sound. We'll update more as we can.

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Photos

View from Bendamere House
Geri and Brian in the backyard of their B&B in Kaikoura.

Punting in the Park
Punting on the Avon River (through the Botanic Garden) in Christchurch.

Akaroa Harbour
Akaroa Harbour (on the Banks Peninsula) at sunset.

Garry Brittenden with Crayfish
Garry Brittenden, our host at Le Bons Bay Backpackers, with a crayfish from one of his own craypots (he had to throw this one back).

Comments

[yourpalerin]

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream?
Mmmm,,, THAT'S what it's all about!! (Sorry, couldn't resist! Glad you're having such a good time... love to the KatzElliott family!)