Today was a driving day...

Left the Golden Bay YHA in good time and had to head over "that" hill! Takaka Hill, but it didn't seem so bad going back.... (it was one of the lord of the rings locations)

Passed through Nelson, Blenheim and picked up our old friend the SH1. The scenery was beautiful and it's clear that the mountains and hills are the dominant feature of the landscape.

Passing around the coast there were hundreds of seals, we stopped at the Ohau Point Seal Colony to view all the seals and there were loads of pups, only 1 month old splashing in the rock pools... Was fascinating watching them and to be honest you could spot them all around that jagged coast line!

Made it to our backpackers in good time called "the lazy shag"!! It's run by an eccentric woman who shouts if you feed the seagulls! She is cool! Decided to check out where our whale watching tour starts from tomorrow, the company is based in the old rail station which they have renamed the whaleway station!

Had fish and chips at Coopers Catch restaurant and treated myself to a new hoodie! And watched a sunset over the backdrop of the Seaward Kaikoura range mountains, spotted a rainbow, put some washing on and re-planned the last part of our route as we were not doing a sensible route... Now we should hopefully get to see the penguins!!