Kaikoura, New Zealand

Took a 6 AM walk around Kaikoura. I found Sacred Heart Church tucked in a small residential area. They have a Saturday night mass that we can go to. Most small towns only have one Sunday service. This parish even has a daily mass listed. A cold front moved through last night. It isn't going to be a shorts day! DW and AD worked on school stuff through the morning and transferred us to the new cabin. When we registered there wasn't a unit available for two days in a row. I got our journal transfers on CD to send to John and then went to the internet café. The machines didn't work well and it took forever.

Kaikoura sits right on the Pacific. Just outside of the village is a seal colony and trek along the ocean. We hiked along the rough limestone shore looking for sea life trapped in pools. The tide was coming in. We had to make our trip and return soon or get caught by the rising water. There were only a few seals along the walk. They weren't shy of people. The tide rose enough during our walk that we had to climb up on high rocks to get back.

It was a dreary, windy day, and too cold to do much outside. DW & AD checked emails and had ice cream. AD tried swimming in the heated

Sunrise on the mountains behind Kaikoura

pool. It wasn't very warm. He tried to get us to swim with him but we felt it too cold out. The sight of snow covered mountains as a background made us feel colder. We ate before going to 7 PM Mass. Church had very few people attending. The priest had a foot problem and sat while saying Mass. I'd never witnessed that. We're all happy to have someone to say a Mass in English. His sermon was drifty. We wondered how he was going to bring it together. Which he did in the end!

Nov. 23rd - Christchurch

Traveled south to Christchurch before 11. The terrible stock in Kaikoura's grocery store sold us on shopping in a large city. We found a hypermarket and bought staples. Prices were so much more reasonable. The countryside in this part of NZ is quite flat. North of CC was rolling farm land. Sheep grazing in all directions. Southwest of CC must be sandy soil. Tree farms seemed to dominate the landscape.

We had a reservation in Fairlie. It is a small town in the foothills of the Southern Alps. There are snowcapped mountains west of the town. They have 3 ski resorts in the area within 30 minutes. Fairlie has a small business district and about 500 people. We are staying at another Top 10 Holiday Resort. The owners have 4 children who AD enjoyed playing with. That gave DW & I a chance to go for a hike along the river track. We had lamb chops for dinner. Our first lamb since getting to NZ. DW loved it and I thought it was only ok.

AD Journal

Kaikoura is famous as the world feeding grounds of the sperm whale. It is located on the shores of the South Pacific Ocean. You can take a tour in the morning or the afternoon to see the sperm whale. It costs $105.00 kiwi dollars or $75.00 US.

On the shores of the ocean there are many different things to see like the Kaikoura Mountain range. From the top of the mountain to the sea you can go horse trekking, rafting, mountain biking or go on 4 wheel drive trips. Also in the ocean you can swim with seals and dolphins or go on shark viewings. All you need is time and money.

My Dad and I tried to go body surfing, but the current was too strong. I didn't like it because it would pull me under. It was fun to pick up big rocks and throw them out on the shore so they would make a water swell. The water was also really cold and I didn't want to stay in.

New Zealand

NZ 2

Kaikoura, New Zealand

Nov. 22nd - Kaikoura

Nov. 23rd - Christchurch

New Zealand