Christchurch to Blenheim

We left Christchurch this morning for a 350 km drive North along the East Coast of the South Island.

We left Christchurch on the flat lands surrounded by the Southern Alps and head North up Highway 1 - well they call it a highway but to be honest its only like a UK A road - but with no traffic! When you come across a bridge it's only one lane across, so you have to wait for what ever is at the bridge first.

Our first stop was at Kiacora, this is well known for Whale and Albatross sight seeing. Well we didn't see either but we did come across a colony of seals lounging on the rocks. They didn't mind Robb getting in amongst them for a photo session – in fact it even appears that they were quite happy to pose for the camera.

As we came closer to Blenheim we entered the famous vineyards of Marlborough, I'm sure that most of you at one point or another will have drunk wines from this area. Our 'home' for tonight is a lodge in the middle of a vineyard with views up into the Marlborough Hills. It's quite cold here tonight, there’s snow on the hills up here and it feels cold enough to snow, yet other days with us further south it has been warmer.

I'm still trying to get my head round the directions here! In the Northern Hemisphere I have a really good sense of direction, but since arriving 'upside-down' it's gone to rats! Still can't get used to the sun being in the North - I would make a cr*p homing pigeon down here!

Photo's will come tomorrow - the internet here is driven by 'roaches'!