Feeling pretty pleased with ourselves that we managed to time it so that our first day of bad weather was spent driving between Marlborough vineyards for tastings - Spy Valley, Grove Mill, Allan Scott, Wither Hills, Cloudy Bay, Hunters, Saint Clair. Watching the forecast for our Cook Strait crossing with some trepidation. I may take that seasickness pill this time......

Mike and I did one leg of the Queen Charlotte walking track from Anakiwa to Lochmara. Great weather, spectacular views, but boy were we knackered when we got there. The spa pool was very welcome. The food in the restaurant was superb and there was heaps of wildlife to meet around the lodge - dogs, birds, llamas (beware the black llama), pigs, and the pet shag who tried to join in on our game of fetch with the lodge dog.

Okay so I have only been seasick once before in my life. It was last year off the East Cape on a 4.5hour trip with reasonable swell. So maybe I shouldnt have been cocky and ignored the seasickness warnings and offers of herbal remedies - but really, what were the chances? The whale we were searching for turned out to be 13 kilometres offshore and had been on the surface for some time so it only hung around for about 3 minutes after we arrived before diving ...

Really beautiful spot. Walked to the top of Mt Johns for our second steep uphill walk only to discover that the cafe at the top had just closed - denied! So we drove up the next morning instead. Hot pools under the stars. Caught up with Carol for a night at a lodge next to the Rakaia Gorge. Went on a jetboat ride and forest walk.

Caught up with Allanah. The bro arrived, eventually, sans luggage thanks to a strike in Sydney. Walked over the Bridle Path to Lyttleton - they aren´t kidding about that being a steep hill, Mike walked back again, I took the bus :-) Coffee intake has increased dramatically due to fraternal influence.