Back on the road again...🚘

After an enforced slow morning due to trying to complain to Kiwi Rail about our damaged suitcase we finally got around to sorting ourselves with a revised schedule for the final few days of our New Zealand trip now gone to pot. After breakfast we checked out of the Distinction Hotel in Cathedral Square and walked the short distance to pick up our Hire Car. Expecting it to be a Mitsubishi, we were given another but newer Toyota RAV4 Hybrid with less than 10,000 kilometres on the clock. After driving back to the hotel, we made our way out of the city and onto the SH1 towards Kaikoura. Crossing the Waimakariri River we drove through many small town, up narrow windy roads with the occasional look out positions but as today was rainy 🌧 with low cloud ☁️ it wasn't worth stopping to check so we ventured on arriving shortly before 2:00 pm just 3 hours later at our accommodation where fortunately our room was ready for us, and just up 1 flight of stairs! After opening our suitcases; we no longer bother to unpack or pack now. We strolled into town for a look around. Again, it's only a small seaside town (by England standards), but there appears to be plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants. After stopping for a coffee ☕️ we went back to the hotel 🏨 to get the car and see where I had to be tomorrow morning for my whale 🐋 watching 👀 excursion. We then returned to the hotel before walking back into town for something to eat at The Strawberry 🍓 Tree. Where unusual for Jayne and I, we both chose the Catch of the Day, some local fish 🐟 that really was delicious 😋.Read more