So after a gorgeous sunset in Kaikoura last night…
… we woke to our penultimate day in NZ. Very sad to think we’ll be leaving tomorrow but lots of memories of a fantastic trip. Decided to make the most of today so had packed up camp and were on the road by 9.30.
Stopped off in Cheviot an hour or so later for coffee and mini second light brekky at this nice cafe… Coffee and fruit salad were both delish.
A few minutes down the road later, we made another stop at Hurunui Mouth – where the salmon fishing is apparently very good.
There were certainly quite a few anglers about, angling enthusiastically. We met one angler’s missus who wasn’t quite so enthusiastic and, truth be told would have come back to civilization with us in a flash had we offered her the opportunity.
There were a few folk making the most of the non-fishing aspects of the river too – mostly wee kiddies splashing about in the water and getting down and dirty in the river mud.
Surrounding countryside was really lovely too. Lovely rolling golden hills which the sheep seemed to be enjoying very much.
We had planned a walk in Nape Nape but couldn’t quite find it. No matter though, our unplanned stop at Hurunui Mouth gave us enough of what we needed for it not to matter too much.
So onward through Christchurch (- was shocked by the level of devastation after the earthquake and we only really skirted round the edge of the city) to while away a couple of hours in Sumner and Scarborough about 10km south of the city.
Had a nice late lunch at the first cafe we came to (according to our guide book there was only one cafe in Sumner which was allegedly a sleepy town – neither of which was true for our visit).
Food was good even if the portions were a tad on the small side for two hungry women.
Enjoyed a stroll along the beach, enjoying the views and the people watching,
wondering what part of “danger keep out” some folk failed to understand…
and watching the surfers who seemed intent on getting themselves dashed on the rocks lining the water at Scarborough.
Very impressed with how the Esplanade had been planted up with lovely… plants…
… and finally got to have a lick of that promised ice cream of a few days ago.
As we left Sumner, following the very capable instructions (on this occasion anyway) of Sally SatNav – we spotted all the other places we could have eaten. There is more to Sumner than initially meets the eye.
So here we are now, at North South Holiday Park (or should that be car park?) – actually it’s not that bad really – big though, and not especially characterful. But the facilities are clean, and functional – and it’s not too far from the… blub… blub… sniff… sniff… waaah… waaah… waaah I don’t wanna go home 🙁 … airport.