Day 22 Kaikoura to Christchurch
Yet another leisurely rise again. Breakfast and showers all done, a quick tidy up and a concerted effort to get rid of as much 'food stuffs' not required as tonight is a short night prior to our trip back to Oz for about an hour then onwards to Tasmania!
The van was loaded, this bit is now going like clockwork, including a large black bag of rubbish. Why there were no bins to put it in we'll never know? A quick check that nothing has been left behind. Then we hit the road.
We'd contemplated visiting Hamner Springs today, but the temp for outdoor dunking was well below an acceptable level, so that was a no no!
Spotting a bin to dispose of said bag proved elusive? Several picnic areas were stopped at, but no bins?
The ever present railway stuck close to us again for several miles. Including a couple of tunnels, where the road had two and railway side but side. (See the photo)
Dee and Lis spotted something splashing out to sea. We brought the van to a safe stop and realised it was a pod of dolphins swimming about 100 metres offshore.
A few photos, much more difficult to capture than at first thought!
Thrilled by the sighting, we pulled back on the raid, still chatting about the experience all with smiles a mile wide!
Further down the way, we diverted off the main road to take a detour around the Gore Bay scenic route. Beautiful properties with some stunning views!
Lunch beckoned, so a stop at Cheviot was suggested.
More pies, cakes, quiche and a salad sandwich. Drinks all round, loo break and back on the road? Check-in was any time after two; we arrived about half two, the room was ready, so a complete unpack with a view to packing everything correctly into our large cases/bags so hand luggage weight could be kept the a minimum!
Paul had arranged for (and paid extra for), an out of hours drop off.
Our flight back to the main land was timed for take off at half six. The book in desks open three hours prior to that, so a van return of 3.30 at the car hire depot in Christchurch had been organised.
The boys took off to petrol up, (three quarters of a tank required), but finding a petrol station proved more difficult than you might imagine?
A trip along the main road proved fruitless, so it was decided to go towards town.
We must have covered several miles through urbanisation, before eventually Joh. Spotted the tell tales flickers price signs!
Topped up, we then went to find where the car had to be returned. It was less than two minutes from the motel, and easily reached. Continue to the end of the road we're staying on, turn left and its two hundred metres up on the right! Easy peasy!!!
We approached the fellas the workshop, fearful of the encounter we had when we picked it up! Would they be there to collect the car? And more importantly, would they convey us to the airport?
Nothing to worry about, Bashil was more than willing to drop us off, but also to come in earlier at three, so we wouldn't have to worry about being late for booking in!
Back to the motel with the good news.
Dee prepared our dinner/tea by using a lot of the left overs! Happy kitty!!!
Another evening of showering prior to hitting the sack and a silly o'clock rise for the next part of our adventure........