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  • Day 504

    Back to the mechanics we go

    July 5, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Another day, another problem with our van! Last night just before we made it to our campsite we realised that our left back indicator wasn't working again. After going about our morning routine and packing up to leave we headed to Supercheap Auto in Blenheim to have to bulb checked. It's so lucky they actually have one of these stores here. It turned out the bulb wasn't the issue so we needed to visit an electrician. We rung all the auto electricians listed in Blenheim in our handbook but unfortunately no one could see us until a few days time or this afternoon. Knowing Picton is 25 minutes away north, as long as you drive on the highway not down the road we did yesterday, we called one there who was able to have a look at it as soon as we could arrive. They discovered that because the van is used to sleep in, condensation had corroded the metal plate where the bulbs sit so the electricity wasn't able to pass through efficiently. I have no idea what they did but after 45 minutes or so they'd managed to fix it and charged the cost straight to Tui Campers so we didn't have to pay for anything upfront which was a bonus. While we were sat there I noticed a large white wooden cross halfway up the hill in front of us. The mechanic told us that some 30 years or so ago a pilot in a single person plane died from crashing into the hill after heavy fog suddenly descended. He knew all about it because he said he's asked daily about the cross so had to research into the story. It was such a tragic tale. With our van all fixed we headed back down towards Blenheim where we visited a supermarket to get enough food to last us the rest of our road trip. After checking the highway to Kairkoura was open we began our journey south, slowly making our way back towards our home away from home. Sections of the highway were pretty much destroyed in the November 2016 earthquake and the road only reopened this year but with on going roadworks and lots of one lane sections. It was a stunning road to drive down and the waits at traffic lights were actually welcomed because you got to sit and admire the scenery around you that still looked breathtaking even after such devastation. One of the best parts was seeing hundreds of fur seals on the rocks to the left of the road that line the shore. It's so reassuring and pleasing to see that despite the changes in the environment these animals have made their way back here to use this area as their home once more. Because of the roadworks you couldn't pull in anywhere for a closer look at the seals but that made it even more special and positive that these animals were getting to have a break from tourists pestering them, almost giving them time to move on from what happened here as well. New Zealand is a country of outstanding natural beauty but it's beauty that has been created by the two tectonic plates it sits on and seeing this earthquake damage first hand is a clear reminder of the price you pay for that. After you reach the end of the roadworks the road bends around to the right and suddenly you are treated to the most spectualar view of the snow capped Southern Alps which had such a breathtaking impact. It was then that we both felt we were one step closer to our little area of the country we've become so accustomed to, where we get to see these insane mountains everyday. We made it to Kairkoura and after visiting the visitor centre we booked to go on a whale watch tour tomorrow and planned a walk to do on the next day. Knowing we were spending two nights here we stayed at the Top10 site and are quite content knowing tomorrow we can just leave the van here and walk everywhere for the day. We had even planned to out to a live music bar this evening but unfortunately I had a headache start to kick in and I really didn't want it to get any worse especially for our trip tomorrow. I'm so excited to hopefully see whales tomorrow and it definitely makes up for another day of getting our van fixed!Read more