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Published: February 20th 2015
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Blenheim to Christchurch The Marlborough Wine tasting was purely an educational experience involving visiting 6 different vineyards from small privately owned properties like Bladen to larger concerns such as Villa Maria. After visiting the Aviation Centre we were picked up by Helen in a minibus and taken to Alan Scott Vineyard where we had lunch with the other scholars of wine who were sharing the tour with us. We had an amazing Seafood Chowder made from their own Sauvignon velouté. We sampled 4 wines here before eating, including a sparkling wine which was so nice I had a glass with lunch! We met up with a Dutch couple who had also abandoned their jobs to travel, having just toured S America and two other English couples. We sampled all sorts of different wines other than Sauvignon Blanc, which the region is possibly best known for, including: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrrah and Malbec. At Forster's we were taken into the vines to see how the vines are managed and a we
were allowed to try some of the soon to be 2015 vintage grapes! At Lawsons Dry Hills, our last stop we sampled 11 different wines! It was a really interesting tour which was enhanced by Helen's expert knowledge and repartee. Fortunately I only had to put a pizza in the oven when we got back!The following morning we said our farewell to Wendy, who kindly checked the weather forecast for us as we were heading for Kaikoura to go whale watching. The first sailing had been cancelled but the forecast was improving. Wendy advised a trip to the chemist's to buy some Sea-Legs, which we duly did. We really enjoyed our stay in Na Clachan with Wendy and Helen and would definitely recommend it. The drive to Kaikoura follows the coast and has some breathtaking views. We stopped at a lay-by in Hapuku and by sheer coincidence discovered a colony of seals basking on the rocks in the sunshine. On arrival at Kaikoura we checked to see if our sailing was still going ahead - it was, but with seasickness warning. We boarded the catamaran expecting
a bumpy ride and we weren't disappointed. After 45 mins the boat stopped in the area where there was likely to be a whale - if you fail to spot a whale the company refunds 80% of your fee but there are no guarantees. Eventually after changing position a couple of times we were rewarded with a Sperm Whale surfacing next to the catamaran. They only spend about 10 minutes on the surface before diving to feed and can remain submerged for approx 45 minutes so the opportunity to see them is limited and you feel privileged to spend time with them. You can only see about a third of the whale but as it dived I managed to get a photo of the tail! You could say it was a pure fluke!! On the way back to the Harbour we were treated to another dolphin encounter. This time it was a large pod of Dusky Dolphins, which are amongst the most acrobatic. They entertained us with leaps and backflips until the captain had to drag us away. It is hard to believe that in places like Peru these beautiful mammals are still illegally hunted for meat. Another stunning adventure!
From Kaikoura we drove to Christchurch. This city is still recovering from the earthquakes in Sep 2010 (7.1) and Feb 2011 (6.3) as can be seen from the amount of construction and impromptu car parks which used to be the site of buildings. The saddest testimony to the damage an earthquake can cause is the derelict remains of the Cathedral in Cathedral Square. Half of the building is missing, the land has been deconsecrated, there are no plans to rebuild it and it is now a 'million dollar pigeon loft' as it was described by our tram driver. The transitional cathedral is not in the centre but is famous nonetheless for being constructed from cardboard tubes. Nearby there is a memorial to the 185 people who were killed in the February 2011 earthquake, ranging from 5 weeks of age to octagenarians. It is a patch of land with an eclectic mix of 186 white painted chairs. The high hairs and baby seats are particularly poignant. Away from the recent tragedies however Christchurch is a beautiful city. Resourceful shopkeepers have set up in converted containers in the Re-start area of the city. There are also parks and gardens to visit.
In Hagley Park you can take the Caterpillar tour of the garden - a little train, driven by a park warden who tells you about the history of the park and details about the trees and flowers. There is also a stream which runs through the park called The Avon. You can hire canoes, small boats or like us you can let someone else do all the work and be punted down the river! We also got an aerial view of the city by taking a gondola up into the mountains overlooking the city. At times you could be mistaken for thinking that you are holidaying somewhere in England, until you see the scars left by the earthquakes. It makes you realise how lucky we are not to be situated on a major fault line.
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